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What To Do After You’ve Ordered Your Flooring

What To Do After You’ve Ordered Your Flooring

 

Renovating your home is always an exciting time, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t come with its own set of challenges.

 

If you’ve just purchased flooring for the first time, you’ll be familiar with some of the difficulties associated with home improvements. Whether you couldn’t decide on the right style, spent hours looking for the best price, or debated which material is perfect for your home, you’re sure to have learned that the flooring market is hard to navigate.

 

Thankfully, the hard part is over. Now all you have to do is wait for your delivery to arrive.

 

If you’re feeling unsure about what to do next, don’t worry. There are a few simple steps you can take to make your project goes smoothly.

 

Here are our top tips to keep in mind when ordering from Luxury Flooring and Furnishings:

 

Don’t Book Your Fitter Until Your Flooring Arrives

Many homeowners make the mistake of booking their fitter the moment they’ve received their order confirmation.

 

Whilst this may seem like a good idea, it can actually prove counterintuitive.

 

If you’re familiar with our services, you’ll know that we do everything in our power to ensure a speedy delivery. We work with the best couriers available, and keep track of every order whilst they’re in progress.

 

But sometimes the unthinkable happens…

 

Problems with road traffic accidents, manufacturing defects, and even natural disasters can affect the time of your delivery. Sadly, these issues are completely out of our control.

 

We do our best to get your goods to you as quick as possible, but just in case we can’t, hold off on anything that could bump up the cost of your installation.

 

Additionally, it’s important to allow some flooring an acclimatisation period. If you want to know more about preparing your flooring for fitting, visit our dedicated blog post.

 

 

Arrange for Someone to Help Unload the Goods

At Luxury Flooring, we remain dedicated to being as helpful as possible.

 

The majority of our third-party couriers are more than happy to carry the goods into your home. However, due to insurance purposes, some may be inclined to leave your flooring outside the property.

 

If you cannot move the goods yourself, please arrange for someone to help lift them safely into the building. We would hate for you to be stuck on the day of your delivery!

 

For more information regarding our services, please read our terms and conditions. There you’ll find everything you need to know about kerbside delivery, and how you can make your day as easy as possible.

 

 

Sign for Any Damages

Whether your flooring is at our warehouse, in transit, or being loaded into your home, you can rest assured that our team of highly trained professionals will always take great care.

 

But we know that sometimes mistakes get made.

 

If ever we hear that our products have arrived damaged, we feel just as unhappy as you do. Because of this, we’ll always replace, repair, or refund your order.

 

However, for us to do this, there is one important step you’ll have to take…

 

Once you have checked your flooring for visible signs of harm, you must notify your courier, and formally sign your name to acknowledge the defect. If you do not, we cannot compensate for the mistake.

 

When this has been completed, get in touch with our customer service department, and we’ll do the hard work.

 

 

Remember Our 28 Day Returns Policy

When it comes to your home, we know how important it is to get things just right. That’s why we’re always prepared to make amendments to your order.

 

If you’re not happy with your flooring, we’ll entitle you to a returns period of 28 days. This is double the amount of time required by Consumer Contract Regulations, giving you extra freedom of choice.

 

The returns period begins when the goods arrive at your property, so don’t worry about any delays affecting our generous offer.

 

For full details about our returns policy, head over to our webpage. Here you’ll find information about returns forms, delivery costs, and refunds.

 

 

Sit Back and Relax

After all that hard work, you deserve a well-earned rest!

 

The only thing left for you to do is sit back and wait for the transformation of your home to take place.

 

Our team will make the arrangements, inspect the goods, and ensure you receive a high-quality product.

 

All you have to do is relax!

The post What To Do After You’ve Ordered Your Flooring appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

How to Lay Laminate Flooring

Today we’re going to show you exactly how to lay laminate flooring.

There are many benefits to laminate flooring. Alongside a wide range of beautiful styles and high durability, it’s a much more cost-effective option to real wood.

A DIY installation may also save money on fitters fees. You have your dream flooring, and now it just needs fitting. If you’re fitting laminate flooring yourself, use this guide to walk through every step with expert advice along the way.

Important Steps When Installing Laminate Flooring

This guide covers information on all of the necessary planning, installation and aftercare steps required when you lay laminate flooring.

Click on any of the below steps to jump to the section you need:

  1. Tools and materials
  2. Safety advice
  3. Room suitability
  4. How to measure a room for laminate
  5. Preparation and planning
  6. Using underlay
  7. Top tips
  8. How to fit laminate flooring
  9. Video guide
  10. Installing laminate flooring around difficult areas
  11. Fitting edging
  12. How to fit radiator rings
  13. Door thresholds
  14. Fitting laminate flooring on stairs
  15. Aftercare and maintenance
  16. The cost of fitting laminate flooring

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Tools & Materials

To lay laminate flooring, you’ll need the following tools:

  • Underlay
  • Laminate flooring
  • Scotia/beading
  • Radiator rings
  • Door threshold/profile
  • Flooring spacers
  • Tapping block
  • Pull bar
  • Workbench
  • Clamps
  • Set square
  • Mitre box
  • Calculator (or any smartphone)
  • Hand saw or jigsaw
  • Circular saw
  • Power drill (with drill bit)
  • Chisel
  • Hammer
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Tape measure
  • Panel pins
  • Wood glue
  • String line
  • Nails
  • Safety goggles
  • Knee pads
  • Dust mask
  • Ear muffs

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Safety Advice

As with any DIY job, safety is high on the list of priorities. Remember these top tips to stay safe when you’re installing laminate flooring:

Safety goggles

Safety goggles protect your eyes, especially when you’re cutting the laminate to size when laying the planks and fitting your laminate edging.

Knee pads

You’ll spend most of your time on the floor when you lay laminate flooring. Using knee pads offers extra protection, especially if you’re fitting the flooring in large rooms that require more time to complete the job.

Dust mask

Whether you’re using a hand saw or jigsaw, there’s likely to be dusty debris from cutting laminate planks. Use a dust mask to prevent breathing in any harmful materials.

Ear muffs

Wearing ear muffs protects your ears because, let’s face it, cutting laminate is not a quiet process!

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Room Suitability

Before you fit – or even purchase – laminate flooring, you need to ensure it is suitable for your room. Laminate is versatile in its design, meaning it can be laid in most areas of your home. There are, however, some considerations.

Room suitability chart for installing laminate flooring

In your home

When you lay laminate flooring in your home, it’s important to consider whether your flooring is suitable for that particular room.

As you can see from the room suitability chart above, laminate flooring can be installed in most areas within your home. However, rooms with high levels of moisture require extra caution and thought.

While laminate is water resistant, it isn’t waterproof. In areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, large spillages and prolonged exposure to moisture causes lasting damage to your flooring.

Although it’s not advised, if you are fitting laminate flooring in either of these two areas, ensure you clean up any spills as quickly as possible.

Laminate is also compatible with underfloor heating. As long as the temperature doesn’t exceed 27°C, it’s able to handle the heat without damage.

For high-traffic rooms that may see a lot of people coming and going, such as hallways and living areas, laminate’s durability makes it the perfect choice.

Its HDF (high-density fibreboard) core, as well as a scratch-proof protective wear layer, gives it added strength.

For commercial properties

If you’re installing laminate flooring for commercial purposes, such as shop floors, you’ll need to ensure your flooring has a high AC (abrasion class) rating.

A laminate floor’s AC rating describes how durable the floor is. It receives its rating through a number of rigorous tests, and it must pass all of these in order to receive a rating at all.

For commercial use, we recommend using a laminate rated either AC4 or AC5. The higher the AC rating, the more suitable it is for heavy traffic, which makes it perfect for rooms such as office spaces (AC4) all the way up to large department stores and public buildings (AC5).

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Measuring a Room for Laminate

When you measure a room for flooring that comes in packs, such as laminate flooring, you need to work out the area of the room in square metres.

You can also use feet, but for the purpose of this guide we’ll be using metres. This is the standard unit of measurement we use on the Direct Wood Flooring website.

To do this, take two measurements in your room. The measurements should be of the longest and widest parts of your room.

Take into account any windows or alcoves, and take measurements to half-way into your door frame. If it helps, sketch the outline of your room and write your measurements down.

Room diagram for how to measure laminate flooring with example measurements

Top tip: Take two measurements for both the length and width of your room. Not all rooms are perfectly symmetrical, so taking two measurements and using the larger one gives you better accuracy when ordering your flooring.

With the above example, we have two measurements: 4.5 metres and 5 metres. To get the area of this room, we multiply these two measurements together to get 22.5m².

In order to allow for wastage, we recommend you add 10% to the area. To do this, simply times the area by 1.1 on a calculator. For this example, 22.5 multiplied by 1.1 gives us a final area of 24.75m².

Once you have the area of your room, you need to work out how many packs of your chosen flooring you need.

Finding pack size and flooring calculator on Direct Wood Flooring's website

On each laminate flooring product page, there’s a section of detailed information relevant to that specific product. In amongst the plank dimensions, you’ll see the pack size in square metres.

To work out the number of packs you need, take your room’s area and divide it by the pack size. Then, round up to the nearest whole number to get your final number of packs.

Going back to our example measurements, we’d take the 24.75m² area and divide it by the 2.39m² pack size: 24.75 ÷ 2.39 = 10.3, which we’d then round up to 11 packs. This would be the final number of laminate flooring packs you need.

If you’d prefer us to do the work for you, head to the product page of your chosen flooring. Then, simply click the “How many packs do I need to order?” link underneath the blue sample button.

You’ll then be asked to enter your measurements, and we’ll automatically add the 10% wastage and work out the number of packs you require. It’s the easiest way!

Direct Wood Flooring's helpful online pack calculator

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Preparation and Planning

There are a number of considerations and steps to preparing to lay laminate flooring. Prior planning is one of the most important parts of any DIY job, and installing laminate is no different.

All of our laminate floors feature a click-lock system for easy installation. However, some floors from other providers may only have a traditional tongue and groove. Ensure you check the manufacturer guidelines.

Tongue and groove on click lock laminate

This is how a tongue and groove looks on click-lock laminate. Notice the overhand on the “tongue” to identify which is which.

Preparing your subfloor

Removing old flooring

Laminate flooring requires a smooth, level surface that is clean and clear of debris.

Preparing the subfloor is important, as it has a direct effect on the lifespan of your flooring. Any existing flooring, such as carpet or tiles, must be removed beforehand.

Subfloor repairs

Subfloors with uneven surfaces cause the boards to damage over time due to excessive pressure. An even subfloor increases the lifespan of your flooring, and therefore means an even laminate floor once it has been laid.

If your subfloor needs repairing, read our handy guide on how to repair damaged wood and concrete subfloors.

Cleaning

A subfloor needs to be both level and clean before laminate flooring can be installed.

If it doesn’t require repairs, we recommend a simple clean with a vacuum, or sweep to remove any dust and dirt.

If your subfloor still has old adhesive from the previous flooring, make sure this is removed by either scraping it off, or sanding if required.

Tips for preparing a subfloor to fit laminate flooring

Moisture

You also need to remove any excess moisture from your subfloor. High levels of moisture may lead to water damage to your flooring. Ensuring your subfloor is completely dry prevents any such issues from occurring.

First of all, look for any visible water stains to see if there may be an ongoing moisture problem you need to investigate.

If everything looks okay to the naked eye, the next step is to check your subfloor’s moisture levels. You can do this by purchasing a testing kit online.

The moisture content of your subfloor should remain below 12%. You can also test the room’s humidity levels using a hygrometer. Between 46-65% relative humidity (RH) is ideal.

If you find that your subfloor does have high levels of moisture, there are a number of ways you can combat them to prevent damage to your flooring.

Applying a subfloor primer waterproofs concrete subfloors. Alternatively, install a vapour barrier – often referred to as damp proof membrane (DPM).

The DPM prevents moisture rising from your subfloor into your laminate flooring, and is a cost-effective solution to avoiding moisture damage to your flooring.

Above all, however, we recommend you use an underlay with built-in DPM.

Acclimatising your laminate flooring

As with any wooden floor, laminate flooring requires some time to adapt to its new surroundings.

It’s most likely the packs of flooring you’ve just had delivered have been stored in a cold warehouse, and then in the back of delivery vehicles. Your property is bound to have varying levels of moisture as well as a different temperature.

This is why it’s important to let your laminate flooring acclimatise in the room it’s going to be fitted in. Simply stack the boxes of flooring, leaving them unopened, in the room it will be later installed. Leave them there for 48 hours, which is enough time for them to get used to their new environment.

Acclimatise laminate flooring for 48 hours

The reason we do this is because laminate flooring expands and contracts. The natural material in the planks is susceptible to change from different temperatures and humidity levels. By leaving your floor in the area for a couple of days, it has time to adjust.

If you were to immediately lay laminate flooring, it’s likely to expand or shrink. This could lead to your floor buckling and cracks appearing, or even leave gaps appearing between boards that were once perfectly fit together.

It’s a vitally important step to leave your laminate for 48 hours to give it time to acclimatise.

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Using Underlay

While many may see it as an option extra, the many benefits of using underlay when installing laminate flooring make it a priority.

  • Underlay adds extra comfort underfoot. Rather than your floor being laid directly onto a hard subfloor, a soft cushioning layer provides a little added bounce which makes it comfortable to walk on.
  • Aside from comfort, underlay increases the lifespan of your new laminate flooring. The soft layer gives it extra protection over years of use.
  • Using underlay provides additional sound-proofing in your home. The extra layer between your flooring and subfloor minimizes noise, which is especially important for upstairs room.
  • Underlay also acts as an insulator, giving extra warmth to your home and may even save you money on heating bills.

Why underlay is important when fitting laminate flooring

When using underlay with laminate flooring, there are a number of different types suitable for use.

An underlay with in-built DPM protects your flooring, when installed over a concrete subfloor, from moisture damage.

If you’re installing laminate flooring over an underfloor heating system, you’ll require an underlay that’s suitable for this purpose.

Many people choose fibreboard underlay for both wood and laminate flooring alike. Fibreboard offers great heat insulation, and is useful for covering small indentations or protrusions in your subfloor.

This may the best choice for you if your subfloor isn’t perfectly level, as fibreboard will give you a level surface even with protrusions up to 3mm thick.

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Top Tips

If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Before you begin to lay laminate flooring, we recommend following these top tips to ensure the perfect install:

  • The thickness of your laminate, underlay and door threshold may prevent the door opening and closing in your room. It’s worth testing this beforehand; if this is the case, you’ll need to remove your door and trim the bottom to allow enough room for your flooring.

 

  • When you fit your flooring, leave a 10-15mm expansion gap between laminate planks and the wall. As with all wood flooring types, laminate expands and contracts in different environments. By adding an expansion gap, your floor has room to expand without putting pressure on the joins. Without this gap, your floor could buckle or even crack. Later in this guide, we’ll tell you how to hide this gap using laminate floor edging.

 

  • We recommend staggering the joins of planks running side-by-side. If the joins are too close together, small areas with lots of joins may look a little “crowded”. A distance of around 300mm between joins is enough.

 

  • The final row of planks should be at least 60mm wide. Any thinner than this, and your floor will look uneven. Take a measurement of your room and work out the width of your last row, also taking into account the expansion gap. If your last row is less than 60mm, you’ll need to cut your first row to allow for more space in the final row you lay.

 

  • You can lay your flooring either horizontally or vertically. Vertically will elongate a room and works great if pointing towards a window, as it will follow the natural light. Laying laminate flooring horizontally will can make a small room appear larger. Most people prefer to lay their boards parallel with the room’s longest wall. If you’re laying your flooring over a wooden subfloor, install them at a 90 degree angle to the existing wooden board. This provides extra stability.

 

  • You may want to do a practice lay of your flooring to ensure you’re happy with the spacing between joins and how your final flooring may look. This is great for testing which way you’d like to lay your boards, as well as estimating how much cutting is required.

 

  • Lay your underlay the same direction as your laminate, making sure to leave a gap around the edge of radiator pipes.

 

  • To ensure your flooring rows run perfectly straight, you’ll need to run a string line. To do this, take the width of your laminate plank and add the expansion gap. Measure this distance from the wall and gently hammer a nail into the spot. Repeat this at the other end of the room, then run a string line between the two nails. This is the line you should line up your first row against to ensure they’re perfectly straight.

 

  • Begin installing your floor from the upper left corner of your room’s longest wall, fitting each plank left to right.

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Installing Laminate Flooring

Now that all of the planning and preparation is complete, and you know how to manage difficult obstacles such as door frames, it’s now time to lay your laminate flooring.

To lay laminate flooring, we use something called a floating installation. This means it isn’t glued to the subfloor, and instead “floats” above it. This usually means a comfier floor to walk on, and also makes replacing any damaged planks much easier if needed.

The Steps

  1. If using underlay, lay it across the subfloor to cover the entire area and join with tape.Lay underlay before laying laminate flooring
  2. Lay your first plank in the left corner of the room, with the “tongue” side facing the wall. This is the edge where the plank overhangs, and allows the next row to simply click into place. Once in place, move it slightly away from the wall and use your flooring spacers to create the expansion gap.Laying first row of laminate flooring
  3. Take the second plank in the row and line it up with the first. For laminates with a click-lock system, it should simply be a case of clicking these into place. Remember to keep the expansion gap consistent along the wall by using more spacers.Clicking laminate planks together
  4. Continue in this way until you’re unable to lay any more full planks. Check the row is perfectly straight using your string line. For the final plank, lay your final plank parallel to the first row and against the spacer on the end wall, then use a pencil and ruler to draw a cutting line.Cutting last board in the row of laminate
  5. Clamp the plank so it’s secure on your workbench, then take a jigsaw and cut along the line. The plank remaining should then simply click into place at the end of your first row.
  6. To start the next row, use the offcut from the previous plank. If the offcut is less than 300mm long, cut a full laminate plank in half and use this to start the second row.Last plank in laminate flooring row
  7. Remembering to use a spacer between the wall and laminate, lift the plank up at an angle and press it up against the first row. Gently pivot the plank back down to secure the rows together.
  8. Use the tapping block to push together any planks that don’t perfectly align.
  9. To lay the next plank, lift it at an angle again and line up the short side with the previous plank. As you gently lower the plank, the two short sides should click together.Laying rows of laminate flooring
  10. Continue to lay your laminate flooring using the same process, cutting planks as needed to ensure enough space between joins.
  11. For the final row, use the pull bar and hammer to gently join with the previous row and ensure a snug fit.

Using a pull bar on the last row of laminate flooring

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How to Fit Laminate Flooring Video

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Fitting Around Corners, Door Frames, Radiator Pipes and Stairs

One of the difficulties with installing laminate flooring is how to manoeuvre common obstacles found in most rooms.

Areas such as corners, door frames, radiator pipes and stairs require extra care during the fitting process. Here’s how to tackle them with minimal stress.

Fitting around corners

Fitting laminate flooring around corners is a simple job, which just requires a little cutting to ensure a clean fit.

Place the laminate plank against the corner. Where the plank meets the wall, add the expansion gap and mark with a pencil. This gives you the width of the cut you need.

To get the length, place the plank along the side of the wall and mark the length. Then, use a set square to clearly mark out the area that needs to be cut away.

Fitting laminate flooring around corners

Finally, clamp the plank to your workbench and use a jigsaw to cut the shape. Fit the board into place and ensure a tight fit.

Door frames

To fit laminate flooring around door frames, there are two main approaches to consider.

Firstly, you can undercut your door frame to make space for your laminate flooring to fit underneath. This is considered the easiest approach to fitting laminate around door frames.

Take a piece of laminate and your underlay, then put these up against your door. Make a pencil line across the width of your door at the line your flooring and underlay reach.

Cutting into door frame for laminate flooring

Then, take a hand saw to cut into your door frame at the pencil line. Using a chisel and hammer, tap the wood below the wood line to create a gap your flooring will fit under.

Once the excess door frame wood has been removed, take your flooring and underlay again and ensure the gap is big enough for both to fit under.

The second approach is more technical, and requires intricate cutting on the laminate plank to perfectly fit the shape of your door frame. This is time consuming, not to mention difficult, and may require some sealant to hide unsightly gaps.

This kind of install is best left to professionals, and we therefore recommend using the undercut approach for the best results.

Radiator pipes

Fitting laminate flooring around radiator pipes is a simple process:

  1. Lay the laminate plank next to the radiator pipe, with the short side against the wall
  2. Use a pencil and ruler to draw a line along the width of the plank, in line with the middle of the pipe
  3. Move the laminate so the short side is now against the pipe
  4. Draw a line down the length of the plank, in line with the centre of the pipe, so both lines intersect. This gives you the centre point of the radiator pipe on your laminate plankMarking laminate to fit around radiator pipe
  5. Clamp your laminate to a workbench. Use a drill bit to large enough to allow room for your radiator pipe, and drill a hole over the centre point of the intersecting lines. This is where your radiator pipe will fit
  6. Draw two straight pencil lines from the hole to the short side of the plank
  7. Use a jigsaw to cut along these lines and save the wood offcut
  8. Slide the laminate so the radiator pipe fits into the hole, then glue the wood offcut back into place.

Fit laminate flooring around radiator pipe

Stairs

To fit laminate around the bottom of staircases, for example in your hallway, we recommend using the same technique as fitting around door frames.

Undercut the bottom of your stairs the same as you would with a door frame. This prevents the need for complex cutting on your laminate planks, and ensures a neat and tidy finish.

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How to Fit Laminate Floor Edging

While an expansion gap serves a very necessary purpose, there’s no denying it looks unsightly.

Laminate edging, often referred to as scotia or beading, completes the look of your flooring. We use edging to hide the expansion gap between your laminate flooring and wall or skirting boards.

Laminate scotia/edging creates the perfect finish to your flooring. Edging is colour-matched to your flooring, but if you can’t find an exact match – or one you’re happy with – many people choose white.

As part of ordering your free samples from Direct Wood Flooring, you can also order free samples of scotia to ensure you’re happy with the colour match.

Laminate floor edging - scotia beading

Use a mitre box to cut a 45 degree on the edging with either a circular saw or hand saw. Do the same on a second piece of edging, and glue together to create a corner.

To install the laminate edging, simply apply a thin layer of adhesive to the back and glue it to the wall. Use panel pins to hold it in place. You can then leave these in, or remove later should you wish.

You should never glue edging to the floor, as this can damage the laminate if it ever needs to be removed.

Repeat the above steps to fit the rest of your scotia/beading, cutting where necessary to ensure a snug fit.

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Radiator Rings

Radiator rings are a simple finishing accessory that make a huge difference to your room’s final look.

Radiator rings

Real wood radiator rings come in two parts. You simply need to position them around your radiator pipe and click them together.

Some radiator rings come in one piece, and with a small gap in the ring you can easily fit this around the radiator pipe to complete the look.

laminate radiator rings

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Door Thresholds

There are a number of different door thresholds you can use when installing laminate flooring.

Often called “profiles”, they cover the join between two rooms, and the type you use depends on the different floor coverings and their heights.

laminate end profile

End Profiles: Use these between flooring and walls

laminate t-profile

T-Profiles: Use these between floors of the same height

laminate ramp profile

Ramp Profiles: Use these between floors of different heights

laminate multi-use profile

Multi-Use Profiles: Can be used with floors of the same or different heights

Depending on your doorway’s width, you may need to cut the threshold to size. You may also need glue to hold the threshold in place to ensure a good fit.

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How to Fit Laminate on Stairs

Fitting laminate flooring on stairs is a subject that needs a guide all of its own. Luckily, we’ve got just the thing.

Read our guide on how to fit laminate flooring on stairs here.

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Aftercare and Maintenance

Once installed, your laminate flooring requires proper care and maintenance to ensure it lasts as long as possible.

Preventing damage

With new laminate flooring, you want it to look perfect for years to come. The first step to ensuring this is taking steps to minimise the chances of damage occurring.

  • Use felt pads on the bottom of furniture legs to prevent dents and scratches
  • Heavier furniture could benefit from protective mats underneath, especially if they may need to be moved in the future
  • Place mats at any doors leading outside. They help to collect any dirt, grit and other substances that would otherwise end up on your floor
  • Apply rubber underlayment to the back of any rugs to avoid them moving around
  • Regularly trim any pets’ nails to prevent them scratching your floor
  • Clean up any spills as quickly as possible to prevent water damage

Cleaning a laminate floor

One of the key benefits of a laminate floor is how easy it is to clean.

However, there are a number of cleaning methods you should avoid. Here’s a quick overview of the do’s and don’ts when cleaning laminate flooring:

Do:

  • Sweep or vacuum your laminate regularly, which prevents build-up of dirt – even if it’s not immediately visible
  • A soft-bristled brush is best to avoid scratches
  • Only use a slightly damp mop to clean once surface dirt has been swept away
  • Use warm water to remove more stubborn dirt
  • Only use a floor cleaner that’s approved for use with laminate flooring
  • Use an all-in-one laminate cleaning kit for best results

laminate floor cleaning kit spray mop

Don’t:

  • Use vacuum cleaners with a beater bar attachment – make sure it’s removed before use
  • Clean using steam cleaners – the high moisture levels are likely to cause irreversible damage
  • Use a really wet mop like you would on a tiled floor
  • Clean your floor with harsh detergents such as bleach, which can permanently discolour the laminate’s design layer
  • Use abrasive cleaning pads such as steel wool
  • Try cleaning with any home remedies – only use a floor cleaner that’s approved for use on laminate flooring
  • Avoid over-saturating the floor – use the cleaner sparingly
  • Polish or wax laminate floors – the top layer is essentially a printed image, so this could cause damage in the long run

To summarise, you should only use a brush/vacuum and a slightly damp mop to clean a laminate floor.

Even for tougher cleans, it’s better to mop the floor a few times, using a little elbow grease, which is better for your floor long-term.

Repairing damage

Even with proper care and maintenance, accidents happen.

You may find yourself in a position where your laminate flooring has been damaged. Whether down to an accident or simple wear and tear, there are steps you can take to repair any damage.

A laminate floor repair kit is ideal for repairing unsightly scratches and small cracks. They’re incredibly easy to use, just check out this video from Stroolmount:

 

If the damage is irreparable, you may need to replace one of the planks of laminate flooring. This is a little trickier, so you may want to enlist the help of a professional flooring fitter.

If you’re comfortable making the replacement yourself, we have a full guide on how to repair and replace laminate flooring, which you can read here.

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Fitting Laminate Flooring Cost

So, with the above considered, you’re probably wondering how much this is going to cost.

One of the many benefits of laminate flooring is its cheap price when compared to real wood flooring.

With that being said, if you’re a novice at DIY then you may not have the tools required to carry out the job.

To make it easier, we’ve created a list of the costs you may face when you decide to lay laminate flooring yourself.

Professional fitter

The cost of a professional fitter regularly depends on level of skill and location, in addition to the room size and how long it may take to complete the job.

Many flooring fitters will charge around £10 per square metre of flooring, so the costs rise if you’re fitting laminate flooring in a larger room.

Some fitters prefer to charge a day rate, which is typically £150-£200 depending on your location. As can be predicted, fitters based in the South East and London often require a fee at the top end of this scale.

If you consider an average room size of 5m x 4m, you could be looking at £200 in fitter fees. Factoring in the cost of your underlay, laminate and finishing touches, these costs can at least double.

If your room requires extra work, such as subfloor repairs, expect these costs to rise even further.

Lay laminate flooring yourself

Many people view a DIY laminate installation as the cheaper option. While this may be the case for many, it really depends on whether you already have the tools you need.

We’ve taken the average cost of tools from mytoolshed.co.uk, its.co.uk and toolstop.co.uk to pull together how much it may cost you to buy the tools you need (to the nearest pound).

You’ll also find our cost for items such as adhesive and fitting kits:

  • Laminate fitting kit (includes flooring spacers, tapping block and pull bar) – £9.99
  • Workbench – £46
  • Clamps – £13
  • Set square – £15
  • Mitre box – £8
  • Jigsaw – £109
  • Circular saw – £97
  • Power drill – £100
  • Chisel – £7
  • Hammer – £12
  • Tape measure – £5
  • Panel pins – £2
  • Wood glue – £6
  • String line – £8
  • Safety goggles – £5
  • Knee pads – £7
  • Dust mask – £2
  • Ear muffs – £5

As you can see, the cost of fitting tools can soon add up.

If you needed everything in this list, you’re looking at an investment of over £450 – and that doesn’t include the cost of your laminate, underlay and other materials.

Of course, if you have a large room and fitting costs may exceed the amount buying the tools will cost, laying the laminate yourself is a viable option.

However, for small rooms it may be difficult to justify the cost.

With that being said, you may know someone who could lend you the tools, or you could even rent them for a much lower price than it would cost to purchase outright.

Plus, if you already have many of the tools in this list you’re saving a lot of money already.

To Summarise

When fitting laminate flooring, there’s a lot more to consider than how to fit.

Alongside room suitability and preparation, there’s upfront costs and ongoing maintenance to consider.

It’s always recommended you familiarise yourself with manufacturer guidelines. Some flooring may behave differently or have slightly different requirements, so always check before you go ahead with your installation.

If you’re convinced you’re ready to lay laminate flooring, and just need to choose your favourite, our huge range of laminate flooring has you covered – whatever your style or budget.

Shop laminate flooring

If you have any questions about how to fit laminate flooring, feel free to get in touch with our customer service team on 03308 088777 or email [email protected].

The post How to Lay Laminate Flooring appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

Jarrah

There are many species that are in the Eucalyptus genus. Some are small and produce leaves for floral arrangements; others (including jarrah, and also blue gum, karri and Tasmanian oak) produce excellent timber and lumber products. Jarrah, Eucalyptus marginata, is a dark red wood with outstanding strength and stiffness. This species, also called Swan River mahogany in the past, is found along the coastal area of Southwest Australia, and is imported into the U.S., primarily into West Coast ports.

The tree itself can be extremely large — up to 150 feet tall and often over 5 feet in diameter —  which means a lot of clear lumber. In fact, this species is one of the most important timber species in Australia. Oftentimes, lumber and timbers are received from old buildings being demolished.

In addition to the properties mentioned, it has natural decay resistance.

Historically, the leaves and bark of this tree provided cures for fever, colds, headaches, skin diseases and snakes bites.

In addition to traditional uses for furniture and cabinets, if you need a beautiful red hard floor or are making furniture for outdoor use, including hot tubs, this is the premium species. Jarrah is also prized for percussion instruments and guitar inlays. Because of its natural color, the wood can be finished with wax alone to achieve a durable finish.

PROCESSING SUGGESTIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

Density

The specific gravity of green lumber is 0.68, or about 42 pounds per cubic foot. The lumber weight, when dried to 6 percent MC, is r over 4 pounds per board foot.  This is nearly 20 percent heavier than red oak.

Drying and Stability

This wood dries slowly often with considerable risk of warp. Generally, the wood is dried similarly to American oak. Supplies intended for North America would always be dried before being exported.

Tangential shrinkage (the width in flatsawn lumber) is high – about 9 percent; radial, 6 percent.

Movement in service is moderately high, especially when compared to native U.S. species. A 1 percent size change tangentially can occur with 2.6 percent MC change; radially, with a 4 percent MC change. As a result, correct final MC is essential to avoid moisture changes and subsequent size changes in-use.

Gluing and Machining

Unless tools are very sharp, this is a difficult species to machine, due to its high density. Interlocked grain also means that machining equipment must be in perfect operating order to avoid pockets or streaks of chipped grain.

(With interlocked grain, the wood fibers are at a slight angle to the vertical in a number of adjacent annual rings and then reverse the angle in the next few succeeding rings, and this pattern is repeated. As a result, the wood appears to be ribbon-striped, but a planer will always be planing part of the surface “against the grain.”)

Gluing is moderately difficult, as with most dense species. Gluing soon after machining the mating surfaces is essential, as is common with dense woods, to avoid moisture changes and non-flat surfaces.

Strength

Due to its high density, jarrah’s strength and stiffness are exceptionally high. For dry wood, the ultimate strength (MOR) is 16,200 psi, stiffness (MOE) is 1.88 million psi and hardness is 1910 pounds. Comparative oak values are 14,300 psi, 1.82 million psi, and 1290 pounds. The high hardness makes it a good choice for flooring, especially industrial flooring, and other high impact, high strength areas. High natural decay resistance makes this a good choice for boardwalks and exterior flooring, as well as outdoor furniture. Bending stock is another good application.

Nails and screws have excellent holding power, but predrilling of holes is necessary in most cases.

Color and Grain

Heartwood is dark red brown, darkening somewhat with exposure. Gum pockets are occasionally found. The surface texture is somewhat coarse with many small open pores. Surfaces would not be consider exceptionally smooth. The grain is usually quite straight, although sometimes there may be some interlocked grain.

This post appeared first on http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com

These 7 Bank Holiday DIY Home Hacks Will Blow Your Mind

With a bank holiday weekend coming up, there’s no better way to spend that extra to yourself than to give your home some extra love and attention. While a little bit of DIY can be daunting, it doesn’t have to be. These 7 DIY home hacks will help you to get the biggest results with the least effort. Sounds good to be true? Read on and see for yourself.

 

DIY Tip 1 – Upcycle Old Drawers Into Stylish Shelves

 

If you want to save money and save the environment (at least a little bit) then upcycling is the name of the game.  If you’ve an old set of drawers that you’re not using any more or simply don’t have the room for them, then you can stick them on the wall for an artsy, make shift shelf.

Shelves with old wood effects would be ideal, but with a little spray paint and vaseline (more on that later) you can create an authentic distressed effect at a fraction of the cost. Alternatively, charity shops can be your best friend for picking up retro furniture that might not be fit for it’s original purpose but is ripe for an upcycling project.

DIY Tip 2 – Artificially Distress Furniture With Vaseline

 

Distressed furniture used to be something that you’d never want. It was a sign that your furniture was old and beaten, and in desperate need of replacement. But like most home design trends, old is the new new, and having distressed furniture is now very much in vogue.

You could buy an old antique (and expensive) piece of furniture, or buy artificially distressed furniture from your furniture store of choice, but there’s a much cheaper and faster way to get your furniture to have that inauthentic authentic look. There’s a whole bunch of ways to DIY your way to that look, including using steel wool, sandpaper, and candle wax with several different types of paint for coating involved too. But by far, the cheapest, quickest way to get those quality results is with milk paint and vaseline.

You might want to give your furniture a fresh undercoat of paint before you get stuck in, but it’s not necessary. Let’s take the example of a dresser table. apply the undercoat if desired, or if not, simply apply vaseline generously to the areas that would naturally get distressed. For example, the edges of the table, the sides of legs, down near the bottom, anywhere that might get worn away by human hand, moving, or scuffs and scrapes.

Once the vaseline is applied, simply apply the paint colour you desire. We recommend using a cheap brush here, as you don’t want to ruin your good brushes by covering them with petroleum jelly. We also find that the cheap ones with the stiffer bristles are also better for repelling vaseline to avoid it spreading to your paint and other parts of your furniture. Just paint your dresser as if the vaseline isn’t there at all.

Once the paint is dried, simply wipe away the remaining vaseline, and voila! You’ve got brand new old furniture with a fraction of the cost or elbow grease. Relax and have a cuppa.

 

Distressed furniture DIY



DIY Tip
3 – Get Creative With Hiding Unsightly Electronics

 

Many households will now have a couple of routers spread around to cover the increasing internet demands a house full of gadget mad little demons will have. Especially if any of the little ones have discovered Minecraft, or if you have a habit of going a bit crazy with online shopping on your iPad when you’re settled down on the sofa with a cup of tea.

A fake line of books coupled with a wooden box can make a nifty DIY router tidy. Grab a few old books you’re never going to read, or dive into the charity shop bargain bins. Take four or five hardcover books, and cut out the pages at the spine.

Keep the back and front of the two books you want to start and end your faux stack, and glue the spines and covers to the front of a small wooden box, the kind of one you might see at a fresh fruit stall or a garden centre. If you don’t want to use a box, you can glue the spines to a piece of card and simply set the router behind it rather than sticking it into the box. You can glue it all together with a glue gun, stick it together with super glue, or use blu tack or doubled backed tape. Whatever works for you, but a little twenty minute bout of handywork can really tidy up those necessary but ugly black or white boxes.

 

DIY Bookshelf Router Tidy

 

DIY Tip 4 – Remove Carpet Indentations With Ice Cubes

 

If you’ve got a mark in your carpet caused by a sofa, TV unit, bed, or even just a groove worn from pacing or from a door opening and closing, here’s a nifty trick. Placing an ice cube on your carpet can sort out any pesky marks. First off, move your furniture out of the way, then simply place an ice cube on the mark. If it’s a long line – like a mark from an opening door or dragging a chair, then place a few ice cubes on the groove.

Leave the cube to melt over night and the water will plump up the fibres. Dry the carpet with a towel, and use a fork to gently fluff up any stray fibres that have stayed flat. You may have to repeat it for persistent dents.

Take care if you’ve got a wood underfloor. The water might do damage to the wood underneath. It might be a good idea to perform a test on an inconspicious spot and pop up the carpet for a look underneath to make sure no damage has been caused, but generally you’ll have spilt a glass of juice or something similar on your carpet at some point in it’s life, and if it can survive this, it’ll be fine with a little ice cube.

 

Ice cube on carpetWrong kind of ice cube.

 

DIY Tip 5 – Use a Picture Frame as a Memo Board

While you’ve probably thought about installing a chalkboard or wipe board in your kitchen to keep track of what groceries are needed and who in the family needs to be picked up, and where from, and what you’re making for dinner… and on and on and on…

These little boards can look a little unsightly and if you’re wanting your whole house to be a domestic paradise, you’ll want something a little more chic than a dull black or whiteboard. Enter this stroke of genius, the glass picture frame as a dry wipe board, a DIY dream.

Frame a pretty scrap of wallpaper or fabric, preferably something light, nothing too busy, and hang it in a high traffic area of your home. Attach the marker to it with a matching ribbon, and suddenly you’ve got a stylish memo board that you’ll struggle to stop people from writing on. Just make sure you buy dry wipe markers and not the permanent variety…

 

Picture frame memo home hack


DIY Tip
6 – Use Velcro to Keep Rupert Off The Floor

 

Okay, he might not be called Rupert, but we’ve all got teddies somewhere around the house, whether they belong to little ones, or they’re a childhood friend that you just can’t let go. Keep them clean and off the floor, and solve your clutter crisis at the same time by sticking them to the wall with a velcro strip.

Not only does this DIY trick keep the room looking tidy, but it’s ideal for a kids room as a fun way for them to display their cuddly friends, and keep the floor clean at the same time. Even if they don’t use it, you’ll have a nifty place to store the teddies when you’re hoovering or cleaning up for a playdate.

Attach the rough side of the velcro to the wall in a strip (to stop scrapes with the rough bit on the teddies) and attach the soft bit to the back of lightweight toys, or even just stick them straight to the velcro. The same trick will work well in an adult’s room to turn a collection of soft toys into a decorate statement rather than something to be hastily hidden under the bed when friends are over.

 

Velcro teddies hack


DIY Tip
7 – Create A Self Draining Boot/Shoe Tray For Your Hallway

 

Summer may be on its way, but if you’re (un)lucky enough to live in the United Kingdom, you’re still going to experience a range of rainy days. Rather than setting your wet and muddy shoes on the floor and having to clean up a puddle, along with some mud and grass later in the day, why not add this nifty little tray to your hallway? It’ll keep the floor clean and dry, and any mud or water will naturally drain off your shoes into the rocks and evaporate.

All you need is a bag of pebbles like you might find at a pet shop, and a pet litter tray, while you’re at it! A long, flat tray will hold the whole family’s wet shoes, and the unique design will ensure that kids always remember to put their shoes here, and don’t just dump them on the carpet.

 

Entry way tray DIY hack

 

 

This post appeared first on https://www.discountflooringdepot.co.uk

May’s Mood board

What’s inspiring us this month?

As we edge ever closer to summer and the temperature starts to rise we are getting inspired by soft, washed out colour.

Living Coral is Pantone’s colour of the year for a reason.  It is vibrant, yet mellow, and has a warming comfort to it.

 

 

 

The deep, rich colour of a solid bamboo floor, pairs beautifully with the warmth of coral, helping to create a space that is soft and welcoming.

 

 

For a relaxed look, Renove has renovated and reupholstered vintage swivel chairs from the 1960s.

 

 

For a relaxed touch, the chalky tone can be applied a large canvas to highlight different areas of your home.

 

 

Our Morocco tile effect floor is inspired by the Mediterranean, with rich, sun-kissed tones, this laminate works wonderfully in your bathroom.

 

 

Sadly, the British summer never lasts long. So we are also filling our houses with as much greeny as possible!

 

 

This post appeared first on https://www.discountflooringdepot.co.uk

What is Laminate AC Rating?

When shopping for laminate flooring, you may encounter a term referred to as a “laminate AC rating”. Meaning “abrasion class”, AC rating describes a floor’s durability against a number of key factors. The higher the AC rating, the more durable it is. Whilst laminate with a rating of AC1 is only suitable for areas with little footfall, the higher AC5-rated laminate floors are robust enough for use in commercial buildings, such as busy retail stores.

Laminate AC rating determines how well a laminate floor copes within different environments. Abrasion class was first introduced by the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring (ELPF). Since its conception, it’s been adopted as the industry standard for rating laminate flooring.

How is AC Rating Determined?

In order to receive an AC rating, laminate flooring must go through rigorous testing. Known as the Taber test, the process assesses the flooring to measure its resistance. The AC rating is dependent on how it deals with a number of different stress points. Abrasion, stains, impact, moisture, heat and scratches are all factors used to produce a laminate AC rating.

To receive an AC rating, every aspect of the test requires a pass. If it fails even one, it receives an “unrated” label, meaning it misses the mark in terms of quality expected by both retailers and consumers.

AC4-AC5 Rated Commercial Laminate Flooring in Office Space

Two main groups divide laminate AC ratings: residential and commercial. These two groups are then split again to describe the level of traffic they’re able to withstand: moderate, general or heavy.

Laminate flooring thickness often has a part to play in a difference of AC rating. Generally speaking, the higher the thickness, the better the abrasion class rating.

See also: How to maintain laminate flooring

Different Laminate AC Ratings

As we touched upon earlier, the abrasion class rating of laminate flooring depends on its ability to withstand a number of different tests. How it copes with these tests determines its rating.

So what are the different AC ratings? You’ll often find them described by a simple label:

Residential

AC1

Suitable for moderate traffic. Best suited to use in bedrooms or guest rooms that see very little foot traffic.

AC2

Suitable for general traffic. Dining or living rooms are the best place for AC2-rated laminate floors.

AC3

Suitable for heavy traffic. Generally suitable for all areas, especially areas such as hallways which see a lot of footfall.

Commercial

AC4

Suitable for moderate traffic in commercial spaces. Think small offices, cafés or smaller retail outlets.

AC5

Suitable for heavy traffic in commercial spaces. Large department stores, public building and large offices are the perfect place for laminate with a rating of AC5.

You may also find AC rating described using pictograms. In these images, the different AC ratings display either a house (residential) or a commercial building (commercial). They may also contain icons for people, as well as numbers to display the laminate flooring’s suitability for either moderate (1), general (2) or heavy (3) use.

Laminate AC rating - abrasion class icons

Weighing Up Your Options

The higher the the laminate AC rating, the better its durability. So, that must mean you should always go for the higher rating, surely? Well, not always.

As with any flooring, making your decision depends on individual circumstances. AC1-AC4 rated laminate is made using direct pressure laminate, whilst AC5 and higher is created using high pressure laminate. The difference in their manufacturing makes for slight differences in their appearance and feel.

Loft Dark Grey Laminate Flooring - AC3 Rating
Loft Dark Grey – AC3

Commercial spaces with heavy footfall require a high-durability laminate floor, although there are benefits to choosing lower-rated laminates as well.

AC3/AC4-rated floors tend to be smoother and softer to the touch than those with a higher rating. Whilst the rough texture of AC5 may be good for commercial use, this may be too abrasive for family homes – especially if you have young children.

Direct pressure laminate (AC1-AC4) is also better equipped to look more realistic than high pressure laminate. This is also due to the laminate flooring thickness and its wear layer. Each AC rating increase means a 60% increase in wear. So, for example, AC3 has 120% heavier wear than AC1. The heavier wear may also mean a cloudier look to your flooring. Therefore, if you prioritise style over durability, you’re better suited to a lower grade flooring.

Our AC Ratings

Here at Direct Wood Flooring, we only sell laminate flooring with an AC rating of AC3 and above. This ensures high durability, without compromising on the authentic look of the flooring. Images are crisp and clear, whilst a textured surface gives an authentic real wood feel.

To find your chosen laminate’s AC rating, simply scroll down the product page until you reach the AC rating in the product information.

Ac-Ratings-on-the-Direct-Wood-Flooring-Website

To Conclude

Laminate AC rating is certified through rigorous testing to even receive a rating. Even with the lower AC1-AC2 floors, you can still make a decision knowing the product is certified for its purpose.

The lower AC-rated laminate flooring is better suited to residential properties, whereas higher rating such as AC4 and AC5 are perfect for commercial environments. AC3 sits in the middle, and will handle any area in your home, as well as being suitable for light commercial use.

If you’re looking for laminate flooring and would like advice on the best AC rating for you, get in touch by calling 03308 088777, or email [email protected].

The post What is Laminate AC Rating? appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

The Benefits of Dark Wood Flooring

The Benefits of Dark Wood Flooring

 

 

It’s no secret that we adore dark wood flooring. In previous blog posts, we’ve looked at how dark hues are set to stay in fashion, how they compare to lighter alternatives, and even how dark woods work in harmony with your interior décor.

 

But today we’re going back to basics.

 

There are a wide range of benefits that dark wood flooring has to offer, whether you’re looking for style, functionality, or something in between. Species such as walnut, dark oak, and acacia are guaranteed to elevate your interior space, bringing their unique characteristics to your home.

 

Still not convinced? We’re sure we can change your mind! Here are 3 reasons why we love dark wood flooring:

 

 

Hides Dirt and Damages

We all know that it’s important to keep your home clean and tidy. Unfortunately, life can be too busy for homeowners to keep up with their daily chores. Thankfully, dark wood flooring can help keep your home looking fresh.

 

The dark hues are great at hiding the build-up of dust and debris. This can save your countless hours of sweeping and vacuuming!

 

Additionally, the darker colouration masks scratches, stains, and scuffs too. This is great news for anyone who isn’t looking to make costly repairs any time soon.

 

 

Brings Proportion to Larger Spaces

We’ve all had that dream of extending our home, or finding more space for storage and living. The problem is, when homeowners are confronted with a large area, their interior décor can look sparse or empty. This makes the space look impersonal and cold, rather than comfortable or homely.

 

This, clearly, isn’t ideal. If you are having this issue, dark flooring can help bring proportion to your interior space. Because dark woods absorb more light than other colour variations, the room feels more enclosed, without becoming claustrophobic.

 

This works especially well with minimalist designs and interior décor. The muted tones help to bring continuity to the pieces within the room, improving the flow of the space.

 

 

Less Prone to Fading

When you’re paying huge costs for new flooring, you’ve got to feel certain that it’s built to last. With solid and engineered wood, you’re already guaranteed a long lifespan. However, the amount of natural light your boards are exposed to can drastically alter the appearance of the finish.

 

We’ve already discussed how dark wood flooring uses the absorption of light to its advantage. Here, it’s not different.

 

Lighter finishes are more prone to looking washed out over time, requiring sanding quicker than darker boards. Conversely, dark wood will actually fade less, giving you more value for money.

 

 

Featured Product

There’s no better way to show how outstanding dark wood flooring can be than with our American Black Engineered Lacquered Walnut Wood Flooring. As one of our most exclusive products, you’re sure to receive absolute perfection.

 

Each 150mm board demonstrates the unique flair of classic walnut in pristine detail. Add to this a subtle, yet stunning lacquer, and this product is the embodiment of sophistication.

 

With a plethora of streamlined grains and deep textures on every board, your interior décor will be completely uplifted.

 

Paired with the dark, indulgent tones of the wood, each board features a stylish micro-bevel, improving the authenticity and feel of the product.

 

Whether you’re looking to float, nail, or glue down this engineered flooring, you’re given complete freedom with the tongue and groove installation system. For added piece of mind, we also offer a 25-year warranty with every purchase, ensuring an unfaltering performance every single time.

 

 

Have Your Say

Do you love dark wood flooring as much as we do? Don’t forget to let us know in the comment section below!

 

Alternatively, find us at FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news, blog posts, and information from our team of dedicated flooring specialists!

The post The Benefits of Dark Wood Flooring appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

Rubberwood

Rubberwood is the name given to lumber from the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), which is a tree producing latex which is then used to produce natural rubber. (Other names today include parawood and Malaysian oak.) Although Christopher Columbus was shown rubber on his journeys to the New World, it was not until 1839 that the vulcanization process was invented that made the elastic properties of rubber permanent. Prior to WW II, a vast forest area of rubber tree plantations, especially in the Amazon region, were envisioned and planted to satisfy the world’s growing demand for natural rubber. But then, almost overnight synthetic rubber was developed making the rubber forests essentially obsolete. Today, with natural rubber being in more demand, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia grow most of the trees (covering 9 million acres), produce most of the natural rubber, and have the largest supplies of lumber.

The reason that rubberwood is an important lumber species is that the latex production from the trees drops after about 25 years. Further, newer genotypes have been developed in recent years resulting in higher production of latex, compared to the older trees. So, the 25-year-old trees are being cut to renew the rubber forest. In the past, these old trees were burned. However, today, most of these older trees are being sawn into lumber instead of being burned, which has resulted in substantial increases in lumber availability. Plus, this lumber production from plantation grown trees is indeed quite environmentally friendly.

Rubberwood is classified as a medium density hardwood (hardwood means leaf bearing). It has many favorable properties. Products made from this wood include furniture and cabinets, household woodenware, and parquet flooring. Perhaps the serious drawback is the amount of warp that can sometimes occur in drying.

I have noted that this species is fairly popular in furniture that is being imported into the U.S. Rubberwood is readily available, has good properties and is not too expensive; hence, its popularity.

Processing suggestions and characteristics

Density. The density of the rubberwood varies, but most plantation grown stock will run about 35 to 37 pounds per cubic foot at 7 percent MC. This is similar to white ash. For a piece of wood at 7 percent MC that is ¾ inch thick by 6 inches wide and 24 inches long, the weight is 2.3 pounds. Kiln-dried, rough lumber will weigh about 3000 pounds per 1000 BF.

Drying. Rubberwood dries rapidly with a medium to high risk of warp development. Good stacking with stickers only 12 inches apart, plus weights on the tops of the piles will help control warp. Splitting can also occur on the ends of the lumber pieces.

As the wood is highly susceptible to blue stain (fungal activity), prompt drying after sawing is critical. Hence, wood brought to the U.S. will either be kiln-dried (but maybe not to 7 percent MC) or, if shipped over 25 percent MC, will be treated with fungicides before shipping.

Overall shrinkage is quite small. Radially (thickness of a flatsawn piece) the shrinkage in drying is under 2 percent. Tangentially (the width in flatsawn lumber), shrinkage is 4 percent. These are roughly half as much as hard maple lumber shrinks in drying.

The dry wood is highly susceptible to powderpost beetles, so treatment (heat or fumigation) upon receipt would be advisable.

Gluing and Machining. Gluing is reported to be excellent. The wood is reported to machine well with few defects or problems.

Stability. This is a fairly stable wood. It takes a 12 percent moisture content change for a 1 percent size change radially. It takes a 6 percent MC change tangentially. For comparison, white ash values are 6 percent MC change and 4 percent MC change, radially and tangentially.

Large moisture changes can result in some uneven warp, so kiln drying to the correct final MC (usualy about 7.0 percent MC) is required.

Strength. The strength (MOR) of dried rubberwood is 9500 psi. The stiffness is 1.3 million psi. The hardness is estimated to be 500 pounds. For comparison, hard maple values are 15,800 psi, 1.85 million psi and 1450 pounds. White ash values are 8700 psi, 1.46 million psi and 410 pounds.

Rubberwood does have a slight tendency to split when nailed near the end. Predrilling holes can avoid this, as well as using nails with dull points.

Color and Grain. The color of rubberwood is initially creamy when sawn, but after kiln drying and exposure to light, the wood turns darker with brownish and pinkish tints. The sapwood and heartwood appear similar and cannot be easily separated. The vertically running vessels give the grain a coarse appearance. These vessels also give the wood a bit of character.

 

This post appeared first on http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com

What is Luxury Vinyl Tile / LVT Flooring?

What is Luxury Vinyl Tile / LVT Flooring?

LVT Flooring can perfectly recreate the look of a real wood floor or stone tiled floor but at a fraction of the cost to purchase and install.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles are a type of multi-layered flooring which are created entirely without any wood, making them entirely waterproof. So they are perfect for your bathroom and kitchen. LVT floors can be made in a number of different ways. The most common types are created predominately from Limestone or PVC which is then mixed with plasticisers to add extra strength and protection.

What are the benefits of LVT Flooring?

The main benefit of LVT flooring is its practicality. Because they are crafted without any wood they can be 100% waterproof, enabling you to have the look of a real wood floor in your bathroom or kitchen!

The strong core within LVT flooring ensures that they are very resistant to damage. Our Hyrdo Regenerate range is even self-repairing!

The multi-layered construction consists of a soft sound-absorbing layer which helps to improve the acoustics of the room and reduce the sound of footsteps. This layer also ensures that you won’t feel the cold from it while walking barefoot, unlike a stone tile floor.

LVT flooring is also super easy to clean. To clean your vinyl floor it is easy to sweep or vacuum up the loose debris and wet mop the floor.

The built-in wear layer, that is scratch and stain resistant makes it perfect for those high traffic areas of your home as well!

Our most popular LVT floors

We have an extensive range of Luxury Vinyl Floors that are available for you to sample today and are available for next day delivery.

 

Quick Stone Wood Effect - 5mm LVT Flooring - Grey Steel Oak

Quick Stone Wood Effect – 5mm LVT Flooring – Grey Steel Oak

Grey flooring is one of the most popular flooring trends right now. Its popularity is due to its ease of use, it easily integrates with most decors and can help to add a modern yet timeless touch to your home.

 

Hydro Regenerate - 5mm Tile Effect Laminate Flooring - Black Slate

Hydro Regenerate – 5mm Tile Effect Laminate Flooring – Black Slate

Our Hydro Regenerate comes in a range of wonderful tile and wood effects. In addition to being a water-resistant laminate, this floor surface enables any indentations to return to their initial shape after pressure is applied. So any marks left by furniture, for example, disappear within a short space of time.

 

 

This post appeared first on https://www.discountflooringdepot.co.uk

Herringbone Laminate Flooring – 2019 Herringbone Flooring Range

Brand new for 2019, our herringbone laminate flooring range combines the beauty of herringbone flooring with the practicality of a laminate floor. Coming in six colours, it’s versatile in its design to fit into any home’s décor.

Speak to anyone about interior design trends, and herringbone wood floor will be at the forefront of many people’s minds.

Its distinctive pattern often comes in the form of real wood or luxury vinyl tiles. To make the options available to you even greater, we’ve introduced a brand new range of parquet laminate flooring in a desirable herringbone style.

Espresso Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring
Espresso Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring

The herringbone laminate range

The herringbone laminate flooring range is a tough and durable choice for fast-paced family homes. Here’s a brief rundown of what you need to know:

  • 8mm plank thickness
  • 133mm plank width
  • 665mm plank length
  • 23m² pack size
  • Moisture resistant
  • Real wood feel textured surface
  • Easy to clean and maintain
  • Eco-friendly
  • AC4 rating
  • 20 year residential warranty
  • Antibacterial coating

Colours

Our range of herringbone laminate comes with six colours to choose from. From the look of dark stained wood to a light and bright whitewashed style, there’s a design for you.

Bayside Oak

The golden tones of Bayside Oak flow through each plank of this herringbone flooring. Darker grains and authentic-looking wood knots create a simply beautiful laminate floor that ties together any design.

Elegant Oak

Elegant Oak is a lighter wood-style laminate flooring. It given a raw wood look that is incredibly popular in modern interiors. Rustic grains add character to a herringbone laminate floor that’s already eye-catching due to its pattern.

Espresso Oak

A dark brown palette with hints of caramel. Perfect for more traditional interiors, Espresso Oak oozes elegance through every edge of its herringbone design. If you’ve got a modern interior, this flooring suits minimalist contemporary spaces as well.

Palazzo Oak

Palazzo Oak features light brown tones to add a rustic warmth to your home’s décor. Although organic lines and knots are more muted in this flooring when compared to the darker Espresso OakPalazzo Oak is a cleaner and more modern laminate floor.

Pearl Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring
Pearl Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring

Pearl Oak

The light colouring of Pearl Oak creates a modern-looking herringbone flooring. The strong whitewashed style is complemented by grey and brown grains that flow freely across the floor’s surface.

Regency Oak

A beautiful brown surface features stunning grain patterns that enhance this parquet laminate flooring. Light coffee tones and deeper authentic-looking wood knots make for a floor that’s perfect for any décor.

Bayside Oak Herringbone Parquet Laminate Flooring Elegant Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring Espresso Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring
Bayside Oak Elegant Oak Espresso Oak
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Palazzo Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring Pearl Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring Regency Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring
Palazzo Oak Pearl Oak Regency Oak
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How is it different to a herringbone wood floor?

People often think of real wood when looking for herringbone flooring. While this is its most common form, new technology allows us to bring you a herringbone laminate range.

Firstly, there’s the price difference. Laminate flooring is widely regarded as a cost-effective alternative to real wood. While there are cheap wood herringbone ranges, the price of our herringbone laminate flooring is significantly less than its real wood counterpart.

Bayside Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring
Bayside Oak Herringbone Laminate Flooring

Our parquet laminate flooring is moisture resistant, whereas real wood isn’t. This means that our new range has a wider suitability in your home. It’s even suitable for installation in bathrooms!

Laminate flooring features a scratch-proof wear layer, which also features an antibacterial coating. Therefore, it’s perfect for busy family homes and even copes well in areas with heavy foot traffic. That’s why it’s been given an AC4 rating, as well as a 20 year residential warranty.

Maintaining your new laminate floor couldn’t be simpler. All it needs is a regular sweep and once-over with a slightly damp mop, or alternatively you can buy an all-in-one floor cleaning kit which makes tackling even the dirtiest of laminate floors a breeze.

How to fit herringbone laminate flooring

The fitting process of herringbone laminate is quite different from the installation of regular laminate flooring. The same can be said when comparing with real wood herringbone parquet.

Regency Oak Herringbone Parquet Laminate Flooring
Regency Oak Herringbone Parquet Laminate Flooring

Whilst parquet is often a painstaking and long process, our herringbone laminate flooring is incredibly easy to install.

As with many ranges of laminate flooring, our herringbone range features an innovative click system. This means that each plank simply clicks together in place, with no glue needed.

As well as reduced costs in buying your flooring, there are savings to be made when using a professional fitter. Installation takes less time due to its easy fitting mechanism.

If you’re opting for a DIY installation, and would like more information on how to fit herringbone laminate flooring, watch this handy video from Group THYS.

Why choose herringbone laminate flooring?

There’s an undoubted beauty to herringbone flooring; especially when you consider the benefits on laminate flooring, such as increased durability and lower costs.

When you combine the distinctive patterns of a herringbone wood floor with these benefits, then herringbone laminate can be a clear winner when choosing the right flooring for you.

It’s the perfect middle ground between luxury and cost-effectiveness. That’s why we’re so proud of this new range.

What next?

Order up to four free samples by checking out the herringbone laminate flooring range, or reach out to our helpful team for more advice. Simply call on 03308 088777, or email [email protected].

The post Herringbone Laminate Flooring – 2019 Herringbone Flooring Range appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

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