What to Know Before You Buy Flooring
Five things that decide whether your new floors still look great in ten years — and the questions to ask any store before you sign.
Most flooring regrets are not about color. They are about a floor that wore out too fast, a pad that gave up early, or a final bill that grew after the work started. None of that has to happen. Here is what we would tell a friend before they buy — whether they buy from us or not.
The Five Things That Matter
Start With Durability
Match the floor to your household first — dogs, kids, and busy entryways are hard on everything. For vinyl plank, look at the wear layer: 12 mil is the minimum we suggest with dogs, 20 mil holds up better for big, active ones. For carpet, ask about the fiber and how the face is built. A floor that wears out in five years is the expensive one, no matter what it cost.
Ask About the Pad
The pad under carpet changes how it feels and how long it lasts. A thin, soft pad can make good carpet feel worn out years early. Ask what pad is included in your price, what the upgrade is, and why. It is the cheapest place in the whole job to add years of life.
Installation Is Half the Product
Carpet that is not power-stretched ripples. Hard floors over a rough subfloor telegraph every bump. Ask who moves the furniture, who tears out and hauls away the old floor, and how long the job takes. Then ask for one all-in written price — floor, pad, and installation — before anyone starts.
Read the Warranty Twice
Name brands like Mohawk, Shaw, Mannington and Daltile carry 20- and 30-year product warranties. The labor warranty is separate — it covers the installation itself. Ask who stands behind the install work and for how long. Ours is simple: a Lifetime Labor Warranty on every install we do.
Ask How You Can Pay
A floor is a ten-to-twenty-year purchase, and plenty of homeowners spread the cost out. Ask what financing options a store offers and get the exact terms in writing before you fall for a floor that stretches the budget. We offer 0% financing options — the details live on our financing page.
Questions to Ask Any Store
✓ Is the price all-in — floor, pad, installation, tear-out and haul-away?
✓ What pad is included, and what does the upgrade add?
✓ Who guarantees the installation work, and for how long?
✓ How thick is the wear layer (vinyl) or what fiber is it (carpet)?
✓ Who moves the furniture — and puts it back?
✓ What are the financing terms, in writing?
Any store that sells flooring for a living should answer every one of those without blinking. If you want our answers with real numbers for your rooms, the free estimate below is the fastest way to get them.
Ready to Price Your Project? Start With a Free Estimate
Get a free in-home measurement and one all-in price — floor, pad and installation, quoted in full before we start.
- Free in-home measurement & design help
- One all-in price, quoted in full before we start
- 0% financing available when you’re ready
- Backed by our Lifetime Labor Warranty
Carpet Depot · 2547 NW 10th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73107