By Metro Tiles & Flooring | Canada’s Trusted Tile & Flooring Experts
New flooring is one of the most significant investments you can make in your home. Done right, it adds value, beauty, and years of enjoyment. Done wrong, it can mean buckling planks, cracked grout, uneven surfaces, and the very real possibility of pulling everything up and starting over. Most of these mistakes aren’t made during installation — they’re made in the decisions leading up to it. Here’s what to watch out for.
1. Skipping the Subfloor Inspection The subfloor is everything. It’s the foundation your new flooring sits on, and if it’s uneven, soft, or damaged, no amount of quality material or skilled installation will save you. Before anything goes down, the subfloor needs to be checked for levelness, moisture, and structural integrity. Soft spots, squeaks, and dips need to be addressed first — not after the fact. This step gets skipped because it’s not glamorous and it costs time, but it’s the single most important thing you can do before installation begins.
2. Not Acclimating the Material Wood, laminate, and even some luxury vinyl products need time to adjust to the temperature and humidity of the room they’re going into. Installing flooring that hasn’t acclimated is a gamble — the material can expand or contract after the fact, leading to gaps, buckling, or warping that has nothing to do with the quality of the product. Most manufacturers specify an acclimation period in their installation guidelines. Read them, and follow them.
3. Ignoring Moisture Moisture is flooring’s biggest enemy, and it’s sneaky. A concrete slab can release moisture upward for years. A basement that seems dry can have seasonal humidity swings. Bathrooms and laundry rooms are obvious culprits, but kitchens and mudrooms catch people off guard too. Always do a moisture test before installing, use the appropriate underlayment or moisture barrier for the space, and choose a flooring product that’s actually rated for the moisture level you’re working with.
4. Getting the Measurements Wrong Ordering too little material is one of the most common and most avoidable mistakes in any flooring project. Always add at least 10% to your square footage for cuts and waste — and bump that up to 15% for diagonal patterns, herringbone, or any layout that requires more cuts. Running out of material mid-project is stressful enough, but if the product gets discontinued or the dye lot changes, matching it later can be nearly impossible.
5. Choosing the Wrong Product for the Space Not all flooring is created equal, and a product that’s perfect for a bedroom can be completely wrong for an entryway or a basement. Hardwood in a high-moisture area, a soft tile in a high-traffic zone, a light-coloured grout in a busy household — these are decisions that look fine on day one and cause regret by year two. Think about how the space is actually used, who uses it, and what it’s exposed to before falling in love with a product that isn’t suited for the job.
6. Rushing the Grouting and Curing Process For tile installations specifically, the grouting and curing stages are where impatience gets expensive. Walking on tile too soon, grouting before the thinset has fully cured, or sealing grout before it’s completely dry can compromise the entire installation. The timeline feels frustratingly slow — but it exists for a reason. Cutting corners here leads to cracked tiles, failed grout joints, and a job that has to be redone far sooner than it should.
7. Hiring Based on Price Alone The lowest quote is almost never the best value. An underpriced installation job usually means something is being skipped — subfloor prep, proper underlayment, quality setting materials, or simply the time required to do the job well. Ask for itemised quotes, check references, look at past work, and make sure whoever you hire has specific experience with the type of flooring you’re installing. A quality installation extends the life of your flooring significantly. A poor one shortens it just as dramatically.
The pattern across all of these mistakes is the same — they come from rushing, cutting corners, or making decisions based on short-term cost rather than long-term value. Good flooring, properly installed, should last decades. It’s worth taking the time to do it right from the start.
Start With the Right Materials at Metro Tiles & Flooring
At Metro Tiles & Flooring, we carry premium flooring products for every room, every budget, and every lifestyle — along with the setting materials, underlayments, and accessories you need to get the installation right the first time. Our team is always happy to answer questions and help you make a confident decision before the project begins. Come see us in store and let’s make sure your new floor goes in right.
🏪 Visit our showroom at 72 Devon Road, to touch and feel hundreds of porcelain and ceramic tile samples in every style imaginable.
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Because the right installation doesn’t just get it done — it gets it done right.