News
Poor Layup Results In Lumps & Bumps
Jim Coulson on the surface appearance of plywood LAST month I discussed the importance of the ‘layup’ of plywood – that is, the way it’s put together. If manufactured properly, that should ensure that when you use it, the sheet of plywood gives you a good, flat panel which is completely even in its dimensions all across the whole sheet. Poor layup – including things like core gaps and overlaps, as I described last time – will result in ‘lumps and bumps’ which may well show through to your final floorcovering, with...
read moreInroads Made By LVT
Paul Barratt on the inroads being made by LVT WHILE the difficult economy is affecting businesses, it is also clear that when there is a lull in one sector, delving into a different market that is growing is the way to do business. Mostsectorsareexperiencing fundingcuts,newbuildprojects and refurbishments are being restricted and with budgets already tight every penny spent now must be able to prove its worth. Despite projects being scaled down clients are still looking for best value for money, and that doesn’t just relate...
read moreNever Use A Moisture Suppressant As A DPM
Sid Bourne on why a wood floor was cupping NOT long ago I inspected a solid wood floor. The contractor wanted me to find out why the floor had cupped badly after several months. He believed he had installed a dpm (or so he thought). The installation – large for a domestic job (over 75m) – was on a ground floor level with a concrete subfloor. The contractor installed what he said was a dpm over the concrete subfloor and then fixed 18mm plywood so that he could secret nail down the solid wood flooring. I conducted my usual...
read moreSubfloors
Carter Dobson: Diary of a trainee apprentice Carter Dobson of the Timber Floor Studio, has just begun his 18- month apprenticeship course at the Quick-Step Academy. In this diary written exclusively for CFJ he comments on progress to date: Skills Group (the company running the apprenticeship) invited us apprentices down to their training centre in Newton Abbot to learn the correct way to prepare a floor. We were met at the station expecting to be booked into a hotel, but we were actually meant to stay at people’s homes. It was...
read moreChoosing Safety Floors
John Mellor, Polyflor market manager, cautions on an over reliance on R values when specifying vinyl flooring: A FLOORING contractor purchasing safety flooring many years ago was faced with a simple choice. Available in any colour (as long as it was grey!), with function not form being all important, safety flooring tended to be laid in areas where spillages would occur. This was usually in locations with relatively low footfall and limited public access, rendering difficulties in cleaning as unimportant. Fast forward 20 years or so...
read moreDon’t Be Confused By Choice Of Adhesives
Graham Stott, resilient product manager at Mapei, advises caution when selecting adhesives suitable for different products: THERE is a vast array of adhesives available on the market today that have different purposes. These products can appear identical in behaviour but are specified for particular materials and applications. These adhesives have been formulated to perform the specific task of securing different types of floor finishes, providing a lasting bond throughout the life expectancy of the floor coverings. So while it may...
read moreSafety First
Safety flooring has made big advances in recent years: Altro Unity25newgeneration heavy-duty 2.5mm safety flooring has made its debut at Madejski Stadium, home of Reading Football Club. The flooring has been fitted in the Premier League club’s team changing rooms, main tunnels, referees’ changing rooms, showers and a TV room – 240sq m in total. Available in 18 plain and chipped colours, Unity features aluminium trioxide and coloured quartz for long lasting slip resistance. At 2.5mm thick, it is described as durable and hard...
read moreCarpet Tiles Make A Comeback
Karen Burman, product manager for Gradus Floorcoverings, discusses why carpet tiles have seen a revival in recent times with a particular appeal for for specifiers: WITH the financial climate stifling much commercial new-build, there is an emphasis on refurbishment and maintenance in the private sector. Carpet tiles are ideally suited thanks to their ease of installation, cleaning and maintenance benefits, as well as design versatility. The ability to swiftly replace individual tiles can help to reduce maintenance costs in the...
read moreSpecifying Carpet Tiles
Angus Fotheringhame, general manager UK and Ireland at Forbo Flooring Systems, explains how contractors can stay ahead of the game when it comes to specifying carpet tiles: MODERN business environments have evolved greatly over the last few decades, with a profound shift from the compartmentalised, hierarchical office layouts of old, to a much broader, open-plan working environment. With this has come a new and fresh way of approaching floor design and for contractors, it is knowing how to combine elements together to form a stylish...
read moreSquare Deals
Carpet tiles boast many unique selling points: Carpet & Flooring is offering VT 480, a new eco- designed heavy contract lop pile carpet tile claimed to combine outstanding performance with high standards of eco credentials by using 100% recycled Econyl solution dyed polyamide products as an integral part of the production process. The manufacturing carbon footprint is reduced through the use of 100% green electricity. Air quality within the officesissaidtobeimprovedasthe inherent filtering effect of the carpet pile structure retains...
read more