Flooring

24 articles

• Carpet Fitting: Gripper Rods, Underlay Types, Stretching & Joining Techniques
  Carpet fitting: gripper rod spacing 50–75mm from skirting, underlay selection (PU foam, felt, rubber), power stretcher across width, seam placement away from high-traffic areas, hot-melt tape seaming
• Engineered Wood Floor Installation: Acclimatisation, Moisture Testing, Floating vs Glue-Down vs Secret Nailing
  Acclimatise 48-72h; moisture test subfloor (BS 8201/8203, ≤75%RH or surface DPM); floating vs glue-down vs secret nail; expansion gaps; UFH compatibility; complements screed-types and laminate articles
• Epoxy and Polyurethane Floor Coatings: Surface Preparation, Primer and Topcoat Selection
• Floor Levelling and Smoothing Compounds: Feather-Edge vs Deep-Fill, PSA Standards and Drying Times
• Floor Screed Types: Sand/Cement, Liquid Anhydrite, Fibre-Reinforced — Depths & Drying Times
  Floor screed types: sand/cement (minimum 65mm unbonded), anhydrite/liquid screed (minimum 30mm over UFH), fibre-reinforced, drying rates (1mm/day sand/cement), hygrometer moisture testing before flooring
• How do you choose the right floor levelling compound?
  Levelling compound types: self-smoothing vs feather finish, SBR/PVA priming, BS 8204-7 SR1/SR2 tolerance, walking time 2-4h, anhydrite primer requirements
• How do you fit carpet professionally to UK standards?
  Comprehensive carpet fitting: gripper rod spacing 50-75mm from skirting, underlay types (PU foam/felt/rubber), power stretcher, seam placement, BS 5325 installation code
• How do you install bamboo flooring properly?
  Bamboo flooring: strand vs solid, Janka hardness 1380-3000, moisture ≤9%, click/glue/secret nail methods, expansion gaps, BS 8201 wood flooring code
• How do you install LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) flooring properly?
  Comprehensive LVT installation: glue-down vs click techniques, layout from centre, expansion gaps 5-8mm, A2/B1 notch trowel sizes, 48h acclimatisation
• How do you install parquet flooring properly?
  Parquet installation: block adhesives (SBR vs bitumen vs PU), setting out from centre, brick/basketweave/herringbone layouts, sanding sequence, moisture content ≤10%
• How do you prepare a subfloor for flooring installation?
  Comprehensive subfloor prep: BS 8204 SR2 tolerance, hygrometer 72h moisture test, DPM epoxy/PU systems, ply overlay BS EN 636 grade, levelling compounds, BS 5325
• How do you select acoustic underlay for Part E compliance?
  Acoustic underlay: Building Regs Part E ΔLw ≥17dB, BS EN ISO 717-2 impact noise, rubber crumb/PU/fibre underlay selection, robust details RDT 3 series
• How to Sand and Finish Hardwood Floors: Drum Sanding, Grit Progression and Oil vs Lacquer
  Hardwood floor sanding: drum sander technique, grit sequence 24→40→80→120, edge sander corners, hard wax oil vs lacquer finish, COSHH wood dust WEL 1mg/m³, dust extraction mandatory
• LVT and Vinyl Flooring Installation: Adhesive vs Floating, DPM Requirements and Moisture Testing
• LVT Flooring Installation: Glue-Down vs Click, Subfloor Flatness & Expansion Gaps
  LVT installation: glue-down vs click comparison, subfloor flatness tolerance 2mm per 2m, expansion gap 5–8mm at perimeter, temperature acclimatisation 48 hours, adhesive notch trowel size by LVT thickness
• Parquet and Block Flooring: Herringbone Layout, Adhesive Types, Sanding & Finishing
  Parquet and herringbone flooring: layout from centre of room, SBR rubber dispersion adhesive vs bitumen, drum sanding sequence (40→60→80→120 grit), hardwax oil vs lacquer finish, moisture content ≤10% before laying
• Resin Flooring Guide
  Resin floors per BS 8204-6:2008+A1:2010; epoxy/PU/MMA binders; substrate ≤75% RH (BS 8203); slip resistance to UKSRG; PU for chemical/thermal cycling, epoxy for general
• Screed Types Compared: Sand Cement vs Flowing Anhydrite vs Rapid-Drying — Selection, Drying Times and UFH Use
  Sand-cement vs flowing anhydrite vs rapid-dry; drying ~1mm/day for first 50mm (BS 8204); anhydrite needs latitance sanding + non-gypsum adhesive; min depths bonded/unbonded/floating; UFH use; complements engineered-floor and UFH
• Self-Levelling Compound: Subfloor Preparation, Primer Selection and BS 8204 Flatness Tolerances
  Floor levelling compounds: BS 8204-7 SR2 ±3mm/3m tolerance, SBR priming mandatory, anhydrite screeds require specialist primer, moisture ≤75% RH before resilient flooring, working time 15–30 minutes
• Subfloor Preparation for Flooring: Concrete DPM, Suspended Timber Conditioning and Ply Overlay
  Subfloor preparation: DPM systems for damp concrete (epoxy/polyurethane), ply overlay minimum 9mm BS EN 636 C2, moisture testing 72h in-situ hygrometer, substrate assessment before any finish floor
• Vinyl Plank and LVT Flooring: Substrate Prep, Expansion Gaps and Fitting Methods
• Vinyl Sheet Flooring: Cushion vs Felt-Back, Seam Welding, Adhesive Types and Subfloor Requirements
  Vinyl sheet flooring: cushion-back (perimeter bond only), felt-back (full bond), heat welding seams 350–400°C, B1 notch trowel, vinyl tiles 450°C, acclimatise 24h before laying
• Wet Room Floor Options: Resin, Mosaic and Small-Format Porcelain — Slip Resistance (PTV >36), Falls and Linear Drain Position
  PTV >36 for wet areas (BS 7976-2), epoxy resin 2mm minimum, mosaic tile ≤50mm for falls, 22mm falls per 1m to linear drain, linear drain at shower entry not against wall
• Which screed should I use for underfloor heating?
  UFH screed selection: anhydrite 30mm minimum cover over UFH pipes, sand/cement 65mm minimum, BS EN 1264-4, commissioning programme, drying before flooring