Is it worth installing artificial grass in Chester?

Artificial grass is an alternative to the real thing, without the same upkeep demands. If you are not sure about laying artificial grass at your home or work, there are a number of things to consider in order to make an informed choice.

Maintenance

Less maintenance is required for artificial grass than real grass, which is one reason why busy households choose artificial grass.

The first obvious thing about maintaining artificial grass is that you don’t need a lawnmower, as this type of grass doesn’t grow. Of course, it doesn’t need watering in hot weather either, and any leaves and debris can be quickly removed with a leaf blower or brushed up.

About twice a year, weed killer can be applied to prevent weeds growing and kill off any that have grown. If you have pets, use artificial turf spray to remove urine, and pick up any solid waste.

Rain

Chester has a high annual rainfall so it is good to know that artificial grass has good water resistance. Even in a flood, artificial grass can stand being submerged for extended periods. Professional artificial grass installers make sure that the ground has efficient drainage so that excess water runs off.

If artificial grass is submerged for a long period, there is a danger that mould will form, in which case mould repellent treatment will get rid of it.

Another benefit of artificial grass is that the ground will not be muddy after prolonged rain.

Durability

Expect artificial grass to last from 15 to 20 years as long as spills are cleared up, and it is kept clean. The lifespan of artificial grass is dependent on how it is used. Artificial grass in a school that is played on every day by many children will last less time than in a home that is only used occasionally in good weather. There are different grades of artificial grass, with more expensive grades expected to last longer.

Safety

A grassed area needs to be safe, especially for children and pets. Safety studies have shown that modern artificial grass is safe, and many schools are confident enough to use it. In the distant past, some artificial grass contained lead, but new artificial turf is non-toxic.

Unless you are adamant that you want the natural qualifies of real grass, artificial grass in Chester homes, schools and workplaces is an excellent alternative.

Social media blackout for royal carpets

Axminster Carpets has been awarded a royal seal of approval because it supplies carpets to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, but the terms of the royal contract forbid the company to use pictures of the royal carpets for marketing purposes. This means there are no pictures of them posted on Instagram or other social media sites.

In the company’s head office, there are many framed portraits of Axminster carpets made for expensive hotels and stately homes, but not one of the royal carpets.

Axminster carpets can also be found on the floors of JD Wetherspoon pubs chain. Every Wetherspoon pub had its own individually designed Axminster carpet worth over £20,000. These even have their own social media sites on Twitter and Instagram, where fans of the discount pub chain post images of their favourites. JD Wetherspoon does not have exclusive rights to the designs, so people who like Wetherspoon carpets often place an order for a bespoke carpet designed like the one in their local pub.

Although Axminster has introduced some modern technology, the way the company weaves carpets on looms is very similar to how it made carpets 250 years ago.

Axminster never patented it name, and the word has become a generic title for a style of carpet defined by brilliant hues and fine details. Carpets bought in Wrexham described as Axminster are therefore unlikely to made by Axminster Carpets, but they should still be quality products that uphold the tradition and design associated with the name.

Visualisers take the stress out of choosing floor coverings

It can be stressful choosing the right design of LVT flooring for Chester homes, and difficult to visualise how the tiles seen in the flooring services showroom will look in a room. Taking a single sample tile home and placing it on the floor still does not always provide an accurate impression of how the new floor will look.

A number of LVT tile manufacturers have created a visualiser application that can be accessed from a website. The user takes a photo with their phone or tablet of their room, which is uploaded to the application either by the portable device or a computer.

After the application has the room photo, the user selects a tile from the LVT range and the photograph is changed so that the room looks as if the floor is covered in LVT tiles. The orientation of the tile can be changed to see how different tile arrangements look. Various tile designs can be selected to compare how they look.

Commercial flooring customers can also use the visualiser tool to see how different designs will look on their floors.

Virtualiser systems are also available for carpets and solid wood floors. Virtual Reality (VR) applications have been developed for people to design a complete room with floor coverings, wall colours, furniture, and fittings. Using a VR headset, users can walk around the room for an immersive experience that seems as if they are in the actual newly designed room.

New high-end luxury rugs complement wood floors

The rug trends for spring and summer 2019 feature rich embroidery, opulent brocades and silks.

Speaking to BoatInternational.com, Becky Metcalfe of the Design Centre in London commented:

“There is nothing homespun about this trend; the textiles are decidedly high-end.”

High-end rugs are ideal for adding to the luxury looks of solid wood floors.

London-based Riviere Rugs produces its Raku rugs with oversized borders, a subtle graded fade-out effect, and is made from seven hand-dyed colours. The Camilla rug is inspired by the crumbling plaster walls of a Roman townhouse in Rome and has a complex weave of 14 colours. Riviere rugs uses Tibetan wool, which is soft and durable, and also add fine Chinese silk to enhance the design and feel of their rugs.

Luke Irwin’s Rug-In-Rug collection uses organic textiles washed in water with no chemicals. They combine luxury designs with environmental care.

Italian design house Chi Design makes rugs that feature geometric shapes but also makes plain coloured rugs. They are hand-crafted using the best quality materials, including silk and New Zealand wool.

Solid wood flooring in Wrexham homes and businesses is a luxury floor covering that looks beautiful on its own. Add one of this year’s luxury handcrafted designer rugs to create a lavish floor that is the perfect combination of style and practicality. Both wood flooring and handcrafted rugs are built to top standards and designed to last for a long time. Wood floors with luxury rugs enhance any room in a home or office.

Seven reasons to install laminate flooring in Wrexham

Flooring deicisions are not to be taken lightly, and here are seven reasons to install laminate flooring in Wrexham rooms.

1. Durable

Wrexham people want flooring that is value for money but is made to last. They want to live with their floors for many years.

In 2017, Wrexham was ranked as one of the UK’s best university towns for its social life. All that partying isn’t easy on the floors, but good quality laminates have a protective top layer that prevents scratches and stains, and make wiping up spillages easy. Laminates are suitable for residential and light commercial use.

2. Easy installation

Laminate planks click-lock together and can be laid on most floor surfaces without adhesives, nor is there a need for nails. Though laminates can be installed by a do-it-yourself enthusiast, they are not expensive to fit by professional installers.

3. Cost

You can get the look of natural wood without going to the expense of buying solid wood flooring. Like most floors coverings, there is a variety of laminate grades. The top grades are thicker and more expensive but they are a good investment if you want a premium quality floor covering.

4. Can be installed on most subfloors

Most subfloors are suitable for laminate flooring with little preparation required. They can easily be laid over concrete or on the top of vinyl flooring.

5. Looks

Vinyl flooring comes in a variety of finishes that look like wood, stone, or tiles. Modern printing technology creates lifelike images.

6. Easy maintenance

Laminate flooring is stain and scratch resistant. Spills can easily be wiped up. Daily sweeping is recommended and regular cleaning with cleaning products formulated for laminates.

7. Hygienic

Smooth laminate flooring has no grains and rough surfaces to trap dust and particles that can cause reactions in allergy sufferers. The bottom layer of the laminate is water resistant and events mould which is a health hazard.

Laminate flooring is suitable for most rooms in the home, but waterproof grades are required for bathrooms, kitchen and other high-moisture areas. Standard laminate is fine for areas where people enter a building dripping water from a rainy Wrexham day or shaking out umbrellas, provided spills are mopped up right away.

Laminate is suitable for light commercial use, but in busy locations such as bars, shops and restaurants, only use the highest strength laminates or use an alternative floor covering that is rated for heavy commercial use.

To see samples of laminates, visit your Wrexham or North Wales floor supplier and installer. They may let you take a few laminate planks away with you to see how they look in any room.