When Are Flooring Sales?
The best US flooring sales hit Memorial Day, Labor Day, Black Friday and post-Christmas week, with 20 to 40 percent off installed.
Quick Answer
The biggest flooring sales in the US calendar are around Memorial Day (late May), Labor Day (early September), Black Friday (late November), and the week between Christmas and New Year. Most major retailers and direct-to-consumer installers run 20 to 40 percent off promotions during these windows.
Smaller secondary sales hit Presidents Day in February, Fourth of July, and the August back-to-school window.
Major Sale Windows in the US
- Presidents Day (mid-Feb): 15 to 25 percent off. Smaller event.
- Memorial Day (late May): 25 to 35 percent off. One of the biggest of the year.
- Fourth of July: 20 to 30 percent off. Often bundled with free installation.
- Labor Day (early Sept): 25 to 40 percent off. The single best week for installed package deals.
- Columbus / Indigenous Peoples Day (mid-Oct): 15 to 25 percent off.
- Veterans Day (Nov 11): targeted military discount on top of regular pricing.
- Black Friday + Cyber Monday: 25 to 40 percent off. Heavy promotion on luxury vinyl plank.
- Week of Christmas: end-of-year inventory clearance. Best for in-stock SKUs.
Where the Deals Show Up
- Big-box retailers (Home Depot, Lowes, Floor and Decor): broad sales on Pergo, LifeProof, NuCore.
- Independent flooring stores: smaller in-store events, often best on premium brands.
- Direct installers (Empire Today, 50 Floor): "buy one room get one free" or "free installation" packages around major holidays.
- Online specialists (Build Direct, Floor and Decor online, Lumber Liquidators / LL Flooring): flash sales between major holidays.
How to Stack Discounts
- Combine holiday sale price with a manufacturer rebate (Mohawk, Shaw and Pergo all run quarterly mail-in rebates).
- Use a store credit card for an extra 5 to 10 percent off at the register.
- Ask about price-match guarantees: Lowes and Home Depot both match competitor in-stock prices.
- Ask for free or discounted installation as a negotiation lever on big jobs.
Off-Season Strategy
The best installer deals are actually mid-winter (January and February in northern states) when installers have open schedules and accept lower labour rates. The best material deals are the major holiday windows. Combining the two , material bought at Black Friday, installed in January , is the cheapest path to a finished floor.
Hidden Costs to Verify
"Free installation" almost always excludes furniture moving, demolition, subfloor prep and disposal. Itemise these on the quote before signing. A free-install promotion with $3 per square foot in extras is rarely cheaper than a 30 percent off promotion with everything included.
How Big the Discounts Really Get
"Up to 70 percent off" headlines almost always refer to a single SKU on clearance, not the line you actually want. The realistic discount on a mid-range LVP during a major holiday sale is 20 to 30 percent off MSRP, plus another 5 to 10 percent if you stack a manufacturer rebate. Anything beyond 40 percent is usually a discontinued colour or a margin-protected installer price disguised as a discount.
Best Time to Order Material vs Install
Order the material at Black Friday or Labor Day, then schedule installation 4 to 8 weeks later when installer demand drops. January and February in the northern US are the slowest months for installers, so they offer the deepest labour discounts. Pairing peak-discount material with off-peak labour can save 10 to 20 percent on the total project.
Watch Out For "Sale" Math
Some retailers mark prices up before a sale to inflate the discount percentage. Track the price of your shortlisted SKU for 4 to 8 weeks before the sale window. Camelizer-style trackers exist for major flooring brands. If the "sale" price matches the regular price from a month ago, the discount is theatre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this answer change in 5 years? Pricing and product lines drift, but the underlying physics of flooring (moisture, expansion, wear layer) does not. The buying principles in this guide hold long-term.
Is the answer different in the UK and Europe? Mostly the same. Retailers like B&Q, Wickes and Carpetright sell equivalent product categories, and EU EN standards mirror North American ASTM tests closely.
What about commercial settings? Commercial floors use the same materials but higher wear ratings (AC5 laminate, 28 mil vinyl, commercial-grade epoxy). Spec sheets state the heaviest foot traffic the product is rated for.
Where can I get a second opinion? The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI), and World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) all publish free consumer guidance and certified-installer locators.
Pro Tips From the Trade
- Order 10 percent extra. Cuts, mistakes and future repairs add up. One spare carton stashed in the basement is cheap insurance.
- Photograph every layer. Subfloor, vapour barrier, expansion gap, transitions. Warranty claims hinge on documentation.
- Save the lot number. Replacement planks must match the production run or the colour will not line up.
- Acclimate before installing. 48 hours minimum in the room of installation for click-lock products; 7 to 14 days for engineered or solid hardwood.
Bottom Line
Flooring decisions are part budget, part lifestyle, part long-term resale. Prep the subfloor properly, match the product to the room, and follow the manufacturer's install spec, and even a mid-tier material will outperform a premium one that was rushed in. Cut corners on prep and even a top-shelf plank will telegraph every flaw underneath.