sponsored by Mohawk Flooring
As I write this, I’m tucked into a small corner of our living and gathering room trying to work amid boxes, tools and the steady hum of construction. It’s a busy scene, but a welcome one—our home is moving toward the finished stage. Our dog Jack is a little unsettled by all the commotion, but he’ll adjust.
We’ve displaced furniture again—stashed in corners and other rooms—to make way for new wood flooring in the entry, kitchen and family room. The new wood has already been delivered and is acclimating to our home. Contractors are removing the existing flooring and carpet to prepare the subfloor for installation. This is an exciting step because it means the long list of home projects is finally coming together.
Installing new flooring in several rooms at once can feel overwhelming. As our snapshots show, we get one room tidied up only to fill it again while we work on the next space. I can’t wait for the day when everything is finished at once—what a relief that will be.
The process of replacing floors can be intimidating: choosing from countless options, deciding how many rooms to include (especially in open floor plans), handling the disruption and mess, moving furniture, removing old flooring, and then reinstalling everything. It’s a lot of work, but after a few hectic years I was ready for updates. Home projects often start messy and end up beautiful.
I’ve had many readers ask about the wood we chose, so I’ll share the details of our process in case you’re considering new floors for your home.
To begin, my daughter and I visited the Nielsen Brothers showroom in Auburn, WA. The showroom let us see many flooring options in person and get professional guidance for our project. Their expertise was invaluable as we weighed choices and logistics.
We faced a few complications: parts of the original flooring had to go because of the kitchen remodel, and the previous floors were engineered wood while our new floors are solid hardwood. That difference makes blending old and new sections challenging. Given our smaller room sizes and the way main rooms connect, we decided consistency across the main floor would be best. Having experienced contractors has given us confidence they’ll blend everything properly and achieve a professional result.
TIP: Ask lots of questions when working with contractors. Their experience can help you avoid costly mistakes and choose the best materials and methods for your situation. I ask installers, store managers and contractors for their perspectives—each one brings useful insights.
After Nielsen Brothers measured our space and we approved the estimate, work began. Damaged kitchen flooring was removed this week; the family room carpet will come up next week. We’re installing prefinished Hickory hardwood throughout the entry, kitchen and family room. I’m excited to see how it transforms the space.
Product choice: We selected 3 1/2-inch wide prefinished Hickory hardwood from Mohawk. A 5-inch board was also available, but with smaller rooms the narrower plank was recommended so the flooring doesn’t dominate the space.
One major benefit of prefinished flooring is avoiding on-site sanding and finishing—those steps are messy and smell strongly. Prefinished planks arrive ready to install, which speeds the process and reduces disruption.
Living in the Northwest means many gray days, so we wanted floors that reflect light and add warmth. Hickory’s range of tones—from pale blondes to rich dark grains—adds character and brightens rooms on dreary days. I love the natural warmth real wood brings to a home. That said, high-quality laminate options today can mimic real wood very effectively and may suit different budgets and needs.
I’ll share more about caring for and maintaining our Hickory floors in a future post. If you have questions as we go, leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer.
For those who have tackled major remodels, was the result worth the effort? What recent improvements have you completed?
I’m partnering with the Mohawk Floors “Me, as Told by Bloggers” program and received hardwood flooring as part of the project. As always, my opinions, experiences and the clutter you see in my photos are my own.