Flooring Installation in Guelph, Ontario

Solid hardwood is one piece of wood, nailed to a plywood or OSB subfloor. It suits main and upper floors and can be sanded many times over its life. It does not belong on concrete, in basements or over radiant heat, because Guelph's seasonal humidity swing moves it too much.

Engineered hardwood has a real wood wear layer over a cross-ply core that resists that movement. It is the right choice for basements, condos and heated floors. Strand-woven bamboo is harder than oak but more humidity-sensitive, so it needs careful acclimation.

See hardwood floor installation, engineered hardwood, bamboo flooring and herringbone and parquet. Existing wood floors can often be saved with sanding and refinishing.

Rigid-core vinyl comes in two main types. SPC has a stone-plastic core that is dense and dent-resistant, while WPC has a foamed core that feels softer and quieter. Both are waterproof, which makes them the default for basements, kitchens and laundry rooms.

Laminate has a fibreboard core that swells if water sits on it, but its wear surface resists scratches better than most vinyl. Cork is warm and quiet but dents under point loads. See vinyl and laminate installation and cork flooring.

Tile lasts for decades if the substrate is flat and stiff. For tiles with any edge 15 inches or longer, industry standards call for a flatness of 1/8 inch over 10 feet. Most subfloors fail that until they are levelled.

We set tile in a full bed of thinset over an uncoupling membrane where the substrate needs one. Concrete floors can be poured new, self-levelled, polished or coated. See tile installation, radiant heated floors, concrete floors, concrete polishing and epoxy flooring.

Broadloom carpet is the warmest and quietest choice for bedrooms and basements, and it is stretched over tack strip with a power stretcher so it stays flat. Carpet tile is glued in squares, so one stained tile can be swapped instead of the whole room.

That is why offices and rentals usually want carpet tile. See carpet installation and stairs, treads and railings.