Is laminate flooring recyclable?

Eco-friendly homeowners are increasingly looking to dispose of materials around their home they no longer require in responsible ways that won’t harm the environment. For this reason, when purchasing a floor covering, many forward-thinking people are now concerned with the lifespan of a flooring solution, and what impact it will have on the world after it is no longer fit for service.

Among the most stylish yet affordable options for home flooring, laminate boards are often designed to look like real wood at a fraction of the cost. Exceptionally durable, if properly cared for, laminate floors can last up to 25 years, depending on the quality of the product and usage. However, it’s understood that, over time, a floor area may become scratched or chipped at the corners, or even become warped by excessive moisture when accidents occur.

When homeowners finally decide to replace their laminate flooring, the good news is that the majority of it can in fact be recycled. Read on to find out more about the properties of laminate that allow it to be reclaimed, along with safe disposal methods and other options worth considering.

Recycling laminate flooring

Today’s advanced technologies have altered the manufacturing process of laminate flooring, enabling up to 85 per cent of the product to be recycled. Wood chips and fibres can be reclaimed from the flooring and reused in other products. However, while laminate contains some natural wood, it also includes chemical coatings, such as aluminium oxide. This makes it unsafe to be simply burned, as toxins are released into the atmosphere. The process of recycling laminate flooring is more complex than local recycling plants can cope with, so it’s not possible to add it to the tins, glass and plastic containers picked up by your regular collection service.

Consult product manufacturers

Many laminate flooring makers offer a service to recycle unused excess flooring or used laminate. You can enquire about the recycling services available for a product before committing to a purchase if you’re concerned about the environment.

Booking a waste collection

Many local councils will offer a dedicated collection service to pick up any unused materials homeowners within their constituency need to dispose of. This free service run by local authorities will ensure that your laminate flooring is picked up and disposed of properly according to the UK’s environmental legislation.

Upcycling

Another option is to sell on your used laminate flooring, upcycling it for use by other homeowners. Additionally, laminate can be refashioned by DIY enthusiasts and arts and crafts experts, who can repurpose the material, making new and useful items to serve others.

Extra laminate flooring

If you find that you have miscalculated and purchased too much laminate for your project, it can be a wise idea to keep some. Should any boards become damaged in the future, you will be able to replace them from your stockpile and avoid the trouble of tracking down the same size and style or installing an entirely new floor.

Property investor says carpets add value to homes

A high-quality carpet in very good condition can add value to the home.

When selling a home, there are some improvements that both add value to the property and make it more attractive to buyers. A fresh coat of paint and upgrades to the kitchen and bathroom, for example, can all make a positive difference. However, the state of the floors also matters. There has been a trend for hardwood flooring in recent times, but high-quality carpets in North Wales and Chester homes also attract buyers.

According to Real Simple, Ben Wagner, a property investor, said:

“Carpets add a whole new experience to any home due to their comfort purpose.”

Wagner said that carpets should match the overall decor theme of a room. They also have insulation properties that help reduce energy bills and dampen sound.

It is important for the carpets to be in good condition. If they aren’t, homeowners should have them professionally cleaned, or better still, replace them with new carpets. New carpets will add value to the home and will make it easier to sell. The best type of carpets to increase the value of a home is wool, which adds a touch of luxury and warmth to any room.

Some buyers prefer wood floors for the main living areas, but like the feel of bare feet on bedroom carpets.

Neutral, light-coloured carpets are advised, as bold colours are not to everyone’s taste. Avoid using carpets in bathrooms and kitchen areas, as they can trap bacteria and turn mouldy if wet.

How to clean carpets after Christmas

When celebrating Christmas, spills on carpets in Chester and North Wales homes can make them look stained and dirty. Amongst the most common issues for carpets at Christmas are fallen pine needles from Christmas trees and spilt wine. Fortunately, these can easily be dealt with.

Pine needles

Pine needles can become embedded in the carpet pile. To remove them, Henry Paterson, the Senior Operations Executive at house cleaning specialists Housekeep, recommends first using a dry foam carpet shampoo that is left on overnight to dissolve the sap adhesive that sticks pine needles to the carpet. Then, brush the carpet and vacuum it to remove the needles. If any stubborn needles remain, press on them with the sticky side of duct tape to lift them up.

Wine

Spilling wine is a hazard at Christmas. Ideally, as soon as wine has been split, you should blot the spillage with a paper towel or a dry cloth. For white wine, use a mixture of warm water mixed with a tablespoon of white vinegar and a tablespoon of washing up liquid. Apply a little of this solution at a time with a clean cloth and the stain should disappear.

Perhaps the best way to remove red wine stains is using WD40. Apply WD40, then blot the stain to remove it, before using a steam cleaner to clear up the WD40.

A quality carpet should last many years and survive many Christmases – provided it is cleaned regularly. If stains or spills are promptly treated, they will not cause irreparable damage.

Top reasons for a solid wood floor installation

A time-honoured choice, hardwood has remained a popular choice for many homeowners to this day in both traditional and modern homes. Requiring a professional with skill and experience to install it, this type of floor is also luxurious due to the natural wood harvested and finished to create its boards.

Although there are one or two challenges to installing a solid wood floor within homes, the many advantages of this flooring choice have sealed its enduring appeal. Below, we’ll outline some of the key reasons why property owners are still picking this longstanding solution for the rooms they live in.

Outstanding aesthetics

While many floor types like luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and laminate seek to mimic hardwood, nothing compares to the natural texture and rich grain found in real wood. Renowned for adding a sense of warmth to homes, a hardwood floor can transform indoor spaces by bringing a sense of our natural world indoors.

A vast array of different woods like oak, ash and cherry are used for wooden flooring to name but a few. These wood choices can then be stained and finished to create different appearances. The combination of the rich range of raw materials and numerous treatments allows homeowners an incredible selection of different floor styles, enhancing the chance that they’ll find a floor uniquely suited to their personal taste.

Leading interior designers are quick to extoll the numerous virtues of real wood that help them in their work. Timeless and tasteful, a real wood floor can work effectively with almost any kind of décor, furnishings, and fittings.

Increasing the value of a property

As a sought-after floor solution often viewed as a luxury, a hardwood floor can add value to a home. As a result, the investment a property makes in buying and installing a solid wood floor can serve them later when it’s time to sell. Costs involved in adding the flooring to a property can be recouped later when its price tag can be increased to reflect the choice of real timber boards.

One floor for always

If properly cared for, a hardwood floor can deliver a lifetime of use to its owner. Updating the flooring is not something you want to be doing again and again, and as a result, many property owners see the wisdom in installing an option that is built to last.

Not only is natural wood incredibly robust, but it can also be periodically refinished by a professional who will sand it down and finish it. This process effectively restores the wood’s natural beauty to its original state when it was first installed and should be performed every 7 to 10 years during the floor’s active service life.

To sum up, installing solid wood flooring can add an exceptional appearance to a home while raising its worth on the housing market. Built for a long lifespan, a hardwood floor can be enjoyed for a lifetime provided it is given the care it deserves.

Top winter benefits of installing an artificial lawn

Among the many reasons why property owners with outside areas opt for artificial grass as a covering is its superior resilience in different seasons. Among the harshest times of year for real grass lawns, winter presents unique challenges for homeowners. As a result, many people are now seeing the wisdom in installing a synthetic lawn instead. Read on as we explore just some of the advantages homeowners can appreciate when they select an artificial option instead of natural grass.

Artificial grass in winter

Even the best natural turf lawns will experience damaged grass blades and dead patches under the poor growing conditions typically occurring during wintertime. From harsh frost and limited sunlight to colder temperatures, the elements can quickly take their toll. This means that for the winter months, laws will often look drab, patchy, and unsightly.

An artificial lawn suffers no such issues and can remain looking green and vibrant even when the weather is gloomy. Made of robust materials, it can hold up exceptionally well under winter conditions. While winterising a regular lawn is hard work involving frequent maintenance, synthetic grass needs virtually none. This means less time spent out in the cold when you’d prefer to be inside.

Coping with snow and rain

It goes without saying that lawns suffer severe stress during the winter months. When the temperature plummets, compacted snow and freezing rain and sleet can cause damage or even kill grass. By the time spring rolls around, many homeowners find their lawn can look a little bleak. Evergreen artificial lawns have been designed to cope with snow, sleet, and rain. Cleverly engineered perforated grass fibres and permeable underlays allow rainwater and melted snow to seep safely through to the ground below, preserving the lawn’s condition and aesthetics.

No more dead patches

Owners of a real lawn experiencing winter kill will find that when dead patches of grass occur over the coldest season, they can take many months to naturally fill in. In some cases, it may be necessary for these attacked areas to be reseeded and entirely new turf may even need to be laid. Artificial grass is far hardier and was created by experts to withstand the harshest climates while keeping its vivid colour and lush texture.

A safer and cleaner garden over winter

Homes with children or pets will find artificial grass can make life easier over winter. When snow and sleet melt, the grass beneath can get muddy. As a result, when pets and children play outdoors, this muck can get trampled inside. In the winter months, weather conditions can make walking your dog difficult but with an artificial lawn outside, you can still allow them some outdoor time. Ready to use all year round and easy to clean, artificial grass is exceptionally suited to pet lovers.

Finally, while regular grass can become slippery and unsafe from this process, artificial grass can effectively filter out excessive moisture, making for a safer environment for children to play on.