lundi 5 février 2018

Choosing And Fitting Laminate Wood Flooring

By Brenda Martin


When you are planning to move home or renovate your existing property you may want to change the flooring. Aged carpets will often have a shabby appearance and damaged ceramics are unsafe and unsightly. Some vinyl coverings will also get damaged and lift which can cause problems. A nice looking and long lasting alternative to these coverings is laminate wood flooring.

Prior to selecting from the vast range that are on offer you need to consider where the laminated floor will be laid. Kitchens and bathrooms obviously have water so resistance to water is key. A hallway or passage will get heavy foot traffic so needs to be durable. You may have downstairs neighbors that are noisy, so perhaps insulation is priority. Kids and animals can easily damage floors and cause a lot of mess so maintenance and scratch resistance might be foremost.

Good quality laminates will meet all these needs and more; scratch resistance is particularly useful when you have animals or small children. Claws and toys can easily make holes in vinyl and where tiles might be an option, they can be very cold underfoot. Also children (or adults) falling onto hard tile can cause injuries especially if slippery with water.

When you have decided what you need from your new surface you can select a suitable product in your chosen color. Many patterns and styles are available which you can match to your existing decor and home furnishings. Various colors are available including red hickory, light oaks and darker wood colorings such as ash. Marbled and tiled effects can also be purchased if you prefer something more traditional.

Many of the products on offer require special cork or fleece underlay to even out any bumps in your existing floor. Both these underlays will help with noise proofing and heat insulation too. Laminates are available that have their own built in underlay so a separate one is not needed. These may not be suitable if your floor is too uneven so check before purchasing.

Checking online or through local advertisements, you should easily be able to locate stores near you which stock many types of laminates so you can go to see for yourself the texture and quality. If there is not a store locally, there are plenty of websites offering a large selection available for delivery. Be sure to check the cost of shipping and returns policy just in case you do not like it once it arrives.

When you have your new floor covering it will have to be properly fitted. Some people will fit their own covering by following the directions that come with the product. If you are reasonably handy and good at DIY then fitting laminates is fairly straightforward. If you do not have the necessary skills you are able to hire a trained fitter to do the job for you.

Locating a local contractor is best done by recommendation, but the internet can also be useful for this. Your local store where you bought your laminate may also be able to recommend a contractor or supply a fitter themselves. Whether you fit it yourself or hire a fitter, you will be the proud owner of a lovely, warm, hard-wearing and long lasting natural floor.




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