Before you take the plunge…

You have thought about it for a long time – agonised about making the right decision. You spoke to your family, friends, neighbours and just about anybody who would listen. You deserve it; your house deserves it and YES – you want a new floor! But where to start…

1.  Be prepared.

You will be amazed (and overwhelmed) at the sheer amount of choice available today when it comes to flooring. You are not going to know if you want vinyl or laminate or hardwood or carpets – all amazing products, each with a set of pros and cons. But, if you do a bit of research, organize your thoughts and determine what is most important to you and what your limitations are, you will soon be in flooring heaven.

2.  Ask yourself…

• In which room do I want to install my new floor?
• Will the floor be subject to a lot of traffic / activity?
• Will the floor get wet other than when I clean it?
• Am I bothered about the noise level when walking around?
• Am I worried about spills, scratches or furniture indentations?
• What is the sub-surface like underneath my new floor?
• Do I have a specific colour /decor /style /ambience I want?
• Is there anything in my life that will affect the choice I make?
• And what is my budget?

3.  Do a bit of measuring

Determine the square footage of the room you want to put your new floor in. (m²)
Step 1 : Measure the width of the room (W)
Step 2 : Measure the length of the room (L)
Step 3 : Multiply the width with the length (W x L = m²)

If your room is an odd shape, divide the room into blocks and measure each block separately. Add the blocks together for your final answer and round up, rather than down. Keep in mind that it is always better to order a bit more than needed, than ordering too little!

4.  The Waste Factor

Before placing your order you have to determine the exact amount of flooring you need.  You don’t want to order too much, but certainly not too little either.

You have to make an allowance for cutting and fitting waste, as well as accidental damage during installation – this is known as the Waste Factor.  At Board Warehouse, we recommend you add an extra 10% to your overall square footage to allow for this. It’s very important to ensure you order enough – you don’t want to find out half way through installation that you are short and all of a sudden, that specific floor, the one you love and cannot live without, is no longer available!

Example:
If your room measures 50m² and you allow for a 10% waste factor, you need to add 5m² to your initial measurement. That is [50 x 10%] + 50 = 55m². You will order 55m² in the end.