Flooring Installation

Flooring Problems Are Almost Always Subfloor Problems

When a floor telegraphs every seam, squeaks in the same three places, or shows a gap that opens and closes with the seasons, the flooring is rarely at fault. The subfloor underneath it was not flat, not dry, or not properly fastened before the new material went down.

Most flooring manufacturers specify flatness within about an eighth of an inch over six feet. Very few older Cincinnati homes are anywhere near that without work. Ignoring it does not stop the install — it just means the floor fails early, and the warranty is void because the spec was not met.

So we check flatness, test for moisture on concrete and over crawl spaces, re-fasten squeaks while the subfloor is exposed, and level where it is needed. It is unglamorous and it is what separates a floor that still looks right in a decade from one that does not.

What We Do Before The First Plank

• Check flatness against the manufacturer spec — and correct it, because installing outside spec voids most warranties.
• Moisture-test concrete slabs — a slab that reads high will destroy hardwood, and there is no fixing it afterwards.
• Fix squeaks while the subfloor is open — it is nearly free at that moment and effectively impossible later.
• Acclimate the material — wood and LVP need time in the house before installation, and skipping it is why gaps appear in February.