Tuesday 22 January 2013

Smart and Durable Flooring Materials


So you need to invest in new flooring? There will be all kinds of people out there who will give you advice on the options available to you. These options include laying carpets, wood — solid, engineered and laminated, vinyls, carpet tiles and vinyl tiling. You can rest assured that the most reliable flooring companies in St. Neots will tell you to invest in flooring which is durable rather than showy. And, just because something is durable does not preclude its being smart. Look for the kind of companies that have learnt how to look after customers and tailor their requirements so that everyone is 100% satisfied with the end result. They should also be the kind who avoid those irritating contractor cliché’s like the plague and get listed on the ‘Safe Local Trades’ website.

Before you take a decision, stand back and consider the use and placement of the flooring. Offices and business outlets require flooring that will have a different kind of traffic compared to a bedroom or hall in a home. Laminate flooring is made from both synthetic and genuine wood materials, which are pressed together using high-pressure to make for a really hardwearing and durable flooring surface. In most cases the laminate is finished off with a polyurethane covering, which is a protective layer that will stop the wood surface from being scratched, making it especially desirable in a home with young children. Laminate wood is not recommended for kitchens or washrooms, but is an excellent option for all other uses in the home and office. 

When you look for laminate flooring in Cambridge, ask for laminated flooring that is fitted on a good quality sound-proofed underlay. The different ranges should come with matching trims such as door bars, skirting boards, scotia, pipe covers and other edging. Laminate comes in a wide range of prices and styles, such as a full plank effect, a two or three strip effect and also one that looks like a ceramic tile effect board which can transform the reception area. You will probably find that the company you are dealing with can offer you the most appropriate advice.

Formality or Simple Coziness: The Choice is Yours


Carpets come in a wide range of colors, materials, designs and textures and lend that dimension to a room which nothing else can by giving it warmth and vibrancy as well as aesthetic appeal. The kind of carpet you choose will define whether the room looks formal or simply cozy. After all a carpeted floor is a safer floor. The soft surface and cushioned under-padding not only reduce the impact of a fall, but also the likelihood of it happening in the first place.  It is vital that they last a longish time, since they do cost a pile. The carpet companies of Cambridge understand this and advise you accordingly about the need for things like using underlays and letting professionals handle the fitting. 

The grade of the carpet will have a major impact on how the room looks eventually. The combination of the carpet and its under-padding acts as an additional layer of insulation in your home and — depending on the weight and grade of your carpet — it can even add to the resale value of your home. If the room is going to receive a lot of traffic, then you will need a carpet that is thick, and that has a great wear and tear. The color you choose makes a significant impact. Dark colors show less dirt up on them, they can make a room or hallway seem darker and smaller in size; whereas a lighter color will make a room seem bigger. Make sure that your carpets are power stretched prior to fitting. This is very important in that it ensures that wrinkling and rippling are minimized. 

When you opt for getting professional help for carpet fitting in Cambridge, their experience and expertise will show in the finished look and you will be better off in the long run. Just remember to coordinate the dimensions of the room and the carpet to make the fitting process smoother. Without the right carpet, the design or decor of the room can look a little weird and out of place.

Do You Want Flooring That is Chic or Trendy?


People want everything. The floor should be stylish, easy to clean, durable. Strange though it might sound, it is possible. Ask any of the vinyl flooring companies in your area. It depends on the usage — whether you require it for the home or for a school, hospital or office — which kind of flooring would be the most appropriate. Choose your flooring option after fully considering your home’s and family’s needs or those of the workplace. This should be reflected in the patterns you commission to ensure you make the right choice for your lifestyle. Those who are more environmentally conscious with their flooring choice want to go with a renewable resource such as cork or bamboo.  

However, vinyl flooring is a more cost-effective option. Besides cost, one significant advantage to vinyl style floors is the easy installation process. In many cases, vinyl flooring comes in big sheets that are installed by laying the sheet across the floor of the room, and then cutting it to make it fit correctly. Opting for a vinyl floor gives you the chance to fit your own floors cheaply and conveniently, with minimal fuss and bother. Vinyl is easily cut to size using a normal craft knife, unlike tiles and wooden flooring, which require a little more expertise. A little adhesive can be used to secure the floor in place or they might even be self adhesive. 

Vinyl flooring in Newmarket is available in many different styles and colors and can be adapted to suit almost any interior design plan, particularly so when using good quality vinyl tiles such as Congoleum and Armstrong vinyl tiles where the choice and style is impressive. Bathrooms and kitchens are the obvious places for a water-resistant, easy-to-clean flooring option, but in fact vinyl styles that resemble wood or stone are often used to add a touch of class to living rooms and hallways as well. Take a look at the thickness of the tile as slim tiles have a tendency to come wobbly and wear down relatively quickly. Once you know how to go about it, getting new flooring is a piece of cake.  

Create a Look That is Timeless


Everyone desires a home that is the neighbors’ envy. While most people are aware of the importance of architectural demands as well as those of interior decoration, few people pay much heed to the kind of flooring they should install. The great advantage of wooden flooring in Bedford is that it is timeless. It is stylish and adds a minimalist look to the room while at the same time fitting in with traditional decor. Just make sure that it fits in with your overall design. If you want something that is a little bit out of the ordinary, choose genuine hardwoods but remember that they can be quite pricey.

You can choose from some of the more common hardwoods which include oak and walnut if you need to be watchful about the budget. Timber which really does make a great difference to the decor is mahogany, giving a really nice reddish tint to a room and adds to the feeling of warmth. There are a great number of choices while looking at wooden flooring in Peterborough. When you consider durability and functionality, hardwood gives a good run for your money over other flooring options. Such floors would require little more than refinishing after a period of time. Wood flooring can be warm, quiet and resilient to walk on.  Engineered and solid wood flooring now comes with tightly fitting tongues and is grooved on all four sides of the board that make a surface that is impenetrable to draughts since they do not shrink and gap.

If you are going to laying a carpet on a wooden floor, you should ensure that your floorboards are level and that there is no movement in them. Brush your hand carefully over the boards to also ensure there are no nails protruding. If you find one, bang it in with a hammer. A lot of people who are unfamiliar with wood floors default to oak because they foresee a lot of traffic in their home. When you choose wooden flooring, ensure that it is given a satin or matt lacquer finish to make it damage proof and enjoy the best of both worlds.