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Are you a new homeowner? Or perhaps you’re simply looking to revitalize your home by adding some new flooring options. Wooden flooring is one of the most popular flooring options amongst home and property owners in the UK due to the multiple benefits it offers. It adds your home’s curb appeal making it stand out while also adding to resale value of your home - should you decide to sell in the near future. When it comes to the installation of wooden flooring, you have two options which includes carrying out the installation yourself or calling in a professional for help. While some homeowners would prefer to tackle this themselves, it’s highly advisable to get professional support for the project. In this article, we’re going to consider some of the benefits you stand to derive from getting your wooden flooring installed by a professional. Let’s take a look!  Efficient installation. Since professionals do this type of work almost on a daily basis, they’re generally able to complete a basic job within a day or two. With them, you’d be certain that you job would be completed to perfection within a certain timeframe.  Access to a range of wooden flooring options. Professionals are usually familiar with top notch wooden flooring options so they’re able to make recommendations on the most suitable wooden flooring type for your home and needs.  Flooring removal. Professionals typically remove old or existing flooring and clean up the area prior to the installation of the new wooden flooring. This way, you wouldn’t have to bother about hiring someone else to remove the existing flooring or to clean up the entire area before you can be able to install the new wooden flooring yourself.

What Is Engineered Wood Flooring?

Engineered wood flooring is produced through the fixing of several layers of wood together with a solid wood as the top or wear layer. Due to its ability to hold its ground when faced with frequently changing temperature and humidity, it happens to be one of the most popular types of flooring. As a result of its ruggedness, engineered wood flooring can be easily fitted with under floor heating and in special areas like conservatories. And apart from its usually stunning visual appeal and ability to be floated over an underlay, the engineered wood flooring is even becoming a lot more popular amongst home and other property owners.

Given the fact that engineered wood flooring is made up of several layers of wood, it may be almost impossible to tell the difference between it and a solid wood flooring just by looking at both. It can also be mistaken for a laminate flooring which is basically an image of wooden flooring placed onto a high density fibreboard.

The planks of a engineered wood flooring is crafted in such a way to ensure the it does not expand or contract unlike the solid wood counterparts. What’s more? There are several benefits that comes with installing an engineered wood flooring. They include:

• Its very easy and simple to install

• When compared to solid wood flooring, it’s more cost effective.

• It can be utilized alongside an under floor heating

• It can be loose laid, meaning it does not need to be fixed in position

• It is available in multiple varieties of wood and finishes

• It can be incorporated alongside an underlay including thermal barriers

• It can be utilized in areas with a fluctuating humidity and temperature.

• It is available in different kinds of thickness.

Click here to learn more about wood flooring.

Though both solid wood and engineered wood can be installed on a concrete sub-floor, the processes are quite different from each other. Solid wood is produced from a single plank of wood which can be reactive to both temperature and humidity changes which is capable of making the wood expand or contract. Hence, the different approach to solid wood and engineered wood flooring installation on concrete. Here, we’ll discuss how you can lay solid wood on your concrete.

First and foremost, you’d have to determine the method you’ll use to attach the planks to the floor. Is it floating whereby you only have to lay the wood flooring on the concrete after fitting the right underlay? You can also go for the most popular installation method which is gluing your floor with a flexible wood adhesive (to be applied to both the boards and the sub-floor). Or perhaps you’d prefer to use the traditional method of nailing the boards to the concrete (the nails will be covered as you lay the subsequent planks and the groove locks with the tongue).

After making this decision, you’d have to ensure that the sub-floor is well prepared for the installation. This implies checking the wood’s moisture content (mustn’t exceed 7 to 8 percent). Also inspect the floor to ensure its neat, if not, clear out the dirt or debris and make sure the surface is flat to avoid post-installation problems.

In the event whereby you discover a high moisture content, you’d want to acquire a damp proof membrane. This will not only enhance the floor’s stability, but also prevent shrinking or warping of the wood due to changes in humidity or temperature.

It is crucial to note that the preparation of the sub-floor is equally as important as the laying of the planks as this can go a long way to improve the durability and strength of your floor. Click here to learn more about wood flooring.

Are you looking to renovate your home or property by laying a brand new carpet? Or perhaps your current carpet has started giving indications that it’s well past its glorious days and needs to be replaced. Regardless of the reason why you wish to recarpet your home, you’d probably find yourself asking the same question almost every home and property owner in a similar situation asks - how much does it cost to recarpet a house? Well, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’re going to take a good look at house recarpeting costs.

Generally, carpet fitting costs can be within the range of £5 per square meter to about £30 per square meter. However, when it comes carpet costs itself, a short and accurate answer can’t be provided. This is due to the fact that carpet costs can vary largely based on a number of factors which includes the weaves, the texture, the material incorporated ( such as wool, cotton, polyester, polypropylene and more), the pile depth, the colour as well as the brand. What’s more? You’re probably going to want varying carpet types for different areas of your home. For instance, you should use a more robust material for your stairs than what you’d probably get for your living area.

Overall, if you want a low budget carpet, you should be able to get one anywhere within the range of £5 per square meter to £10 per square meter.  On the other hand, if you have a mid range budget, you can expect to find carpets anywhere within the range of £15 per square meter to £20 per square meter. And finally, if you’re looking for luxurious carpets, the price starts at £30 per square meter.

After making the decision to install a new wooden flooring in your home, the next obvious step is finding the right installer to get the job done. When a wooden floor is fitted and properly maintained by the right professional, it will not only outlive the owner but also survive several generations. As a result, finding the perfect installer for your task should be a top priority to get the best return on investment. Here are a few sources that will put you in the right direction to finding a reliable wood flooring installation company.

• Friends, Relatives & Neighbours

If you have a friend, relative or neighbour that has a wooden floor installed in their homes, you can go for a visit to check out the work done. If you’re pleased with the work done, you can proceed to ask about the work ethics of the installer and get the contact if satisfied.

• Store Contact Lists

You’ll discover a long list of wooden flooring contractors on many stores trading flooring materials. These installers may not be affiliated with the store owners, but many stores see it as their responsibility to point you in the right direction so that the flooring material acquired from them can be put to good use.

• Internet

With the rapid rise of online technology, there’s hardly a service you can’t find on the internet. Websites like HomeAdvisor have been helping people find their desired service providers with relative ease for so long. To get the right installer online, it’s advisable to check reviews as well as testimonials before moving forward. Nowadays, you’re most likely going to find so many positive online reviews as some businesses now go to the extent of dubiously writing good reviews for their companies. As a result, it’s recommended to pay closer attention to the negative reviews and check if it’s something you can cope with before hiring an installer for your wooden flooring.

Click here to learn more about wood flooring.

Do you have existing floorboards and wish to fit new solid wood floor over it? If you’re planning to go for a DIY effort, there are a number of things you should put into consideration before you even get started. Firstly, you should have it in mind that existing softwood floorboards are usually not flat, implying that the surface of the existing might not be ideal to serve as the foundation on which to put your new solid wood flooring. Secondly, if you’re going to lay the new solid floor on the existing floorboards, it would be wise to select wood that is a minimum of 18mm thick to make your new solid wood flooring a lot more stable.

If you discover that your old floor is not too even, there are two option you can consider to protect your investment. You can lay the new floor at a 90 degree angle over the existing one. In other words, you should lay the new floor lengthways if the old one is laid widthways. Using this technique alongside a method of fitting referred to as secret nailing will go a long way to make sure your installation efforts is a successful one.

The second option you can put into consideration when laying solid wood flooring over old ones is to lay chipboard or plywood over the existing floor prior to the installation of the new floor. Here, there will be an increase in the cost of your installation, however it will be more reliable and durable as it assists in ensuring the stability of your new flooring. Some benefits that comes with this option includes the freedom to lay the new solid wood flooring in any direction you want as well as the freedom to use any fitting method you deem fit. Click here to learn more about wood flooring.

How To Lay Wood Flooring

Laying of wood flooring is actually a very simple task contrary to many beliefs. First and foremost, before commencement of the fitting process, you must determine the direction you would like the engineered wood flooring to lie in. To do this the right way, they should lie in the direction of the the longest wall. However, if your subfloor is wooden, then having the boards positioned across the joists underneath would be your best bet to get started.

Here are some simple steps to follow to properly lay your wood flooring:

• Start from a corner, working from left to right and place the initial rows of the boards with the groove’s end directly opposite the closest wall.

• Make use of expansion spacers. Place them in between the wall and the board alongside an expansion gap of about 8 to 10mm.

• Place the board’s final rows at about 100mm wide. To achieve this, it is crucial to be pro-active with the measurement and cut the boards (if you deem fit) to adjust the first row.

• With the help of the click system, the boards will click together.

• Fit in the next board. Ensure to attach the tongues together (30 degrees from the floor) and once done, you can proceed to lower and lock it in place. Do this till you get to the end of the row.

• Cut the last board of the row to size if its too long.

• If the part cut off is up to 300mm, simply use it to start the next row. If not, cut a new board in half to use.

• Put the rows side by side in such a way to ensure the joints are staggered at each and every row. Keep a consistent gap between the wall and the planks via the continuous use of the spacers.

• Lay a plank over the last row to determine the width of the previous board. Position a new plank in a way that its tongue is directly against the wall. Once done, proceed to mark a line of plank underneath to get the required width. Then, fit the plank into the space with the help of a pull bar and hammer.

Click here to learn more about wood flooring.

In order to get a good idea for how much is needed, there’s a need to measure a room for carpet. This is an essential step that should be completed before you shop for brand new carpets to install. Taking the measurement for a basic square or an oblong area is actually relatively easy as long as you put the doorways and entry stairs into consideration. If you’re looking for the best way to measure for carpet, then you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’re going to take you through room measurement for carpet procedures.

To get started, you’re going to need a measuring tape or a laser distance measurer, a paper and writing instrument or note taking app, a calculator or calculator app as well as a graph paper and a pencil if you wish to draw your layout.

1. Draw a simple diagram of your home. This doesn’t have to be perfect, but you’d have to ensure the measurements taken are accurate. All that’s needed is a basic drawing featuring all the rooms shown. What’s more? If the room happens to be square or rectangular, you can calculate the area simply by multiplying the width by the length.
2. Chimneys and recesses. If the room in question features chimneys breasts and recesses, take a measurement of the entire space and ignore them, the flooring or carpet will simply be cut around them.
3. Calculating the final figure. Take a measurement of each area and put it down in the relevant space on the diagram. Then, simply break the room down to smaller rectangular shapes, determine their area and add them together to obtain the total area of your room. You can make an allowance of up to 5 percent of the total for possible waste.