Choosing the best quality laminate flooring in Chester

Laminate flooring is a popular choice for Chester residential and commercial rooms.

Chester people love nature, whether walking along the River Dee or visiting the Cheshire Plain. They like to have a natural feel to their homes with solid wood floors. Hardwood floors are beyond the budget of many so good quality laminate flooring is a luxury floor covering that is an alternative to real wood.

Thickness and durability

The thickness of the laminate board can affect its durability. Laminates are available between 6mm and 12mm thick. The cheapest 6mm laminate is not recommended except for rooms that are not used a lot. Marginally better is 7mm, but most 7mm laminates are not that durable.

Popular laminates are 8mm and 10mm. Some 8mm boards are as strong as 10mm boards, but the 8mm laminate could become damaged if laid on an uneven floor.

Any laminate between 10mm and 12mm should be strong and have high performance. The thicker 12mm is forgiving if not installed perfectly, but ideally, use a professional installer to install any type of laminate.

Thickness is not the only criterion for judging the durability of laminate flooring. A thinner laminate can be manufactured to make it stronger than some thicker laminates.

Laminates have an AC rating which specifies where they should be used. AC1 laminates are for low-traffic areas, whereas the highest AC5 rating is recommended for high-traffic areas and commercial use.

Laminate flooring has a clicklock system that makes it easy to install, but professional installation is recommended as poorly fitted laminates can easily be damaged.

Cost

Like most floor coverings, when buying laminate flooring, you generally get what you pay for. Budget laminates are not that strong and their patterns do not look realistic. Cheap laminate planks can warp and stain more easily.

More expensive laminates have realistic wood grain patterns. Some have embossed patterns that look like real wood grain. Expect a good quality laminate to last longer, resist stains, and be moisture and scratch resistant.

A more expensive laminate should come with a long warranty as the manufacturers are confident it will last. The warranty may be for less time if the floor is installed in commercial premises.

Underfloor heating

If you need laminate flooring to cover underfloor heated areas, make sure that the manufacturer rates it as suitable. You will also need the right underlay.

Waterproof laminates

Cheap laminates are not suitable for high moisture areas like bathrooms. Waterproof laminates are required and these must be expertly installed as badly fitted laminates can let water seep into the subfloor.

Looks

As well as choosing a grade of laminate that is durable and easy to maintain, you need laminate flooring that looks good. Most laminate flooring is printed with a pattern that resembles solid wood, ranging from light woods to darker ones. Better quality laminates use embossed printing to create an extremely realistic textured grain effect that makes laminate flooring in Chester a good alternative to solid wood.

Solid wood flooring: an environmentally sound investment

Solid wood flooring remains a good investment in Chester homes despite strong competition from alternative and cheaper floor coverings such as LVT and laminates.

According to a recent report by AMA Research, the UK market for wood flooring had a small decline in 2018 following six years of growth. This is because the numbers of consumers buying non-essential high-priced items are fewer and there is strong competition from alternative floor coverings such as laminates and LVT. However, the report predicts a 2% growth in the wood flooring market in the period up to 2023, despite some uncertainty because of Brexit and how that may affect the economy.

Import tariffs could make wood flooring more expensive, but this is unlikely to dampen demand. More and more Chester residents are concerned about environmental issues and are attracted to wood floor timbers from FSC- and PEFC-certified sustainable sources. Unlike some floor coverings, wood floors are easily recycled at the end of their life. Reclaimed wood can be reused to form new wood floors.

Wood may be more expensive than other floor coverings, but a solid wood floor adds value to a Chester home. The cost of installation can often be recovered when the home is sold. Many Chester residents are turning away from high volume, low price items and are prepared to spend extra for a quality product that lasts. A good quality solid wood floor can still be in good condition in a hundred years' time.

The benefits of luxury wool carpets for Chester rooms

Though there are many types of floor covering available, many people in Chester prefer the traditional look and feel of a luxury wool carpet.

Where does the wool come from?

Though carpets can be made from a number of fibres, most people associate a pure wool carpet as the height of luxury. There is a lot of beautiful countryside around Chester. In spring, many of the fields are full of sheep and their newly born lambs. You may think that these Chester sheep supply the wool for carpets, but it is unlikely that any of their wool ends up in your carpet.

Carpet manufacturers need wool from specialised breeds, and much of the wool found in carpets comes from Asian and New Zealand sheep, but there are some wool breeds found in the UK. Rare breed sheep roam the Cumbrian fells and their wool is used to make 100% wool carpets.

Durability

Top quality wool carpets can last over a 100 years if they are well looked after. Commercial grade wool carpets are suitable for business premises with heavy footfall.

Wool is strong and does not need any other fibre to improve its durability, but many carpets are made from wool blended with other fabrics. Synthetic fibres are added to improve stain resistance, fibre flexibility, and the effectiveness of the dyes that colour the carpet.

Care of wool carpets

Wool contains natural oils that are resistant to dirt and stains. Regular vacuuming will keep the carpet clean, while spills can be wiped up with an absorbent cloth. Wool has a natural crimp which means that the fibres “bounce back” after they have been compressed by people walking or sitting on the carpet.

Practical

Wool is very comfortable to walk and sit on, but it also has practical qualities. Wool acts as an insulator to keep the room warm and save on energy costs. Wool carpets absorb sound so that echoes and noise are dampened.

If a wool carpet is installed over good quality underlay, it has a cushioning effect that prevents serious injury from falls. This is important for areas used by young children or old people. An underlay also increases the life of the carpet.

Environmentally friendly

The wool used in most carpets comes from sheep who are allowed to graze freely. Wool is a 100% natural and sustainable fibre. Shearing sheep is part of caring for their welfare.

Wool is biodegradable and in soil produces natural plant nutrients of sulphur, nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

Looks

Wool carpets are available in a number of attractive colours and patterns to suit every décor.

A high-quality wool carpet is not for those who want any old floor covering, but rather for people who appreciate a quality comfortable carpet that looks stylish. A high grade wool carpet will last a long time. When other floor coverings need replacing a wool carpet still looks great.

Your carpet supplier has a wide selection of wool carpets for your Chester residential or commercial room.

Demand for wood floors on the up in Europe

The European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP) has reported that sales of solid wood floors in Europe have increased slightly.

The FEP defines wood flooring as either solid wood or engineered wood flooring with a wear layer that exceeds 2.5mm thickness. The FEP met at the beginning of October to examine the trends for wood floors. Germany, the largest market for wood floors, had a growth in sales in the first six months of 2019 compared to the first half of 2018, as did Austria, France, Poland and Spain. Sales in the rest of Europe had a mixed picture with some markets slightly increasing and other countries slightly down compared to last year, with Norway and the Netherlands two of the nations to have seen a small decline.

The FEP said that luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) are the main competitor for wood floors. The trade wars between the US and China has affected the European market because of increases in tariffs that have made wood floors manufactured in China more expensive.

Wood floors are very popular in Chester. They look stylish and are very durable. They can be expensive to buy and install but they add to a home’s value. Engineered wood looks the same as solid wood flooring because it has a top layer of real wood. LVT tiles that have a realistic wood pattern are a less expensive alternative to wood and are more suitable for wet areas where wood floors could become water damaged.

Garden bin fees could increase demand for artificial grass

Many local authorities charge for plant waste collection, and it has been suggested this causes more people to use artificial grass.

The average cost for local authorities that charge for removing green waste is £31, but can be as high as £100. Chester does not charge for removing green plant waste unless residents need an extra bin. Some authorities in North Wales charge, and Wrexham is considering introducing a charge of around £25 a year from 2020.

According to Ilona Amos writing in The Scotsman, these charges could result in more people giving up gardening, getting rid of flower beds and installing artificial grass.

The environment spokesman for the Local Government Association, Martin Tett, justifies the charge for garden waste collection:

“Ultimately garden waste collection has to be paid for by someone. It’s only fair that those households which have gardens and generate the waste pay for the service.”

As an alternative, garden waste can be recycled into compost rather than being sent to landfill.

The small fee that some councils charge to remove plant waste is probably not the main reason why people install artificial grass in their gardens. More significantly, they want a lawn that requires minimal maintenance, looks good, can be used all year round, and is safe for children to play on in all weathers. If Chester and North Wales continue to have very hot and dry summers, artificial grass will not affected by hosepipe bans, as it does not need watering.