Dec 16, 2025
How to Prepare Your Home for Vinyl Flooring Installation
You’ve decided to get new vinyl flooring. Great choice. But before the installation crew shows up, there are a few things you can do to make the process smoother, faster, and less stressful for everyone.
Here’s what we tell our customers to expect, and how to prepare.
Clear the Room
This one seems obvious, but it’s worth emphasizing: the room needs to be empty. Furniture, rugs, decorations, anything on the floor or against the walls needs to go.
Some flooring companies charge extra for furniture moving. We include light furniture moving in our service, but clearing out smaller items, electronics, and breakables beforehand saves time and protects your belongings.
For large, heavy pieces like pianos or pool tables, let us know ahead of time so we can plan accordingly.
Remove Wall Hangings Near the Floor
Take down any pictures, mirrors, or decorations on walls in the work area. Installation involves some vibration and movement, and things can fall. Better to remove them yourself than have an accident.
Think About Your Baseboards
Vinyl flooring typically goes up to (but not under) your baseboards. You have two options:
Keep Existing Baseboards
We’ll install the flooring up to the baseboard and add quarter-round or shoe molding to cover the expansion gap. This is faster and more affordable.
Remove and Reinstall Baseboards
We remove the baseboards, install the flooring underneath, and reinstall them. This gives a cleaner look but takes more time and may reveal paint touch-ups needed.
We’ll discuss which option makes sense for your home during the estimate.
Plan for Dust
Even with the cleanest installation, there will be some dust, especially if we’re removing old flooring or doing subfloor prep. We clean up thoroughly when we’re done, but you may want to:
- Close doors to rooms not being worked on
- Cover nearby furniture with sheets if it can’t be moved
- Plan to dust or vacuum adjacent areas after we’re done
Acclimate the Flooring
Vinyl flooring needs to acclimate to your home’s temperature and humidity before installation. Most manufacturers recommend 48 hours. We’ll deliver the materials ahead of time and stack them flat in the room where they’ll be installed.
Keep your home at normal living temperature during this time. Don’t crank the AC down or leave windows open.
Make a Plan for Kids and Pets
Installation involves sharp tools, open doors, and work areas that aren’t safe for curious kids or pets. Plan to keep them in a separate area of the house or arrange for them to be elsewhere during the installation.
Know What to Expect on Installation Day
Here’s a typical timeline for a standard room:
Timeline Breakdown
- Old flooring removal: 1 to 3 hours depending on material
- Subfloor prep: 1 to 2 hours if needed
- Vinyl installation: 2 to 4 hours for an average room
- Trim and cleanup: 1 to 2 hours
Most single rooms can be completed in one day. Larger projects or whole-house installations may take multiple days.
After Installation
Once we’re done, you can walk on your new floors immediately. However, wait 24 hours before moving heavy furniture back, and 48 hours before placing area rugs. This gives any adhesive or sealant time to fully cure.
We’ll walk you through care and maintenance before we leave, and we’re always available if you have questions later.
Questions?
If you’re not sure how to prepare, just ask. We’d rather answer questions upfront than have surprises on installation day. That’s part of what “honest flooring” means to us.
Ready to get started? Contact us for a free estimate.
The Vinyl Flooring Jacksonville Team
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