What is Empire Flooring? (5 Benefits for Your Home Makeover)
Empire Flooring usually means Empire Today, a flooring retailer and installation service, not one type of floor. Its potential benefits include help comparing materials, convenient planning, installation coordination, and product support. The right choice still depends on your home’s subfloor, moisture, room use, and the exact product and installation terms in your written quote.
If flooring terms make it hard to compare quotes, start by separating the company from the floor itself. “Empire Flooring” is often used as shorthand for Empire Today. The company sells flooring options and offers installation services, but product choices, service details, and terms can vary. Ask what material is being quoted, who will install it, and how your home will be prepared.
I focus on the details that affect the finished floor: what is under it, how level and dry that surface is, and whether the proposed system fits the room. Those checks matter whether you choose vinyl, laminate, hardwood, carpet, or tile.
What Empire Flooring Is—and How to Evaluate Its Product and Installation Proposal
Empire Flooring generally refers to a retailer and flooring service, not a single material or installation method. The practical question is whether the specific floor, preparation plan, installer, and written terms suit your home. Think of the quote as a plan to verify, not proof that every floor will fit every room.
Before comparing prices, ask for the product name, construction, installation method, and preparation work in writing. A “waterproof” label, for example, does not mean the whole floor assembly can withstand standing water or a damp subfloor. The product instructions and warranty explain the limits.
Benefit 1: Compare flooring materials in one planning process
A retailer may help you review several flooring types and colors for your project. This can save time when you are choosing finishes for a makeover. The benefit depends on the options available and whether samples, measurements, and product details are provided for your home.
Compare products by where they will go, not just by appearance. A busy entryway, a bedroom, and a bathroom face different demands. Ask about wear-layer thickness for vinyl, finish and construction for wood, and cleaning limits for every product.
Benefit 2: Coordinate measuring and installation
A flooring service may arrange measuring and installation as part of a project. That can reduce the number of separate steps you manage. Confirm who measures, who installs, what preparation is included, and who handles concerns if the finished work differs from the quote.
A measurement visit is not the same as a complete site assessment. Ask whether the quote covers removal of existing flooring, moving furniture, subfloor repairs, transitions, and disposal. Get any exclusions in writing before setting an installation date.
Benefit 3: Match a floor to the room’s use
A product range can make it easier to compare looks and practical features for different rooms. The key is to match the floor’s stated limits to the room’s traffic, spills, sunlight, and cleaning routine. No material is ideal for every home or every condition.
For example, a scratch-resistant surface may help with everyday wear, but it does not make a floor immune to damage. Ask what the product warranty covers, what it excludes, and which care steps are required.
Benefit 4: Get a clearer view of project costs
A written proposal can bring product and installation costs together for easier review. The value is in seeing what the price includes, not assuming that a single total covers every task. Check for preparation, removal, trim, transitions, and other possible charges.
Request a line-by-line scope. If the installer finds damaged sheathing or a moisture issue, ask how extra work will be priced and approved. This helps you compare proposals on the same basis.
Benefit 5: Have a point of contact for product and service questions
When product sales and installation are coordinated, you may have a clear place to ask project questions. Confirm whether product issues and installation concerns go to the same team, and how to contact them after the work is complete.
Keep the quote, product instructions, warranty, and any change orders together. Record the product name and model, along with who installed it. These details make later care or service questions easier to handle.
Two illustrative makeover scenarios
These examples are not reports of actual Empire Today jobs. They show how to assess a proposal before work begins.
- Living room over concrete: A homeowner compares two floating floor products. Before choosing, they ask how the slab will be checked for moisture, what test method applies, and what happens if results exceed the product or adhesive limit. There is no universal moisture limit for all floors. The manufacturer’s requirements must guide the decision.
- Kitchen with a wood-framed floor: A homeowner considers tile. The installer checks framing and subfloor condition, not only the tile sample. If the floor moves too much, a membrane alone cannot correct that structural problem. The plan may need repair or added support before tile is installed.
Use these questions to compare a proposal with another installer’s quote:
| Quote item | What to confirm | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Exact name, construction, thickness, wear layer if applicable | Similar-looking floors can have different limits |
| Subfloor | Concrete or wood; repairs and leveling included? | Preparation affects performance |
| Moisture | Test method and product-specific limit | Moisture rules vary by material and system |
| Installation | Floating, glued, nailed, or mortared | Each method has different requirements |
| Project scope | Removal, trim, transitions, furniture, disposal | These items may affect the total cost |
| Terms | Warranty, exclusions, care, and service contact | Helps set realistic expectations |
Substrate Inspection, Moisture Testing, and Subfloor Preparation
The substrate is the surface that supports the new floor, such as a concrete slab or wood subfloor. It must be sound and prepared for the selected flooring system. A material that works well on one substrate may need different testing, underlayment, or preparation on another.
A careful sequence begins before delivery:
- Identify the existing floor and base. Confirm whether the new floor will sit over concrete, plywood, another approved surface, or removed flooring. Look for soft spots, cracks, damage, and changes in floor height.
- Check the product instructions. Use only primers, adhesives, underlayments, and moisture-control products approved for both the flooring and substrate. An underlayment is a layer beneath the finish floor; it is not a fix for every base problem.
- Test concrete when required. Follow the flooring or adhesive maker’s specified method. Common methods include ASTM F1869, which measures moisture vapor emission, and ASTM F2170, which measures relative humidity inside the concrete. There is no single acceptable result for every product.
- Repair and level as needed. Remove incompatible material, fix weak areas, and use compatible patch or leveling products. Follow the flooring system’s flatness rules rather than relying on sight alone.
Tile needs extra care. Large-format tile, with at least one edge 15 inches or longer, generally calls for a base no more than 1/8 inch out of plane over 10 feet or 1/16 inch over 2 feet. Smaller tile commonly allows 1/4 inch over 10 feet or 1/16 inch over 1 foot. Confirm the applicable ANSI and product-system requirements.
Tile also needs adequate support from the mortar. Guidance calls for at least 80% mortar coverage in dry interior areas and 95% in wet or exterior areas, with support at edges and corners. Installers can lift tiles during work to check coverage. An uncoupling membrane may help manage some movement, but it cannot make a weak or overly flexible floor structurally sound.
Installation Precision, Safety, Transitions, and Deflection Compliance
Installation details affect how a floor wears, feels, and meets nearby rooms. Deflection means how much a floor structure bends under load. Before choosing tile, check that the full floor assembly meets the system’s limits, then confirm the layout, movement joints, transitions, and slip needs.
For tile, common minimum framing criteria are L/360 for ceramic or porcelain and L/720 for natural stone, under applicable tile-industry guidance. “L” is the unsupported span; the number describes the permitted amount of bending. These values are not a substitute for checking the complete assembly, including joists, sheathing, condition, and spacing.
| Installation check | Practical benchmark or question |
|---|---|
| Tile deflection | Common minimums: L/360 for ceramic or porcelain; L/720 for natural stone |
| Tile mortar coverage | At least 80% in dry interiors; 95% in wet or exterior areas |
| Movement joints | Follow TCNA EJ171 and the selected flooring system |
| Wet-area tile slip selection | For applicable level interior areas expected to be wet, ANSI A326.3 DCOF of at least 0.42 is a selection criterion, not a promise against slips |
| Floating floor edges | Ask how the required clearance and transitions will avoid pinching the floor |
These numbers need context. A tile membrane cannot compensate for excessive structural movement, and a slip rating cannot guarantee safe footing in every condition. Water, soap, footwear, and cleaning affect slip risk. Movement-joint locations also vary, so do not treat one perimeter gap as universal.
For floating floors, the floor is not fastened to the base. It needs the clearances stated in its instructions and must not be trapped by trim or transitions. For tile, the installer should use the specified mortar and trowel, maintain the required layout and joint tolerances, and follow cure times before traffic or wet cleaning.
Maintenance, Sealing, and Long-Term Floor Protection
Floor care depends on the material and its finish, so there is no universal cleaner or sealing rule. Follow the product instructions and warranty. Ask what routine cleaning is allowed, whether any part needs sealing, and how soon the floor can take foot traffic or water after installation.
After work is complete, keep the product details and care guide. Use the recommended cleaning method and avoid products the manufacturer says can harm the finish. Tile, grout, vinyl, wood, laminate, and carpet each have different care needs.
Sealing is also product-specific. Some tile or grout may require sealer, while other products may not. Do not assume that every tile, or every grout line, needs the same treatment. Confirm the instructions for the exact product installed.
Conclusion: Empire Flooring is best understood as a flooring retailer and installation service, not a guarantee of one specific floor or result. The strongest makeover plan starts with a written product and work scope, checks the substrate and moisture, and confirms that installation follows the selected system’s requirements.
FAQs
Is Empire Flooring a type of flooring?
No. The name generally refers to Empire Today, a retailer and installation service. The floor itself may be vinyl, carpet, hardwood, laminate, or another product.
Does Empire Flooring include installation?
Installation may be offered, but the quote should state what is included. Confirm who will do the work and whether preparation, removal, trim, and transitions are covered.
Is Empire Flooring waterproof?
There is no single “Empire Flooring” material. Some products may resist water, but check the exact product instructions and warranty for limits on spills, standing water, and damp subfloors.
How do I compare Empire Today flooring quotes?
Compare the exact product, preparation, installation method, removal, transitions, exclusions, and warranty terms. A low total may not include the same work as another quote.
Does new flooring need a moisture test?
Concrete testing may be required by the flooring or adhesive maker. Follow its stated method and limits; there is no universal moisture threshold for all floors.
Can tile go over any wood subfloor?
No. The framing and subfloor must meet the tile system’s requirements for stiffness, condition, and preparation. A membrane cannot fix an underbuilt or damaged floor.
Does an uncoupling membrane prevent tile cracks?
It may help manage some movement, but it cannot correct excessive structural movement or weak sheathing. The full floor assembly still has to meet the system’s requirements.
When can I walk on a newly installed floor?
Follow the product and installation instructions. Adhesive, mortar, grout, or other materials may need time to cure before traffic, furniture, or wet cleaning.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Marcus Vance. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
