When you’re getting new floors, massive couches, tables or cabinetry can get in the way. You could either move theses pieces yourself, hire movers or ask the flooring company to take care of them. No matter which option you choose, you may still have some questions about where to put your valuables and how to prepare the area for your brand-new floors. Use this guide for tips on installing flooring with furniture in the room.
What to Do With Furniture When Getting New Floors
Put your furniture anywhere that isn’t getting new flooring, such as a garage, storage shed or basement. You could also use a portable storage unit outside your house so that you can easily access your valuables after the installers have completed the flooring. If you don’t have access to spare rooms or temporary storage spaces, you could move these pieces around to different rooms during the installation process.
Before moving any of your belongings, empty the drawers to lighten your load and reduce the risk of damage. To determine what to do with your furniture, answer these questions:
- Are you putting new floors in the whole house or only one room? If you only want to lay down carpet in your living room or put vinyl tiles in the kitchen, you can put all your furniture in another place in the house and leave it there. For whole-house projects, you may want to invest in temporary storage or move the pieces out of one room at a time.
- What is your timeline? Depending on your flooring material, your project may be on a tight schedule. Consider how quickly you can get your heavy valuables out of your house, and how soon you need to remove everything before floor installation. While asking the flooring company to move your furniture is the most convenient option, you need to let them know well in advance what you want them to do.
- Can you move heavy objects? While relocating your furniture is the most cost-effective option, you may not have the strength to carry it all by yourself. You need to consider hiring a professional if you aren’t capable of moving furniture around your house.
- How many spare rooms do you have? If you have a couple of additional bedrooms, you could use one of them as a temporary home for your furniture. With houses that lack the space, you’ll have to consider temporary storage units or carrying your furniture from room to room as needed.
- What’s your budget? It costs money to hire a professional team to find a place for your heavy valuables. If you have a limited budget, ask your friends and family members to help you bring your chairs and tables to another part of the house.
Flooring and Carpet Installation
How to Install Flooring With Large Furniture in the Room
Laying down flooring with large furniture in the room depends on the material you choose. You can put down floor planks without clearing your whole house, but you need to remove your heavy valuables to install carpeting or vinyl. Follow these tips for how to handle your couches and tables while getting new floors:
- How to install carpet with furniture in the room: It isn’t easy to install carpet with furniture in the room because one roll of carpet takes up the whole floor. During a carpet replacement, remove furniture from the entire house so that the flooring experts can easily lay down the carpet. When carpeting a room with heavy furniture, place carpet protectors under the legs of your pieces to prevent impressions.
- How to install hardwood or laminate flooring with furniture in the room: As the team from the flooring company puts down laminate or hardwood planks, you could move your valuables to one place at a time. You would need to buy furniture pads for heavy desks or dressers to prevent scratching or dents. These pads come in various shapes and sizes to fit under the legs of your different pieces. When putting your couches or tables back on the floors, lift them instead of pulling or dragging them along the floor.
- How to install vinyl flooring with furniture in the room: If you want vinyl flooring, you would have to remove all the belongings in the house because the flooring comes as one large piece. For vinyl planking, you could bring your furniture from room to room as you would with hardwood or laminate flooring. You would also need to use padding under your furniture to protect the vinyl from etches or depressions.
Do Floor Installers Move Furniture for Me?
Most floor installers will include moving your furniture in their estimate, but you should find out if you have to pay an additional cost. Our team at 50Floor will handle any of your large belongings once we arrive on-site, but you must remove small, delicate items. You would also have to let us know if you want us to handle your chairs and desks or if you’re hiring a moving company.
Besides getting heavy objects out of the way, here are some other tips for preparing your site for flooring installation:
- Take everything out of the room: When installing new floors, dust and debris are often not far behind. The old carpeting could’ve trapped dirt, and finishing hardwood could put sawdust on the walls. Clear out curtains, wall art and removable light fixtures from a room and put them in a safe place. You should also cover your windows and take your clothes out of closets to prevent dust from spoiling your property.
- Set aside an area for furniture: Even if you ask our professional staff to remove your heavy valuables, you should have a designated spot in the house where we can put them. Make a clear pathway throughout the house for us to walk through and transfer your items.
- Find a place for children and pets: Since we’ll be lifting heavy materials and keeping doors open, it’s best to keep children and pets away from the worksite. Consider staying at a hotel or hiring a babysitter during the flooring installation.
Schedule an Appointment With 50Floor
If you live near one of our service areas and need new flooring, schedule an in-house estimate with us. Our experts at 50Floor offer convenient service by meeting you in your home and showing you floor samples against your current decor. During the estimate, you can ask us questions about our furniture moving protocol and how you can best prepare your home for your new flooring. For more information, call us at 1-800-50-FLOOR.