NFU backs wool carpet and insulation campaign

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling on the government to encourage insulation and the installation of carpets made from wool in all public financed building projects. This follows the revelation that a great number of farmers are dumping fleeces instead of selling them to British Wool.

Richard Findlay of the NFU said that wool:

“Is a natural, sustainable product and is suitable for a range of uses from carpets, textiles and clothing as well as housing insulation.”

He urged the government to encourage builders to use natural wool instead of man-made alternatives.

An online petition to encourage wool use has attracted over 18,000 signatures. The petition’s goal is to have a sustainable wool market where farmers are given a fair price for every fleece they sell. Increased demand for wool will make selling wool more cost-effective.

In 2019, the price farmers received for a fleece was less than the cost of shearing, and this caused many farmers to plough their wool into fields rather than sell it. Farmers are also concerned about the effect of Brexit, which could see a tariff of around 40% on sheep meat exports.

Many people have wool carpets in their North Wales homes due to the many benefits of the material. A wool carpet helps to keep rooms warm, is soft to walk on and is bio-degradable. A top-quality wool carpet is also long-lasting, provided it is kept clean, and a room with both wool insulation and a wool carpet increases the overall energy efficiency of a home.

Wooden floors are top rented home improvement

In order to attract wealthier tenants who are prepared to pay higher torrents, landlords need to improve their rental homes. The most requested improvement that tenants ask for is solid wood or engineered wood floors.

Dawn Smith, from Militarybyowner.com, a company which finds home rentals for military personnel in the USA, advises landlords to improve their properties to attract better tenants. There are some obvious safety improvements that older properties need, such as a safe electrics, the removal of lead and mould and secure locks. Other improvements are not strictly necessary but attract better tenants.

On the top of Smith’s list of requested features from tenants is hardwood floors. Wood floors are more practical than carpets, which can easily be stained and often need replacing between tenancies.

Bathroom floors should be vinyl or another hard floor covering that is both easy to clean and waterproof. Tenants prefer kitchens with modern appliances, and appreciate freshly painted rooms in neutral colours.

Gardens should be easy to maintain, especially for busy tenants that don’t have time for much gardening. Artificial grass is a low-maintenance alternative to a natural lawn.

Smith advises landlords to retain some of their improvement budgets for when repairs and appliance replacements are needed.

While Smith operates in the USA market, her advice is also applicable to UK landlords. Installing solid wood flooring in a Chester property is recommended to landlords who want to charge higher rents and to attract people who aspire to live in premium-quality rented homes.

Covid drives demand for hard surface flooring

Some hotels have decided to remove all carpets in guest rooms and replace them with hard surface floors, such as vinyl and wood. This has been done to make rooms easier to deep clean in order to protect guests from Covid-19.

Dwayne MacEwen, the head of DMAC Architecture, said:

“Durable nonporous materials such as hardwood floors with a nonporous surface, especially those that are surface-sealed, make it easier to clean.”

Interior designer Molly Forman said that luxury vinyl tiles are easier to clean and sanitise than carpets.

Hardwood is a safe option for hotels, but frequent cleaning with automatic scrubbing machines can degrade the wood quicker in comparison to the pre-virus routine of mopping daily. Cleaning too harshly can chip and crack wood, causing worn areas to trap dirt.

Not all hotels have removed carpets, however. They may take longer to clean than hard surface floors, but as long as carpets are disinfected after cleaning, the room will be safe for use by guests.

Other commercial workplaces have not replaced their flooring but instead increased the frequency of cleaning. In public areas, carpets can have contrasting coloured tiles placed in positions that provide visual guides to social distancing.

Whether you have vinyl flooring or carpets in your Chester home, if they are in good condition, there is no need to change them in response to Covid-19. As long as the floors are cleaned regularly and disinfected, the household should be protected.

How long does artificial grass last?

Far lower maintenance than a natural lawn but with the same attractive appearance, artificial grass can be an easy solution worth considering for outdoor areas. Before making an investment, you may be weighing up the price against how long your new grass will last, to make sure you are making the right decision.

Artificial grass installed on your property can typically last between 10 and 20 years, although this term can be longer or shorter. This is because the longevity of synthetic grass is dependent on many different variables, some of which you have the power to influence. In the following passages, we break down the factors affecting how many years you will get out of your grass and what you can do to help.

The quality of the product

What your artificial grass is made from and how well it has been manufactured can have a significant impact on its lifespan. Like the natural grass it imitates, synthetic options are comprised of thousands of separate blades. Crafted from plastic, the blades are sewn into a specially designed backing material. How long your grass can endure will partly depend on the strength of the plastic used for the blades. Most artificial grass uses either robust options like polypropylene or nylon, but always check the quality of the blades before buying.

The backing to which the blades are attached has two layers. The membrane is the top layer onto which the grass is physically sewn, while the bottom layer is a built-for-purpose bonding material that affixes everything together. If damage occurs between these two layers, it can greatly decrease the life of your artificial lawn, so request samples and test the backing material’s strength.

Overall, lower quality products will be represented by weak blades and backing, offering a far shorter lifespan.

How you use your grass

Obviously, the more traffic your synthetic grass sees, the more quickly it will wear. Lawns located merely for display will tend to outlive those situated in communal gardens with footfall from children and pets on a regular basis. If you plan to use artificial grass for a family lawn, the more durable and high-quality offerings are worth considering.

Professional installation

An efficient installation is a major factor in how long your grass will last, so if you want to see the best return on your investment, leaving this task to the experts can be a wise move. Without proper care during installation, a lawn can suffer from drainage issues along with plant and weed growth problems, which can drastically reduce its longevity.

Proper maintenance

While artificial options are nowhere near as labour intensive as a natural lawn, they do require taking care of to ensure they last. The key area of maintenance will be to remove organic or chemical spills and pet waste from your lawn instantly to avoid damage or discolouration, while any general foreign objects can be brushed away around once a month. Simple rinsing and brushing will be all that is needed to keep your artificial grass looking at its best and extending its life for many years.

How many years should a laminate floor last?

Whether you are planning on fitting a laminate floor in rooms around your home or styling up a commercial office space, prior to purchase you might be wondering how long your new flooring will last. Laminate flooring is readily available for a wide range of prices to suit different budgets and can provide an attractive alternative to more expensive hardwood solutions.

Created from multiple thin layers, pressed together, laminate flooring is topped with printed paper which is covered by a clear protective coating. When this top layer becomes worn, unlike the surface of a wooden floor, it cannot be refinished with sanding and must be replaced. It therefore will not outlast a wood floor, but can still serve your home for a long time if well looked after.

The expected lifespan of a laminate flooring

While it is unable to match the durability of a hardwood floor, a quality laminate floor can still last over two decades. The average life expectancy for laminate flooring can be anywhere from 15 to 25 years but it can vary greatly from as little as 10 years, to as much as 30 years depending on many different factors.

It is worth bearing in mind, however, that no matter how high-quality the laminate flooring you choose to purchase is, while it may last for 25 years, it will never look the same as it did when it was first installed.

Factors affecting the longevity of laminate

How long your laminate floor can last will depend on several different factors. The quality of the flooring you select will have an impact on your floor’s longevity, with expert installers advising that cheaper products will start to show wear and tear far earlier than others. Whether your flooring is installed by a professional can also have an important bearing.

The amount of footfall your flooring receives will obviously affect how long it holds up for. If you install laminate flooring in a small home office, it will no doubt weather better than one that is fitted in the hall of a busy family house.

How you care for your new laminate floor can drastically increase or decrease how long it maintains its appearance. Neglecting to mop up spillages immediately can reduce the life of your floor and too much water used when cleaning is never a wise idea. Built-for-purpose, laminate cleaners are a far more suitable choice and easy to come by as many cleaning products that you might be able to use safely on other surfaces, such as vinyl, may prove too harsh for laminate, subtracting years off your floor’s life.

Enjoying a return on your investment

While laminate flooring that is used regularly will definitely wear over the years, by the time it needs replacing, it will likely have more than covered the cost of how much you initially paid. If you make sure to choose a quality product, have it fitted by a professional installer and make sure you take proper care when maintaining it, you will be able to enjoy your laminate flooring for many years to come.