How to Prepare Your Home for New Flooring Installation in North Texas

Preparation Makes the Difference Between a Smooth Installation and a Stressful One

New flooring installation is one of the most transformative home improvements you can make — but the experience of living through the installation process can range from smooth and nearly painless to disruptive and frustrating, depending largely on how well-prepared your home is before the crew arrives.

At Simmons Floor Covering, our installation teams have been serving Denton, Keller, and Frisco homeowners for over 36 years. We've seen every preparation scenario — and we know exactly what makes projects run smoothly and what creates unnecessary delays and complications. This guide walks you through everything you need to do before your flooring installation day.

Step 1: Clear the Rooms Completely

The most important thing you can do before a flooring installation is ensure that rooms are completely clear of all furniture and personal items. This sounds obvious — but underestimating this task is one of the most common homeowner errors we see.

Everything needs to come out: furniture, rugs, electronics, lamps, decorative items, plants, and any items stored in closets if the closet floors are being done. This includes the contents of closets if threshold transitions require closet floor work.

Simmons Floor Covering can coordinate furniture moving services if needed — ask your project coordinator before your installation date. However, delicate or very large items (pianos, antique furniture, large aquariums) are the homeowner's responsibility to arrange separately. Planning this step early prevents the morning-of scrambles that delay installation start times.

Step 2: Remove Existing Flooring (or Let Us Do It)

In most cases, existing flooring must be removed before new flooring can be installed. Simmons handles full demo and haul-away as part of our installation service — but understanding what's involved helps you plan appropriately.

• Carpet removal: Relatively straightforward. Old carpet, pad, and tack strips are removed, and the subfloor is assessed and prepared.
• Tile removal: More labor-intensive and disruptive due to adhesive and potential subfloor damage. Plan for more noise and dust during this phase.
• Hardwood or LVP removal: Typically straightforward, though adhesive removal may be required in some cases.

In some situations, new LVP can be floated over existing hard flooring — particularly over existing tile that is in good condition. Our project managers assess this during the free measure and advise accordingly. This can save significant time and cost when conditions allow.

Step 3: Address Subfloor Issues Before Installation Day

Subfloor condition is the most commonly overlooked element of flooring preparation — and it's the most consequential. New flooring is only as good as the surface beneath it. Common North Texas subfloor issues our installers identify include:

• High spots and low spots: Subfloor variations greater than 3/16 inch over 10 feet create visible peaks and soft spots in finished flooring. Leveling compound or grinding is required before installation.
• Squeaky subfloor panels: These should be addressed before new flooring covers them — they're much easier to fix from above during preparation than from below after installation.
• Moisture issues: Texas slab foundations can transmit moisture upward, particularly in homes without proper moisture barriers. Our installers test moisture levels and address any issues before installation.
• Old adhesive residue: Previous flooring adhesive must be fully removed or encapsulated before new installation to ensure proper bonding and a flat surface.

All of these items are identified and quoted during our free professional measure — so you have a complete picture of your project before committing.

Step 4: Acclimate Your New Flooring Material

Many flooring products — particularly hardwood and some LVP products — require a period of acclimation in your home before installation. This allows the material to adjust to your home's temperature and humidity conditions so that it doesn't expand or contract significantly after it's installed.

Our installation coordinator will advise you on specific acclimation requirements for your chosen product. Hardwood typically requires 3–5 days of acclimation in the installation space, with your home at normal occupancy temperature and humidity. Some rigid core LVP products require minimal acclimation, while others benefit from 24–48 hours.

Step 5: Plan for the Installation Day Itself

• Secure pets: Installation involves open doors, power tools, and workers moving throughout your home. Pets should be secured in a room that isn't being worked on or arrangements made for them to be elsewhere.
• Plan for noise: Flooring installation involves cutting equipment, nail guns, and heavy movement. Plan your day accordingly — this is not a good day to work from home on calls.
• Ensure access to electrical outlets: Our installers use power tools and need access to circuits throughout the work area.
• Clear a staging area: Flooring materials need a staging location near the work area — typically a garage or covered outdoor space.
• Plan for temporary kitchen/bathroom access: If those rooms are being done, plan your family's access to these spaces for the day.

Our project coordinators walk every client through preparation requirements before every installation.

At Simmons Floor Covering & Total Renovations, we are committed to providing excellent customer service with a focus on exceeding their expectations and have been doing it for over 36 years. Serving Denton, Keller, North Richland Hills, Southlake, Colleyville, Frisco, and all surrounding areas.