News
Trada Launches Test Rig For Underfloor Heating
Peter Kaczmar, wood floor specialist at TRADA, reveals that a new research project to develop an underfloor heating test rig for wood flooring has been launched by TRADA: WHEN it comes to floorcoverings, nothing quite matches the performance and beauty of a wooden floor. Whether it’s engineered, multi-layered or solid, a wood floor can lend a different dimension to a space, with an aesthetic that other floorcoverings find hard to match. This is why timber continues to grow in popularity as a flooring material in both the residential...
read moreGoing By The Board
The suppliers of wood and laminate flooring offer an enormous choice: Atkinson & Kirby has introduced four additions to its top end Diamond Plus range, said to offer the chance ‘to capture a touch of history and luxury all in one hardwood floor’. The product is described as uncompromising quality. Engineered in construction, all boards are reportedly suitable for use with underfloor heating. Handscraped Farmhouse Oak, dubbed as ‘full of charm and character’, is brushed and natural oiled with a light brown finish designed...
read moreTry This Checklist For Being Eco-Friendly
AS I write this Ecobuild is in full swing, again hosting educational seminars to inform contractors on the latest issues in the building industry. Looking at the schedule of seminars this year, the one that sticks out to me is the water, waste and materials session. Sustainability remains a buzz word and an important aspect in most industries. We are nicknamed the ‘throw-away’ generation; we replace items instead of repairing and reusing, despite reminders every day of the need to slow down. It is clear that the Government is...
read morePreparation
YOU can choose the best quality resin flooring in the world, but if your surface preparation is not up to scratch, or you haven’t properly assessed the site conditions, you’re going to run into problems. The aim of surface preparation is to provide a subfloor surface which is structurally sound, clean and free of contaminants which could either affect the adhesion of a resin floor (oils, fats, greases, water dampness) or affect the chemical curing of the resin primer so you can achieve a surface profile which will provide a mechanical...
read moreNow You Can Leave Scabbing To The Turkeys
THIS month I will discuss the impact of old adhesive residue on subfloors, and offer a quick and professional solution to the problem. Some flooring installations can be problematic for contractors as they are faced with the often difficult task of removing old adhesive residues. These can include bitumen and carpet tile tackifiers, which are firmly bonded to the subfloor and leave varying amounts of residue on the surface when an old floorcovering is removed. When using most subfloor preparation products it is advisable to remove...
read moreQuoting For A Job
OK, so you have bought machines, designed your website and started your marketing. Now comes the scary bit. Someone has contacted you and actually wants you to look at their wood floor! Carpet and upholstery you can quote in your sleep…. stone, tile and vinyl you’ve maybe just got to grips with, but wood? Starting with the basics, you cannot do floor sanding quotations without visiting the premises and seeing the floor. Even if the potential client says ‘I just want a rough idea’, don’t do it. The variables involved in our...
read moreInspecting Complaints
I OFTEN get people telling me that I must have a cushy number just driving around looking at complaints. My response is that if you are looking for a quick route to a nervous breakdown, then it’s a great job. Otherwise forget it. When I first started out doing this type of work I always took things personally and could never understand why some people were so rude. But having done this job for many years, I have become a lot wiser and more thick skinned. I have also developed a much better understanding of why people react in the way...
read moreInspiring Office Interiors From The Ground Up
Janet Lowe, UK market manager at Forbo Flooring Systems, says flooring for office environments should be a careful balancing act of performance requirements, aesthetics and long-term maintenance: FLOORING requirements of offices vary greatly depending on the type of business or organisation, but the main things to consider are volume, application and corporate personality. Volume refers to the level of foot traffic the office is likely to see, as this will impact on the choice of floorcovering. The needs of a small professional...
read moreGetting Down To Business
Flooring in offices has to fulfil a variety of different roles: Desso carpets were chosen for the refurbishment of the Regal House offices of Hawk Management UK, a specialist in vocational training for apprentices, specified by Russell Emmett, manager of Hunts Office Furniture and Interiors. Having worked with Desso for some years, Russell was able to coordinate the flooring with Elite furniture and Steelcase chairs in the boardrooms, executive meeting and training rooms and reception area. Desso’s Sand and Sand Stripe carpet...
read moreThe Ins & Outs Of Specifying Barrier Matting
Barrier matting offers a range of benefits for commercial buildings, but its effectiveness depends on the type of matting specified, where it is installed and in what quantities, says Chloe Taylor, product manager for Gradus: SLIPS and trips account for more than half of all reported injuries to the general public and up to 90% of all slip injuries result from wet floors, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). By removing dirt and moisture from pedestrian and wheeled traffic at the point of entry, barrier matting can...
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