What I Check Before Every Single Floor Install

I've been installing floors since 1998. In that time, I've walked into a lot of homes — from historic bungalows in Shreveport's South Highlands to newer builds in Bossier Parish — and I've learned that what happens before the first plank goes down determines almost everything about how the finished floor performs. This is the checklist I run through on every single project, and I want to share it because I think homeowners deserve to know what careful preparation actually looks like.

The Subfloor Inspection

I walk the entire install area — slowly — feeling for soft spots, bounce, and movement. I listen for squeaks. I use a long straightedge to check for high and low points. In most homes, I find at least a few things to address before we start.

I document what I find with photos and notes, and I go over them with the homeowner before we finalize the scope of work. Nothing should surprise you on your own project.

Moisture Testing

I test moisture content in every wood subfloor and concrete slab before we install anything. In Shreveport and northwest Louisiana, this is non-negotiable — our humidity levels mean that moisture issues are common, especially in older homes and in rooms that have had any water exposure.

I use calibrated pin-type and pinless meters for wood subfloors. For concrete slabs, I use relative humidity probes when conditions warrant it. The results get written down and shared with you.

Acclimation Check (For Hardwood Projects)

If we're installing hardwood, I verify that the wood has been properly acclimated to your home's environment before we begin. This means checking the moisture content of the wood and comparing it to the subfloor reading. The two need to be within a certain range of each other, and if they're not, we wait.

It feels like a small thing, but it's the difference between a floor that stays flat for decades and one that starts cupping or gapping within the first year.

Layout Planning

I plan the layout of every floor before installation begins. This means determining the starting point, accounting for transitions between rooms, planning how the floor will flow through doorways, and making sure we won't end up with awkward slivers of tile or narrow plank cuts at visible edges.

Good layout planning takes time up front and saves problems at the finish. It's also where the craftsmanship of a job becomes visible — a floor that flows naturally through a home shows that someone thought about it.

Daily Site Protection

Before we start work each day, we cover adjacent furniture and finished surfaces. After we finish each day, we clean up completely. A job site that's clean and protected tells you something about how the actual work is being done.

I take pride in leaving your home in better shape than I found it — not just in terms of the floor, but in terms of every surface and piece of furniture I've been around.

Let's Work Together

This is what careful work looks like. If you're planning a flooring project in Shreveport or anywhere in northwest Louisiana and you want to know it will be done right, I'd love to come out and meet you. Free estimates, written quotes, same-day response. Call me directly at (318) 250-4948 — Kevin.