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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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Dec 15, 2025

Why Vinyl Flooring is the Smart Choice for Jacksonville Homes

If you’re a Jacksonville homeowner thinking about new flooring, you’ve probably heard a lot of opinions. Hardwood is classic. Tile is durable. Carpet is cozy. But here’s what we tell our customers: vinyl flooring isn’t the “budget option,” it’s the smart option. Especially in Florida.

Let us explain why.

Jacksonville’s Climate is Tough on Floors

We live in a humid, subtropical climate. That means moisture, and lots of it. Summer storms, humidity that never quits, and the occasional flood risk that comes with Florida living.

Traditional hardwood doesn’t love humidity. It expands, contracts, warps, and cups. We’ve seen beautiful hardwood floors buckle after a single humid summer. And let’s not even talk about what happens if you get water intrusion.

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is 100% waterproof. Not just water-resistant, but fully waterproof. You can mop it, spill on it, even have a minor flood, and your floor will be fine. For Jacksonville homes, that’s not a nice-to-have. It’s essential.

It Looks Like the Real Thing

Here’s something that surprises a lot of homeowners: modern vinyl flooring looks really good. We’re not talking about the thin, fake-looking vinyl your grandparents had in their kitchen.

Today’s luxury vinyl plank has realistic wood grain textures, natural color variations, and embossed surfaces that look and feel like real hardwood. Most people can’t tell the difference. And luxury vinyl tile (LVT) does the same thing for stone and ceramic looks.

You get the aesthetic you want without the downsides.

It’s Built for Real Life

Do you have kids? Dogs? A household that actually lives in their home? Vinyl flooring can handle it.

• Scratch-resistant: Pet claws, dropped toys, dragged furniture. Vinyl shrugs it off.
• Stain-resistant: Spills wipe right up. No sealing required.
• Comfortable underfoot: Unlike tile, vinyl has some give. It’s easier on your feet and knees.
• Quiet: With proper underlayment, vinyl dampens sound instead of echoing like hard tile.

We install flooring in homes with young families, pets, and busy lifestyles. Vinyl holds up. Year after year.

The Cost Makes Sense

Let’s talk about money, honestly.

Quality vinyl flooring costs less than hardwood or tile, both for materials and installation. But here’s the thing: cheaper doesn’t mean worse. It means you’re not paying for something you don’t need.

Hardwood costs more because it’s harder to install, requires more maintenance, and doesn’t handle moisture well. You’re paying for tradition and prestige, not necessarily performance.

Vinyl gives you durability, water resistance, and great looks at a price that makes sense. For most Jacksonville homes, it’s the smarter investment.

Our Honest Take

We’re vinyl flooring specialists, so yes, we’re biased. But we chose to focus on vinyl because we believe it’s the best option for most homes in our area. Not the cheapest option, the best option.

That said, vinyl isn’t right for every situation. If you want the status of real hardwood and you’re willing to maintain it, go for it. If you need something for a space with extreme temperature swings, we’ll tell you. We’d rather give you honest advice than make a sale on something that won’t work for you.

That’s just how we do business.

Thinking About New Floors?

If you’re considering vinyl flooring for your Jacksonville home, we’d love to talk. We offer free estimates with no pressure and no gimmicks, just an honest assessment of what your project needs and what it will cost.

Get in touch and let’s talk about your floors.

The Vinyl Flooring Jacksonville Team

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