Waste carpets turned into ultra-pure polypropylene

Proctor & Gamble’s PureCycle Technologies has successfully created a process that can turn waste carpets into odourless and clear ultra-polypropylene (PP) resin.

Carpets made from polypropylene are hardwearing and easy to clean, but at the end of their life, they are often thrown away, which is not environmentally friendly.

Polypropylene can be recycled, but most councils do not accept carpets in their recycle bins. Carpet Recycling UK collects carpets for recycling and is making some impact on reducing carpet waste. At the PureCycle Ohio plant in the USA, the company has demonstrated that it can recycle polypropylene carpets on a large scale, and plans to process 119 million pounds of waste PP when the plant comes fully online in 2021.

High-quality recycled polypropylene is in demand for making a number of products. The PureCycle system removes odour, colour and impurities to produce a virgin-like resin. The firm is now planning to build PP recycling plants in Europe.

Kathy Fish of Proctor & Gamble says:

”This technology, which can remove virtually all contaminants and colours from used plastic, has the capacity to revolutionize the plastics recycling industry by enabling P&G and companies around the world to tap into sources of recycled plastics that deliver nearly identical performance and properties as virgin materials in a broad range of applications.”

Polypropylene carpets in Chester homes and businesses are popular for their low cost and durable qualities. At the end of its life, a carpet should be recycled wherever possible.

Artificial grass needed to protect Cornish attraction

Planning permission is being sought for artificial grass to be installed to protect areas of Cornwall’s historic St. Michael’s Mount.

MRDA Architects on behalf of St. Aubyn Estates, which manages the tourist attraction, has submitted plans to Cornwall Council to install artificial grass lawns to the north of the cafe on the island. The reasons for this is because of the damage caused by the high volume of visitors on the existing lawn.

To support the planning application, MRDA Architects, said:

"The impact of ever-increasing visitor numbers on the former drying lawn has been to destroy the grass and, in the wet, to reduce the bare soil to mud.”

Temporarily, 100 tonnes of topsoil was removed and replaced with hardcore and a top dressing of gravel. However, the gravel was a safety problem with minor injuries caused when children fell. The proposal is to lay artificial grass over geotex with a type 1 MOT granular sub-base and bordered by existing cobbles. This will resemble the original look of the area.

St. Aubyn Estates, in support of its application, said artificial grass has been successfully installed in sites managed the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Trust.

Many organisations have installed artificial grass in Chester. They may not have the number of people walking on their grass as St Michael’s Mount, but they find artificial grass a good-looking and safe covering for outside areas that can be enjoyed all year round, whatever the weather.

Take a fresh look at laminate flooring for North Wales rooms

People who are used to cheap laminate floor coverings should take a fresh look at modern laminates that will enhance North Wales rooms.

Living in North Wales

North Wales is a great place to live in with beautiful natural areas, fantastic restaurants and many attractions. There are many successful businesses in the area that provide employment. Welsh residents appreciate nature influenced design, which means like the look of natural wood in floors in homes and businesses and don’t like cheap looking décor.

However, it has to be of good quality. A poll by the homeware store Dunelm found that people disliked cheap laminate flooring only slightly less than they hated woodchip wallpaper. The respondents in the poll were likely influenced by the cheap laminates of the past, which were not very durable and often had patterns that didn’t resemble real wood.

Modern high-quality laminates, on the other hand, are a different ball game.

Modern laminates

Cheap laminates are thin so will not last as long as higher-quality thicker ones. For a durable floor covering, choose laminates where the bottom layer is at least 8mm thick.

Modern printing technology means that wood grain patterns on laminate planks look very realistic. The patterns can be embossed to add a real wood-like texture. Laminate flooring is a great alternative to natural wood, offering the look of wood at a less expensive cost.

Premium quality laminate planks have a polyurethane topcoat that protects the laminate from wear. The better the coating is, the longer the laminate floor will last. Most manufacturers provide a guarantee that the floor will last for a number of years. Good quality laminates are suitable for high-traffic areas in commercial premises.

Water resistant

You need a floor that will withstand the effects of the North Wales weather, especially in areas with an outside entrance. People coming in with umbrellas and wet clothes are bound to cause water to drip on the floor. Laminate floors are water resistant, which means that although they probably won’t survive prolonged immersion during a flood, as long as spills are mopped up promptly, a little water won’t damage the laminate floor.

Laminates need to be fitted correctly. Click-together locking systems join the planks in a way that means no water can penetrate to the subfloor.

Laminate flooring used to be unsuitable for high-moisture areas like bathrooms, but a new type of extra water-resistant laminates has been developed that is fine for wet areas.

Cost

This increase in quality means you can expect to pay a little more for quality laminate flooring these days, but because of the extra lifespan, the lifetime cost of premium laminates is very reasonable.

Additionally, laminates are generally cheaper than engineered wood or solid wood floors while providing a similar natural wood look. They are quick and easy to install too, keeping fitting costs low.

Buying laminate flooring

Take a fresh look by visiting a supplier and fitter of laminate flooring in North Wales, who will show you samples of modern laminate floors you’re sure to love.

The benefits of water resistant laminate flooring in Chester rooms

Chester, as you’ll know if you live there, is not a dry city with many rainy days each year. Plenty of local homes and business have installed laminate flooring, but how does it stand up to moisture?

Traditionally, laminates are not recommended for high-moisture areas like bathrooms, but new water resistant laminate flooring has changed that.

The difference between water resistance and waterproof

Some laminate flooring is claimed by the manufacturer to be “water resistant”, but this is not the same as waterproof. Water resistant materials will withstand liquids, but waterproof floors mean that water will not penetrate the floor.

Water resistant laminate floors are suitable for bathrooms, laundry rooms and other wet areas. If your home is on a Chester or Cheshire flood plain, however, water resistant laminates may not survive prolonged immersion in water.

Water resistant laminate in bathrooms are fine, but if the bath or sink overflows, water should be mopped up as soon as possible.

Some laminates may swell with excess moisture, but water resistant laminates are designed to keep their shape even when there is a large amount of steam in the bathroom.

Wear

You need laminate flooring that will last a long time. Water resistant laminates are designed to withstand impacts and heavy footfall.

Where to install waterproof laminate flooring

Laminate flooring is suitable for residential and commercial use in all areas that are likely to get wet. This can include entrances and hallways where people enter with muddy shoes and dripping clothes during Chester rainy weather. A business does not need to be concerned about hundreds of wet visitors entering their premises on laminate floors.

Water resistant laminate is suitable for kitchens as they withstand spilt liquids. Laminate flooring is quick to install with a click and lock system.

Design

Water resistant laminate flooring comes in a number of attractive designs including realistic looking wood and stone effect patterns. Laminate is available in large or small format tiles that create different looks to the floor.

Maintenance

Like all laminate flooring, water resistant laminate is easy to clean and maintain. Cleaning with a mop and laminate flooring cleaning solution is recommended. Laminate flooring is coated with a stain resistant layer. A vacuum suitable for hard floor can be used to remove loose dirt and debris.

It’s a good idea to purchase a few spare planks or tiles from your supplier in case an area of the floor gets damaged. If it does, remove the damaged planks and replace them with new ones.

Cost

Water resistant laminate flooring tends to be more expensive than other laminates but should last a long time.

Further information

Visit a local laminate flooring supplier and fitter to see their range of water resistant and other laminate floor coverings. They should have samples for you to place in the room to get a good idea of how the new floor will look.

They will discuss with you if water resistant laminate flooring is the best solution for you. What’s more, they will show you water resistant and waterproof floor covering alternatives.

Twickenham chooses LVT flooring

Twickenham has opted to use LVT flooring for its new East Stand development.

The main reasons why the designers of the new stand at the English national rugby stadium chose LVT were for its premium look, durability and cost-effective price.

Debbie Power of architects KSS that designed the stand said:

“We wanted to replicate the structure’s original materials such as timber and concrete, with an authentic looking product that was also robust enough to withstand the demands of a busy venue such as Twickenham.”

In Union Ale House, a large pub-style venue, KSS used a combination of herringbone laid Country Oak and stone effect tiles. This created a premium look well within the budget for the project.

The development of the East Stand has 3,000 square metres of floor space that needed covering. IVC’s 55 specification LVT flooring was chosen to deal with the high footfall. This LVT has a 0.55mm wear layer which is designed to resist wear and scuff marks, and is easy to clean.

The vinyl tiles used at Twickenham contain over half (55%) recycled materials.

There are many LVT design options available to create floors that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing. However, there’s no need to have to have a large floor area like Twickenham to benefit from LVT tiles. LVT flooring in Chester homes and commercial premises is perfect for people who want a quality, long-lasting floor available in a wide range of colours and patterns to suit all décor styles, and is reasonably priced.