Many people consider that removing chewing gum from Laminate floors is a difficult one but it is not that painful task as you think. But if you notice that gum has accidentally stuck to the floor, remove immediately before it does major damage to the floor. However, below are the few simple steps which help you to remove the gum from laminate.

Things Needed:

• Plastic bag with ice cubes or Ice packs
• Wood cleaner
• Butter knife
• Blade

Follow these simple tips to remove gum to make your floor look clean again.

With the use of butter knife:

• To remove the chewing gum from floor, use a butter knife to scrape the gum off from the Laminate.
• Some experts or professionals can also make use of blade to remove gum from the floor but it requires a lot of care and expertise.
• If you are trying to do it yourself, you must be very careful when removing gum with knife as you may scratch the floor instead.
• Removing gum with knife requires more time, but this process is less risky.

With Ice:

• Take a pack of ice cubes and place it exactly on the sticky spot. Allow the ice bag to sit on the affected area at least for 10 minutes or more.
• You can even take a plastic ice bag, if the bag leaks place a paper towel or cloth between the bag and gum.
• With ice the gum will become hard and it can be removed off from the floor very easily.
• After the chewing gum has hardened, you can peel it from the floor by using butter knife or with hand.
• If you still find it difficult to peel the gum, again replace the ice bag for a couple of minutes and then try again to remove the gum.

Scraping Excess or harden Gum with Plastic knife:

• It cannot be removed so easily, if the gum sticks harder and is in a long flat strip on the floor.
• Remember not to use a sand paper. Because, sandpaper can spoil the laminate finish and you will be permanently left with a spoiled area of flooring instead of a small spot of gum stain.
• Choose a good flat plastic scraper and gently place it down the gum, where it meets the floor and then remove it from the floor.
• You can use the back end of a plastic fork or spoon , plastic knife, or even a plastic paint scraper to remove the gum

Points to be Remembered after removing the Gum:

• After removing the gum from floor, you need to clean the leftover residues.
• Spray the spotted area with any cleaning liquids and allow it to stay on the floor for some time and clean it with a wet mop.
• Sometimes accidentally you may scratch the laminate floor. Even if this happens, do not worry about it, as you can fix the holes easily with the use of wood filler.
• Finally as a last step, wipe off the spot and dry it with a soft cloth.

Ask the Flooring Experts:

How to Clean Different Types of Flooring

How to Remove Chewing Gum from A Laminate Floor

How to Remove Glue from Laminate Flooring? [Quick Tips]

How to Remove Rug Pad Marks From Your Floors (Updated)

The benefits of Mannington laminate flooring [Updated]

More “Laminate” Articles >

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Many home and business owners love the idea of having hardwood floors installed in their property. The sleek elegance and classic look of the polished wood brings a sense of relaxed style and rustic charm to any room. But there is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to engineered hardwood floors regarding their quality and durability, and we wanted to clear up some of those things for folks who are interested in this type of product for their home.

The fact is that in some ways engineered hardwood is superior to traditional options and can save you money and maintenance chores. They are more resistant to moisture, less likely to gap or warp with temperature and seasonal changes, easier to install and replace, and can even be installed in basements and sub-ground floors. They come in a number of options such as Live Sawn Oak, Mesquite, Post Oak, Southern Pecan, and Reclaimed Oak just to name a few.

These flooring accessories are designed to be able to be directly glued to a concrete slab, drastically reducing the cost and hassle of a full installation of traditional hardwood floors, and cause as little disruption to the daily routines and function of your home as possible. They are ready for use much quicker than the alternative options, and since they are supported by the slab of your foundation, they can actually be more durable and stand up better to the test of time.

Much of the negative opinion about these products stems from the cheap materials and sub-standard manufacturing processes of low-quality providers and liquidator outlets. Any type of product, service, or material you purchase follows the same rule; you generally get what you pay for. If price is your only concern and you opt for the least expensive option available, chances are you are getting a low-quality product. Premium products demand a higher price.

So when you are ready to make your floors stand out and shine with the installation of engineered hardwood, give the friendly experts at flooring.org a call at 800-689-9006 or visit us online to check out our massive inventory and fantastic deals!

Discount Hardwood Flooring | Engineered Prefinished & Unfinished

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When designing a home, you want to create a space that feels like you. Put your personality into your 2019 hardwood flooring. No matter your personality, we here at flooring.org have the hardwood flooring to fit it!

If you have a bold personality, design your space with bold and exotic hardwood. One of the most vibrant hardwood flooring choices is tigerwood. Tigerwood flooring has a tiger stripe-like pattern that mixes dark brown, smooth tan, and pops of dark orange. Tigerwood hardwood creates a warm and ambient environment, while also offering strength and durability. Whether your home has a lot of foot traffic or you move heavy furniture around rather often, tigerwood is designed to accommodate your lifestyle.

If you are more sleek and sophisticated, a dark cherry hardwood is perfect for any room in your home. Dark cherry hardwood is smooth and shiny and matches well with leather furniture or glass tables. If you want a traditional space with outstanding style that matches your personality, consider a cherry hardwood.

Individuals who identify as light and carefree can enjoy the airy style of maple hardwood. This light flooring option makes a room feel bright and breezy. It also improves the sense of comfort in a space. Design a welcoming room that matches your personality with maple hardwood. It is also recommended that you use maple hardwood in a room with a lot of natural lighting to make the room as bright and cozy as possible.

At flooring.org, we have these floors and many more to suit your personality and style. Browse our selection to find the perfect floor for your needs. To learn more about our inventory, feel free to call us at 1-800-689-9006 or email us at [email protected]. We hope to hear from you soon!

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You’re not the only one affected by the heat and humidity of central Indiana summers. Your hardwood floors feel it, too! As a natural substance, wood is affected by the air and moisture around it. As the humidity levels in the air increase, hardwood floors can be susceptible to cupping, which is when the planks absorb water and swell, bumping against other planks and bending. At Floor Sand Crafting, we take extra precautions when installing hardwood floors to prevent cupping. But there are still some things you can do as a homeowner to keep your floors in great shape this summer. 

1. Use minimal water when mopping. 

It’s always best practice to use a minimal amount of water when mopping hardwood floors. But in the summer, it’s even more important to do so. When humidity levels are higher, water takes longer to evaporate. Becuase it sits on the wood longer than it might in the wintertime, more water may absorb into the wood. Over time, the wood may warp. 

2. Use a dehumidifier.

With a dehumidifier, especially a whole-home dehumidifier, you have more control on the humidity level in your house. This system will remove moisture from the air, and it can help prolong the life of your hardwood floors. Even running a small unit on rainy days will be helpful. 

3. Hire an expert hardwood floor contractor. 

With our team of hardwood installation specialists, you’ll get a hardwood floor that’s installed correctly and efficiently. We know the quirks of installing hardwood in the summer, and you can trust the Floor Craft Sanding team to keep you informed every step of the way. Need some refinishing work done on your existing floors? We’re happy to restore your floors back to their original glory. We work throughout Indianapolis and the surrounding communities. For a free quote, contact us today by calling (317) 759-2575. 

The post 3 Tips for Healthy Hardwood Floors This Summer appeared first on Floor Craft Sanding.

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

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

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!

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.

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).

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

How to Fit Laminate Flooring Video

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.

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.

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 plank
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.

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.

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.

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.

Radiator Rings

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

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.

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.

End Profiles: Use these between flooring and walls

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

Ramp Profiles: Use these between floors of different heights

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

It sure has been a rainy spring in central Indiana, hasn’t it? While, for most people, too much rain just brings a soggy yard and a few canceled softball games, for others it can bring about major disaster. If your home has been flooded and you have hardwood floors, act quickly to save them. The first 24 hours are critical, and there’s plenty you can do yourself to remove excess moisture. For professional advice and help in the Indianapolis area, call in the experts at Floor Craft Sanding for all hardwood floor refinishing and renovation concerns. 

 

1. Remove standing water quickly.

Wood is porous, and thus it expands when it absorbs water. As it expands, the floor boards may warp and bend as they bump up against each other. Removing standing water quickly helps stop the wood from further damage. Remove any wet furniture or other objects on the floors as well. If you have carpet on top of the floors that also got wet, remove it as well. Use a wet vac to to suck up any remaining moisture. 

2. Protect against mold. 

Mold grows in damp, humid places, and after a flood it can appear anywhere. Use a disinfectant on your floors, and use the wet vac again to remove any excess moisture from the cleaning solution. 

3. Add air power.

Now that you’ve removed standing water and disinfected the floors, put a dehumidifier in the middle of each affected room. Turn on fans and air-conditioning at the highest power, to get the air moving to encourage evaporation. 

4. Get a free refinishing quote from Floor Craft Sanding. 

By doing all of these things, hopefully you’ve saved your floors! But, most likely, they’ll need some professional refinishing help to get them looking their best again. Contact our friendly team at Floor Craft Sanding at (317) 759-2575 for a free quote. 

Source: The Flooring Girl

The post How to Save Your Hardwood Floors after a Flood appeared first on Floor Craft Sanding.

For some of us, choosing flooring for your home is easy. Some of us just find a carpet they like the look of without taking into account all the benefits or setbacks that certain flooring styles can bring to your home.

When choosing between flooring options for your home, there are many factors to consider. While you may find some flooring that you think would look great, it might not be the best choice practically for the way your room is actually used. To ensure that your flooring creates the perfect look and feel for your home, along with being the best practical choice for the room, there are 5 essential things to think about.

 

Colour

Colour is often the first thing that people decide on when choosing a carpet, but the colour of the carpet affects far more than just the look of the room. The colour of your floor can decide on how spacious your room looks, for instance a darker colour can make the room feel smaller than it is, while a lighter carpet will open up the feel of the room. However, darker carpets will hide stains and dirt better than lighter carpets and will retain a wear-free look for longer, but this can also mean you will not be conscious of the carpet’s condition and aren’t likely to clean it as much. Another important factor is if you are buying a carpet for a child’s bedroom in a bright colour, how long will it be before the child outgrows the bright colour and will want a more neutral colour?

 

Traffic

One of the most important things to think about when choosing a floor for your room is traffic. How much is this room walked through? We recommend using twist pile carpets for high traffic areas to maximise the amount of time that your carpet feels new. Twist pile carpets are made by twisting the threads of the carpet together to form a more durable, coarser feeling. It may be tempting to buy the lushest and thickest carpets for in every room, but when a room receives a lot of traffic, a more durable floor is your best bet. However, the bedroom is the perfect place for saxony carpets. Saxony carpets are thicker and more luxurious, and are the perfect fit for rooms that require a cosier feel. An alternative for high traffic rooms is to put vinyl or wooden flooring down and use a rug as decoration.

 

Pets 

If your room is also the stomping ground for a cat or dog, there are a few extra things to consider. If you choose a saxony carpet for a bedroom that is also the main habitat for the family cat, your lovely new luxury carpet is at risk of being damaged by the cat’s claws, and will probably cause its claws to get stuck around the longer threads of a saxony carpet. To avoid this, twist pile carpets are a good choice for pet-occupied rooms, but loop pile carpets are known for hiding stains better than both twist pile and saxony carpets. So when your dog brings in mud from the garden, a loop pile carpet will be easier to clean.

Heat

An important thing to consider about your flooring is how well will it insulate the room? Is one of your rooms particularly bad at holding heat? A saxony carpet would be a good option due to its thickness. Does your bedroom feel like a greenhouse all year round? Maybe a thinner carpet or vinyl floor would help cool it down. You’ll find that using flooring as another form of heat insulation will help you cut down on unnecessary energy use, and will save you money in the long term.

 

Atmosphere 

One could argue that the most important thing to think about when decorating your home is what you want it to feel like, and the flooring choices you make will play a major part in deciding this. Underfoot feel, colour and insulation all contribute to this, so when choosing a floor, try and balance out these three factors to determine what you can expect from what certain floor will bring to your rooms. Unfortunately this isn’t an exact science, as two totally different types of floor can make a room feel the same way but for different reasons. For example, a thick saxony carpet will help a room feel warm and cosy due to the underfoot feel, but a dark wood vinyl flooring coupled with a rug will add to the rooms cosiness because of how it looks. A thick carpet that is bright green will bring a cosy feel, but not a cosy look. The best advice we can give you on this front is to decide on how you want your room to feel before you decide the look, and then tailor your choices around achieving that atmosphere.

 

Choosing a carpet can be difficult no matter how much research you’ve done on the subject, so if you need expert advice with your flooring options, get in touch with the Pyramid Carpets team today and let us help you floor your home to perfection.

The post Flooring Tips: 5 Things To Think About appeared first on Pyramid Carpets – News.

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.

 

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 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.

 

Wrong 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…

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.