How engineered wood helps the environment

Engineered wood is a popular choice of floor coverings in Chester homes and commercial buildings. Advances in flooring have enabled buildings to be made from engineered wood, coming with benefits to the environment.

For years, there has been a competition to build the highest building in the world. Most of these ultra-tall buildings are made from concrete and steel. New types of engineered wood and changes in building regulations have inspired a new competition to see who can build the world’s largest wooden structure. The highest current wood structure is the 73-metre Haut Building in Amsterdam, but taller buildings are being planned in Japan and Canada.

There are environmental reasons for using wood. Sustainability expert John Hardy says that the interest in building with wood is:

“Definitely being driven by environmental concerns - the amount of damage we’re doing with concrete is unbelievable.”

According to Andy Buchanan, a professor of timber at the University of New Zealand’s University of Canterbury, transporting wood and using it in construction has a lower fossil fuel consumption rate than concrete, and it stores carbon that was trapped in trees. In engineered wood floors, each cubic metre of floor stores the carbon equivalent of around 900 kilograms of CO2 emissions, which is equivalent to a decrease of 135 kg to 360 kg of CO2 emissions for every square metre of flooring.

No wooden skyscrapers are planned for the area just yet, but there may be more installations of engineered wood flooring in Chester in the future, and this could help the environment.

Best carpets for buy to let in Wrexham

Wrexham landlords want carpets for their rented properties that are both hard wearing and inexpensive.

Demand for rented accommodation

Though many people living in Wrexham aspire to own their own home, it can take a while to save enough money to put down a deposit for a house or flat. Some people, such as students or contractors, will only be staying in the Wrexham area for a limited period so are not looking to buy a home. For these and many others, there are plenty of flats and houses for rent in Wrexham.

Rents are not cheap, so tenants expect a high level of fittings in their rented property and decent furniture if the property is furnished. They want carpets that are good quality and easy to clean.

How carpets are treated

Hopefully, tenants will respect that the landlord has supplied decent carpets, but sadly some tenants will not be careful with the carpet, fail to clean up spills promptly and never use carpet cleaners. Students have a reputation for parties where glasses get broken and food is spilt and trodden into the carpets. This means that the best carpet for rental property should be durable and be stain resistant.

What type of material?

If you want a carpet that wears well, nylon is a better choice than then natural fibres like wool or cotton, but nylon carpets tend to show stains easily. Other man-made fibres, such as polymer and polyester, are stain resistant and hard wearing.

If the property is luxury grade with high rents, then wool is an option because it is regarded as a luxury carpet type. Wool carpets do require more care, but good tenants will respect the property and keep the carpets clean.

Pile

Multi-height loop carpets are slower to show wear. Loop pile carpets are better than cut-pile ones as they resist crushing. Whatever type of pile chosen, select a carpet with densely packed fibres.

Colour and patterns

Obviously darker colours hide dirt better than light colours. Solution dye saturates the whole pile which is better than a topical dye that only colours the surface.

Buy a neutral colour carpet that does not have a bold pattern. The carpet should appeal to most people. You may like the look of a pattern, but potential tenants may hate it.

Quality

Good quality carpets will last longer than cheap ones. It may be cost effective to install cheap carpets in student property and replace the carpets at the end of each tenancy, but most landlords want a carpet that will last a number of years that only needs a thorough cleaning at the end of a tenancy.

If you install a carpet with a felt backing this will save on underlay costs.

Choosing a local carpet supplier

Landlords need a local carpet supplier that supplies a wide variety of carpets. They help landlords choose the best carpets for their Wrexham properties and offer good deals on carpets and installation. They will provide carpets that are both value for money and durable.

Is waterproof laminate flooring worth buying?

There are many types of laminate flooring available that are claimed to be waterproof, but are they worth buying?

When laminate flooring was launched in the 1990s, its click and lock system made it easy to install and it became an attractive, less costly alternative to wood. However, it was not waterproof and not recommended for wet areas like bathrooms.

There are new laminates that claim to be waterproof. Good quality grades have guarantees that no water will be absorbed if liquids are cleaned up within 24 hours. This makes them suitable for bathrooms. As long as any water is wiped up within a few hours, the floor will remain dry.

Laminate flooring in Chester is a good choice, but property near a major river such as the Dee, where laminate flooring is liable to be submerged in floodwater for several hours, will probably be damaged. However, this is also the case for wood, LVT, carpets and most other types of floor covering.

Waterproof laminate flooring has a top waterproof layer and close-fitting seams where the planks join. This resists water seeping into the subfloor and prevents the laminate from swelling at the joints. It is recommended that water or other liquids are mopped up rather than left wet.

If you want a floor covering that looks like wood but is a lot cheaper and resistant to water, laminate flooring is good for Chester residential and commercial properties. It is not as cheap as many carpets, but will last a lot longer than the average carpet.

Finding the best commercial flooring quote for a Wrexham-based business

With so many floor covering types, grades and colours available, it is difficult to find the best commercial flooring quote for a Wrexham-based business.

Wrexham is the largest town in North Wales with many companies based in the area. The town’s retail sector is the largest in North Wales and many tech and professional services companies are based in the Wrexham region. There is a large volume of commercial property in the area with a huge number of floors that need covering.

Modern floor coverings are durable, but no floor lasts forever. When it comes times to install a new floor covering, there is a wide range of floor coverings to choose from, and many floor companies that will provide quotes. How do you know that you have found the best quote?

Most commercial floors will have high-traffic, especially retail and reception areas where the public has access. This needs a quote for a surface that is durable and can last for many years with high footfall at a cost within budget.

What is included?

If you get several quotes for the same type of flooring, don’t necessarily go for the cheapest quote. You need to know exactly what is included in that quote.

In busy areas, businesses do not want their operations interrupted by the floor installation. A flooring installer can do the job in stages so that only a small area is closed to workers and visitors at a time. Alternately, a floor installation can be completed overnight or at weekends when the business is closed. A commercial flooring quote should include when the installation will take place.

Though a quote may seem to be for similar floor covering grades, if it is not for covering from the same manufacturer and the same product code, then you are not comparing like with like. To accurately access quotes, you need to be sure the floor quote is for the same type of floor covering or equivalent quality.

How knowledgeable is the flooring supplier?

A quote may seem reasonable, but if the flooring supplier is unfamiliar with your business sector it could be for the wrong type of flooring. For example, if the area is one where food is prepared, it needs to be non-slip and easily cleaned to keep the area hygienic. In care homes and other places with a number of older or vulnerable people, the floor needs to be non-slip to prevent slips and soft to cushion falls.

A flooring quote should be for a floor that is an exact fit for the type of area where it is installed.

Experience

Though many floor coverings are easy to install, you need a company that employs installers that are quick and experienced. A badly laid floor will not last long.

To get the best commercial flooring quote, find a well-established Wrexham company that you can rely on for a top class job.

New flooring ranges at Harrogate Flooring Show

All the major manufacturers of floor coverings from the UK and overseas will be showing off their new ranges at the Harrogate Flooring Show.

The 57th annual Flooring Show at Harrogate is from September 15th to 17th. It is not open to the public, but is attended by members of the flooring industry, flooring retailers, architects and interior designers. The new flooring ranges exhibited at the show will be seen in flooring retailers soon.

On show will be the latest trends in carpets, LVT, wood flooring and artificial grass suitable for both residential use and for contract flooring.

There is also a demo area at the show sponsored by the Flooring Industry Training Association FITA where the latest tools and adhesives used in fitting floor coverings are demonstrated. Floor suppliers will be here looking for better, more efficient and quicker ways to install flooring. A part of the cost of a new floor installation is the time taken and materials used to fit the floor. If this can be reduced, it could save the customer money.

After the show, Wirral and Cheshire flooring fitters and suppliers will be stocking new colours, patterns and flooring types. When customers want a new laminate, LVT or wood flooring in Cheshire or Wirral rooms, they have a wide choice of flooring types and grades. Whether choosing traditional colours and patterns or more trendy floor coverings, the manufacturers exhibiting at the Harrogate Flooring Show will make sure that there is a wide range of floor coverings available.