THE GET FLOORS FIELD GUIDE

A good floor starts with a few good questions.

What happens in your room every day? Start there. We’ll help you turn the details that matter—comfort, care, color and budget—into a shortlist you can feel confident about.

Explore the floors

Get Floors living-room inspiration with warm wood tones — Use a room image for direction. Use a real sample for your decision.

Bring us your everyday.

The room: Bedrooms, stairs, a busy kitchen or a whole home? Tell us where the floor will go.
The routine: Pets, shoes, spills, sunlight and rolling chairs all belong in the conversation.
The feeling: Soft and quiet, a warm wood grain, or a clean architectural finish?
The plan: Bring rough dimensions, a few photos, your timing and a comfortable material budget.

FIVE PLACES TO START

Choose a material. Then choose the right product.

Carpet

Start with comfort.

Compare the feel and construction as well as the color. Fiber, pile density, twist and the right cushion all matter; face weight alone is not a performance score.

Ask about texture retention, stain coverage, cushion requirements and pattern repeat.

Explore carpet →

Hardwood

Let the natural variation in.

Look at several boards, not just one small swatch. Compare species, grade, finish and plank dimensions, then check the requirements for the exact solid or engineered construction.

Ask about moisture limits, color variation and whether the selected floor can be refinished.

Explore hardwood →

Luxury vinyl

Look closely at the details.

Compare the surface texture, plank or tile size, wear layer and edge treatment. A waterproof product claim does not make the whole room floodproof or replace subfloor requirements.

Ask about the selected product’s wear warranty, moisture exclusions and matching transitions.

Explore luxury vinyl plank →Explore luxury vinyl tile →

Laminate

Find the finish you love.

Compare the texture and repeat of the design in a larger view. Water-resistance promises differ by product; check the exact warranty and spill-care instructions.

Ask about water coverage, approved rooms, underlayment and required perimeter details.

Explore laminate →

Marmoleum

Explore a different material.

Marmoleum is linoleum, not vinyl. Sheet, tile and click formats have different dimensions and ordering requirements. Start with the color, then confirm the format for your space.

Ask about the selected format, care instructions and exact roll or carton coverage.

Explore marmoleum →

See all materials, including carpet tile and sheet vinyl →

FROM SCREEN TO SAMPLE

Make a small shortlist.
Take a closer look.

Save a few favorites and compare them side by side. View available room scenes, then check physical samples against your cabinets, wall color and daytime and evening light. Screens and photographs can change how a color appears.

Our room estimator is a planning tool. Final quantities depend on the layout, seams, pattern matching and the exact product’s coverage. We’ll confirm pricing and availability before you order.

A CLEAR NEXT STEP

You don’t need every answer to get started.

Use the tools that help now. Bring us the questions that remain.

Get a quantity estimateWork from your room dimensions. When you have a floor in mind, open its product details and choose “Estimate quantity” to carry that selection over.Open the room estimator →Build a considered shortlistUse Compare on the catalog cards to put up to three floors side by side. Save the ones you like with Add to shortlist.Find and compare floors →Talk it through with usRequest a showroom appointment or ask for help choosing. You can start a conversation before you’ve picked any products.Plan a showroom visit →

DECISIONS THAT DESERVE A CLOSER LOOK

Four conversations before you order.

Use these planning checklists with the current instructions for your exact product. They are not a substitute for a site assessment, an installation specification or a warranty.

Pets, spills and everyday wear

Start with what actually happens in the room, not a “pet-proof” label. Claws, tracked-in grit, accidents and cleaning routines are different demands.

Compare texture and color in a real sample. Ask how the exact surface is cleaned and what the stain warranty excludes.
For carpet, compare pile construction and the manufacturer’s required cushion—not just face weight. Ask about snagging where claws or toys may catch loops.
For wood, plan for prompt spill cleanup and a finish-compatible care routine. No finish makes wood immune to scratches or standing water.

Bring to the conversation: Tell us about your pets, the busiest walkways, existing stains and how often you want to clean.

Further reading: Carpet and Rug Institute: selecting carpet ↗ · NWFA: wood-floor maintenance ↗

Moisture: the floor is only part of the system

Surface spill resistance, moisture coming through a slab, and a plumbing leak are not the same problem. A product claim cannot diagnose your subfloor.

Ask the installer which moisture tests the selected product and adhesive require. Keep the results with the job documents.
Confirm the exact floor’s approved rooms, perimeter details, vapor-control requirements and care instructions. A laminate water-resistance test is not a universal wet-room approval.
Wood moves with changes in moisture. Confirm the manufacturer’s acclimation and indoor-environment requirements before delivery or installation.

Bring to the conversation: Bring the building age, slab or wood-subfloor information, any history of leaks, and photos of problem areas. Investigate active moisture before covering it.

Further reading: NWFA: care and moisture ↗ · NALFA: what laminate certification tests ↗

Stairs and transitions need their own plan

The floor that works in an open room does not automatically provide the right stair detail. Plan the edges, landings and adjoining surfaces before placing an order.

Confirm that the exact product and installation method are approved for stairs. Ask for the matching stair-nose or other approved edge detail and its availability.
For carpet, ask about pile direction, pattern alignment, seams and the required cushion. A flat square-foot estimate is not a stair cutting plan.
Measure the full stair layout and height changes between rooms. Have the installer check the finished assembly and applicable requirements; do not improvise edge details from a photo.

Bring to the conversation: Photograph a full flight, a tread edge, the landing and every flooring transition. Count the steps and note any winders or open sides.

Further reading: Carpet and Rug Institute: stair and cushion questions ↗

Condos and commercial spaces: ask for the assembly

A brochure number is only useful when it applies to your building and the exact system being installed. Get the project requirements before choosing by appearance.

For a condo, obtain the HOA’s written flooring and acoustic requirements. Ask whether test results match the slab, underlayment, ceiling and flooring assembly—not just the material name.
For workplaces or hospitality, list foot traffic, rolling loads, cleaning methods, moisture conditions and renovation phases. Request the manufacturer’s written suitability and applicable warranty.
Separate material price from removal, preparation, adhesives, underlayment, transitions, freight and installation. Ask what is excluded so competing quotes cover the same scope.

Bring to the conversation: Bring the HOA specification, project brief or finish schedule, plus the deadline and access restrictions. We can help identify the documents still needed.

Further reading: Carpet and Rug Institute: commercial carpet selection ↗

Know what happens after the shortlist.

See what to include in a pricing request, how to prepare for an appointment, and how sample borrowing and extensions work.

Pricing, visits & sample borrowing →

Planning a workplace or hotel? Start with our commercial or hospitality selection. Residential warranties and use ratings are not a substitute for project-specific commercial requirements.