Footprints Floors is here to answer your flooring contractor FAQs in Minneapolis.

Flooring Installation FAQs


Flooring Contractor FAQs in Minneapolis

Call To Schedule or submit your information below

612-888-9885 Text

Submit your basic information below, and we will contact you to schedule your free in-home estimate!

Footprints Floors Minneapolis Flooring Estimate

Call To Schedule FREE In-Home Estimate

612-888-9885 Text

There’s no better way to freshen up your space and add value to your home. But before you update your flooring, there are many choices to make. We’ve rounded up some flooring contractor FAQs in Minneapolis to help you with your decision-making process. If you want more information, check out our web pages dedicated to different kinds of flooring.

No matter the flooring you choose, you can trust the qualified contractors hired by Footprints Floors to do the job right.

FAQs

The first thing to figure out when updating your flooring is what flooring is right for the space. For a bathroom or kitchen where there will be lots of moisture and potentially water on the floor, something like tile or vinyl flooring is ideal because it’s durable and water-resistant. Hardwood flooring is a classic choice for other areas of your home, but you still need to choose between solid or engineered hardwood. Consider the upkeep of different flooring and the wear — do you have young kids or pets? Does the room receive much sun? Answer these questions first to help you decide the kind of flooring that will suit your needs.

It depends! Laminate and vinyl flooring can be installed directly over existing flooring, and solid hardwood can be glued directly onto concrete. Consider factors like the age and condition of your existing flooring and whether it will serve as a sturdy base for new flooring.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not difficult to care for wood flooring. You can simply vacuum hardwood floors to remove grit and debris and use a damp cloth or mop to wipe away dust. To reduce potential scratches, ensure footwear (i.e., heels) has proper plastic caps to prevent scratches, or ask guests to remove their shoes. As a bonus, you can switch up the look of your hardwood floors at any time through staining or refinishing.

You probably bumped into three terms when looking up hardwood flooring online: "painting," "staining," and "refinishing." "Painting" is obvious, but what about the others? A wood stain, usually applied by hand, is used to darken the color of the wood. The "finishing" process involves applying varnish and a coating of sealant, which adds gloss and protects the wood. "Refinishing" is the process of redoing your current flooring finish, revitalizing, and rejuvenating it.

Refinishing or restoring existing wood floors can save you tons of money! If you have old wood flooring that doesn’t look great, it can be tempting to rip it out and start over. But wood flooring is resilient and made to last. Most damage can be repaired, and refinishing or restoring can make wood floors look new. If you’re unsure whether your wood flooring can be saved, the experts at Footprints Floors can assess it.

This is another “it depends” situation. Solid hardwood flooring is more expensive than engineered hardwood. However, solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished more than engineered hardwood, so it may last longer. Engineered hardwood is more affordable and is more resistant to moisture and humidity. If you live in a place with high humidity or greatly varying temperatures, engineered hardwood flooring may be the right choice. Both look beautiful and are easy to take care of.

Laminate flooring is a budget-friendly type of layered flooring that can be made to look like pretty much anything. It’s typically made up of wood fibers compressed into a board or a plywood board. The board is then covered in an “image” layer — basically, a photo of whatever you want the flooring to look like (stone, wood, etc), and a “wear” layer, or protective layer. Some laminate may also have a backing layer made of cork or felt. Laminate is an affordable way to get the look of more expensive wood or stone flooring. It’s pretty durable, making it a great choice for homes with pets or kids, and it’s easy to clean. However, prolonged exposure to water can cause the wood part of the laminate to warp, making it unsuitable for rooms like bathrooms.

Laminate’s wood component makes it susceptible to water damage. Vinyl is an entirely synthetic material, which means it’s waterproof. As long as laminate is installed correctly, it’s fairly water-resistant, but still probably not a suitable choice for bathrooms or mudrooms where water might linger. Vinyl is extremely durable and comes in various of colors, textures, and styles. Both laminate and vinyl are great choices for homes with high traffic from kids and pets, and they’re easy to take care of — but whereas vinyl can go in any room in your home, remember to keep laminate out of the bathroom.

There is a much wider variety of colors, textures, and designs in tile flooring than in hardwood. Tile floors have a lifespan of over a century. Whether you're looking for a traditional or modern look, there is a tile pattern to suit you. Regarding durability, aesthetics, maintenance, and cost, tile is an excellent choice. It's also considered one of the most eco-friendly options for flooring in your home.

Ceramic tiles are made up of clay or other minerals that have been tightly compressed and heated in an oven. They can be glazed or unglazed and come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Porcelain tiles are ceramic tiles that have been heated at an even greater temperature, making them more durable and less porous. Porcelain tiles are better suited for rooms with high moisture content like bathrooms, but their durability makes them an excellent choice for any room. However, ceramic tile is more affordable and still offers great durability.

We hope these flooring contractor FAQs in Minneapolis have been helpful to you as your start your flooring journey. Contact Footprints Floors for a free estimate when you've found flooring you love. You can feel confident in a job well done with our licensed and certified contractors.

Hardwood floor installation in Minneapolis.

Schedule

Your Floor Installation in Minneapolis Today


Footprints Floors provides flooring installation services in Minneapolis for both old and new homes. We handle the demolition and removal of the old flooring, as well as the necessary prep work for new flooring. We will even remove baseboards and reinstall them after completing the flooring installation.

Covering everything from design and installation to clean up, our team helps increase the value of your property with brand new hardwood floors. Contact us today to request a free estimate!

Get a Free Estimate Today!

What Our Customers Say

Hayden and the installation team were excellent. We were very pleased with the work and the finished product. Hayden was on site for part of the work and was always very, very responsive. Heidi and Mort
morton naiman 03/22/24 — google
We hired Footprint Floors to remove the carpet on our second floor and stairs, and to install flooring to match what we already had on our main floor. They were prompt in communication with us, and helpful in guiding us to get the correct materials and identify solutions for components to the project we hadn’t considered. When install day arrived the team was efficient, minimally disruptive, and over all did a great job. They were able to work around a few pieces of furniture we were not able to move from the main floor - relieving significant stress on our end. When the stairs ended up not matching perfectly they went above and beyond to find a solution. We absolutely love the final product!
Sian Park 03/21/24 — google
Great from start to finish!!!
Lindsay Grabb 03/19/24 — google
Hayden and his crew were great to work with. They installed laminate flooring on steps and in bedroom replacing very old carpet. It took just a couple of days to remove all of the carpet and install new flooring. Everyone said steps are tricky to do but they did it and the minor issues that came up they presented alternatives and overcame the issues. It was all done for exactly what was quoted also.
TOM SCOTT 03/5/24 — google
Footprints Floors Minneapolis gave us very prompt service for both quoting and installation. Time from RFQ to onsite estimate/measuring was less than a week and after we accepted the quote they were able to schedule install the next week. The crew came out and installed 600 sqft of flooring in a day! I would definitely recommend these guys for any of your flooring needs.
Liz Kluthe 02/19/24 — google
Had a fantastic experience with Carson at Footprint Floors! From start to finish, his professionalism and efficiency were top-notch. Carson's expert advice during my quote made selecting the perfect flooring a breeze. Highly recommend Footprint Floors for a seamless and enjoyable flooring experience. Thanks, Carson!
Maggie Mokhsijerjian 02/5/24 — google
Highly recommend Footprint Floors! From the initial visit to the final product, I was so pleased with Hayden and Walter. Great communication, incredible finish to our floors, and reasonable prices!
Jillian Hiscock 01/26/24 — google
Many thanks to Hayden, Walter and team for their customer oriented persistence in getting this project finished. Oak flooring was interlaced. Sanding came out smooth and right up to the quarter round. There was minimal dust. It took an extra coat to get the water based finish smooth, but Hayden was there to fully back up our project and his installation.
B. Steven Springrose 01/26/24 — google
Footprint and Hayden did a great job on my 100 y.o. wood floors. Very smooth, no defects, and great customer service.
Chase Wilson 12/19/23 — google
Walter and Hayden recently sanded and stained my wood floors, and I couldn't be happier with the results. They worked efficiently, minimized disruptions, and maintained a clean workspace. Communication was excellent, with regular updates on the project's progress. Walter was beyond great! I highly recommend Hayden and Footprints Floors for their exceptional craftsmanship and dedication. My wood floors now look stunning, thanks to their skill and commitment to customer satisfaction.
Madison Clem 12/18/23 — google
Working with Hayden and his team were amazing. They always showed up on time, they were professional and careful with their work. Hayden was so knowledgeable and helped us find the perfect wood for our project. He answered all of our questions with detailed and prompt responses. His team finished our main floor: floor and baseboards -750sqft - in 2 days! They had the best value and vibe out of the 5 we got quotes from. Would recommend to anyone looking for an expert flooring team!
Jon Soli 11/13/23 — google
Barefoot Floors did an amazing job restoring our wood floors. We ended up needing to replace quite a few damaged boards, and they look like they were always a part of the floor. The floors look great!
Lindsay Robinson 11/8/23 — google
I recently hired Footprints Floors to redo the stairs in my house and I couldn't be happier with the results. From start to finish, the team was professional, courteous, and knowledgeable. They took the time to explain the process to me and answer any questions I had. The craftsmanship of the work was outstanding. The stairs look absolutely beautiful and are now a standout feature in my home. The team worked efficiently and left the work area clean and tidy each day. Overall, I highly recommend Footprints Floors for any flooring needs. Their attention to detail and commitment to quality work is exceptional. Thank you, Footprints Floors, for transforming my stairs into a work of art!
Matt Pearson 10/10/23 — google
Great experience all around. Hayden and team were responsive, professional and did great work. Would highly recommend
Brian Simons 10/7/23 — google
We hired Footprints Floors for a laminate flooring repair. I was worried because the damage was in the middle of the floor - a significant amount of planking had to be removed to access the damaged ones. The crew was professional, courteous, and they cleaned up afterwards. They knew what they were doing and did an awesome job - our floor looks like new!
Chet Olson 10/6/23 — google
Carson from the footprint team does amazing work. He is professional, explains things clearly, and is a pleasure to work with. Would recommend!
Zach Meierhofer 10/2/23 — google
On time and professional floor refinishing, beautiful work! Estimate was reflective of work and there were no surprise cost. Carson told us up front that in his professional opinion a dark stain would be better than the clear. We upgraded to a better stain instead of clear as recommended after the sanding was complete and reveled stains that were deep into the wood. Footprints Floors admin team and crew were great. My client bumped into them at the property and was impressed with their level of professionalism and friendliness. As a busy REALTOR/ real estate agent in Minneapolis metro who needs contractors I trust and that will be good for my current and future clients I Heather Zielinski with Coldwell Banker Minneapolis Lakes endorse Footprints Floors and look forward to a continued business relationship!
Heather 08/25/23 — google
Quality, Friendly, Professional Service! I will be returning to Footprints Floors for any future flooring work.
Paul Stemper 08/14/23 — google
See our before and afters! Hayden and team did a fantastic job restoring our 1915 original hardwood floors. Even when thrown a few timeline & finishing curveballs, they completed the job on time and our floors have never looked or felt better! We have received so many compliments and will definitely use Footprint Floors for our future projects!
Cassi McCarthy 03/11/23 — google
Happy w/ the work from start to finish. Provided good insight on the project and the price was competitive. Installer was great as well - thanks David. I also had a good experience w/ their partner Prosource when it came to choosing and purchasing tile. Happy w/ the results
Peter Kim 02/18/23 — google

Read More Reviews

Customer Satisfaction


Footprints Floors is a one-of-a-kind residential flooring installation and restoration business. We offer high quality flooring installations and, with over a decade of dedication, we have quickly become the largest flooring contractor by striving to bring a higher level of customer service and sophistication to an industry where it was severely lacking. Our family-owned business is focused on customer satisfaction and quality results, all while passing savings on to you and yours through our low overhead model.

Footprints Floors is a one-of-a-kind residential flooring installation and restoration business. We offer high quality flooring installations and, with over a decade of dedication, we have quickly become the largest flooring contractor by striving to bring a higher level of customer service and sophistication to an industry where it was severely lacking. Our family-owned business is focused on customer satisfaction and quality results, all while passing savings on to you and yours through our low overhead model.

Get Started

Room
Visualizer