Pure wool carpets make a more sustainable choice

Many wool carpets are made using a blend of 80% wool and 20% nylon. When these carpets reach the end of their life, it is difficult to separate the nylon from the wool, making it challenging to recycle the yarn. Carpets made from 100% wool are more sustainable, as wool can easily be recycled.

Nylon is added to wool carpets to increase their durability. However, pure wool carpets made with long-fibre wool are hard wearing. Wool carpets are available undyed or pre-dyed, either in plain colours or patterned. They are suitable for both traditional style and contemporary decor rooms.

Domestic or business buyers in North Wales who prioritize sustainability choose pure wool carpets made from environmentally friendly natural fibres. Wool's insulating properties help keep rooms warm and cosy and add a luxurious feel. Wool carpets are available in a range of shades and patterns. With proper care, including regular cleaning and wiping up spills promptly, wool carpets can last a long time. It is recommended that wool carpets are cleaned professionally at least once a year, or more frequently in areas of high foot traffic.

Most rooms, stair runners and hallways are suitable for wool carpets. However, they are not recommended for high-moisture areas such as bathrooms or utility rooms. Professional carpet installers can quickly fit these carpets with minimum disruption. Wool is a naturally flame-retardant fibre and hygienic.

Local carpet retailers have wool carpet samples available to borrow, allowing customers to see how they look and feel in a room.

How to choose the right laminate flooring thickness for your home

A lot of people favour laminate floors for their homes, and they have good reason to do so. This surface is one of the hardest wearing and most versatile. Laminate generally comes with a layer that is designed to protect against surface damage such as scratches. It also now has a coating that safeguards against water damage, making it ideal for bathrooms and kitchens.

Laminate is long-lasting, flexible and can be made to resemble other surfaces from stone to marble or wood, so it is popular and cost effective. The thickness of the laminate can vary considerably though, so how should you select the right thickness for the floors of your home?

How is the thickness determined?

When it comes to working out the thickness of a laminate floor, each plank is measured by millimetres. Some of the manufacturers provide information concerning thickness as part of the packaging or adverts. That is something that you can look out for if you are going to be fitting them yourself. Most people opt to get their laminate floors installed by pros though, and it is often the same people that they bought the floors from. Therefore, it will be possible to enquire about the different thicknesses that are available before you actually buy one. This is the best way because it can save you a lot of problems further down the line.

Determining the thickness means measuring each plank from any subfloor surface padding that it might have to its top. If such a surface layer is pre-installed, a good thickness to look for will be around 14mm, with 2mm being the pad. If not, you should consider a 12mm thickness to be good.

What does the thickness mean?

There is no question that having reasonably thick laminate planks is important, but when choosing the right thickness, it is important to bear in mind what this does and does not mean. A thicker laminate will protect against some things but not others.

• Durability

It may be widely assumed that thicker means greater durability, but that is not always the case. What thicker laminate will protect against is issues such as warping. In terms of overall durability though, the water seal coating and scratch layer are probably more important in ensuring the floor continues to look good over a long period of time. The AC rating is also crucial, with AC1 being least durable and AC5 most durable. Professionals will usually recommend a minimum of AC3.

• Quality

Once more, the common belief is that the greater the thickness of a laminate floor, the better the overall quality. That is a simplistic assessment though and ignores a lot of elements that are involved in the manufacturing process. You should look for a floor with a core made from high-density fibre and at least 50% hardwood. This will act as a more reliable guarantee of floor quality than simply measuring the thickness of the planks.

Why does the thickness matter?

All of this might have you wondering why the issue of floor thickness even matters. The truth is though that there are real benefits to having a laminate floor that is reasonably thick. For one thing, it will make the installation process easier than it would be with a thinner one. Thicker planks are able to cope with small variations in the subfloor without causing problems for you at a later date. They will ensure that the floor is level regardless of those variations.

Thicker laminate floors are also better at creating good acoustics within a room and will provide you with a floor that is more resistant to impact. If it is going to be fitted in a room that people use a lot – or if you have small children – these can be very important factors when choosing a floor surface. Therefore, it is vital to get the right thickness.

How to choose laminate flooring thickness

The best way to make this choice is to talk to the professionals that you are buying the floor from before actually completing the purchase. However, there is a standard thickness range when it comes to laminate floors that you should abide by. Most floors are either: 8mm, 10mm or 12mm in thickness and anything less than 8mm will be too thin.

If you have children who are more likely to drop items like a ball onto the floor, then selecting thicker 12mm laminate will be best. That will apply to high traffic rooms in general, as thicker laminate will protect against the impact of boots or shoes. Given the noise-muting effects of thick laminate most people are likely to find planks that are nearer 12mm to be their preferred choice anyway.

You can get further information about laminate floor thicknesses from flooring professionals with years of trade experience.

Factors to consider when choosing laminate flooring thickness

Laminate flooring is available in several depths, typically ranging from 6mm to 12 mm, but how do you decide what thickness is best for your home?

The first consideration is your budget. Thicker laminate boards are more expensive, but if you have a small budget a thinner laminate may be sufficient, especially in rooms with a low footfall, However, if the subfloor is uneven, it’s better to go for thicker laminate as these hide subfloor imperfections. Thinner boards are likely to wear out quicker on uneven subfloor.

Avoid 6mm boards unless your budget is extremely limited, as these are not good quality and are unlikely to last long.

A 12mm thick board can look and feel like real wood, especially if it has a raised wood grain effect. More detailed and elaborate designs are available on thicker planks.

Thicker boards are more impact resistant and should last longer. They also absorb sound better, making footsteps quieter and reducing echo. Thicker boards often feel softer underfoot.

Waterproof laminate flooring is available from 8.5mm thick, which is fine for bathrooms, kitchens and utility rooms.

If expense is not an issue, buy 10mm or 12mm thick laminate flooring that is high quality, durable and looks good. There is not a large difference between these two thicknesses, so which one to install is down to personal preference.

Ask your flooring services in Chester or North Wales to show you their range of thick laminate flooring patterns and colours and choose the one you like best.

Tarkett launches new sustainable floor covering range

Tarkett is a flooring manufacturer that strives to create sustainable and environmentally friendly flooring options. Their new product, Safetred Serenity, is a slip-resistant safety floor that not only provides safety but also style. It can be used in a variety of environments while still being eco-friendly.

The collection comes in twelve different shades, each inspired by the natural landscapes of the UK and Ireland. The colours are chosen to create a sense of peace and calmness and are reminiscent of natural features such as beaches, oceans, mountains, and cliffs. The designs aim to embody the beauty of nature in a way that is organic and authentic. Safetred Serenity flooring is easy to install and requires no adhesive.

The Safetred Serenity collection is suitable for both commercial and residential use. It is made and fully recyclable in the UK, reducing transportation emissions. The flooring is made from 50% recycled materials and uses a closed loop water system that re-circulates industrial water. The Safetred Serenity flooring system is free from harmful phthalates and biocides, making it safe for all people to use.

Tarkett's Safetred Serenity is a hard-working floor covering that offers impeccable sustainability credentials and designer good looks, making it a perfect fit for any environment that prioritizes both style and safety.

There are numerous contemporary flooring options which are very popular with both residential and business properties. Visit a local stockist of Tarkett luxury vinyl tile in North Wales or Chester to see their full range of sustainable floor coverings.

How to prepare your home for a new carpet installation

Getting a new carpet fitted is a pleasing moment for any homeowner. The furnishings that we have in our homes say something important about us as people, but also help to create the atmosphere and feel that we want for each room. You can have your carpet fitted by professionals with years of experience within the flooring trade, but even then, there is some preparatory work that you will need to do ahead of the installation.

This is designed to ensure that fitting it is a smooth process and that the best results are achieved. Read on to learn how to prepare your home for a new carpet.

Look at the paperwork

Most people get their carpeting fitted by the same flooring company that they bought the carpet from, and that means you should have paperwork related to the purchase and installation. This should tell you when they are coming to fit it, how long it is likely to take and whether they will handle any furniture moving. Reading it ahead of time will give you an idea of what tasks you need to handle yourself.

The paperwork should also list any more specific fitting needs. For example, in some cases the floor moulding has to be removed for the carpet to be fitted properly. Therefore, it is worth studying it ahead of time.

Get rid of the old carpet

Having your brand new carpet installed will be a much quicker and easier process if you get rid of the old one before time. However, before lifting the carpet up, you should remember to give it a thorough going over with a vacuum cleaner. That is because all carpets that have been laid for any length of time pick up a lot of dust and dirt and you want to clear away as much of it as possible before actually taking the carpet up.

Let some air in

Opening the doors and windows in the room where the carpet is to be fitted is another important step. Firstly, it will help to clear any remaining dust and dirt that is stirred up when you lift your old carpet. Secondly, it will help the professionals who are fitting your new one, because a good flow of air in and out of the room always helps when laying a carpet.

Clear the room

In some cases, the people who are fitting the carpet will deal with moving heavier items of furniture within the room, but that is not always the case. It is best to make sure of the situation before the fitting day arrives in case you need to hire someone to help get larger items of furniture in and out of the room. Every area that will be carpeted needs to be clear of any furniture and you will certainly be responsible for moving lighter pieces like vases or lamps. It is also important to make sure that all electrical appliances have been both disconnected and taken out of the room before the workmen arrive to fit your new carpet.

Lift the underlay

Every carpet has an underlay that is put down as part of the fitting process. You may be thinking that you can just leave the existing one in place when taking up your old carpet, but that will probably not be the case. The chances are that it will be rather worn and in a generally poor state of repair, making it barely worth trying to save a small sum by leaving it. It will make more sense to get a new one installed as part of the carpet fitting.

The underlay is generally either stapled or glued into place around the edge. A scraper and adhesive remover will work best if it has been stuck down, whereas a screwdriver and pliers will be better if it is stapled into place. After the glue or staples are removed, just cut it up and lift it from the edges.

Create a path

It can be helpful and timesaving to work out what routes the workers who be installing your new carpet will take in and out of the room and around it. They are going to need to move from their truck to the room where it is being fitted and back again and will be wearing shoes that could be covered in mud.

You can avoid that leading to dirt on the floor by putting down anything from newspaper to pieces of cardboard or drop cloths on the main routes. It is also a good idea to remove any pieces of furniture that are in your hallway and that might slow the workers down or make things difficult when they are carrying items that are weighty.

Follow these steps to ensure a quick and smooth carpet installation process.

Carpet expert tips on keeping carpet clean

An expert in carpets has revealed her top tips for keeping these important home items clean. Johanna Constantinou, a communications director for a carpet retailer, suggests starting with a doormat to decrease the amount of dirt brought into the home by up to 60%. Regularly shake the doormat to remove any accumulated dirt, but avoid using rubber-backed mats on hard floors as they can leave stains.

Don't wait until a carpet looks dirty before cleaning it, as some carpets can hide ingrained dirt. How often you should clean a carpet depends on how frequently the room is used. Most carpets need to be vacuumed at least once a week, but fluffier and softer carpets may require cleaning twice a week or more. Even if a room is not frequently used, dust can still settle on the carpet, so a quick regular clean is still necessary.

For loop pile carpets, use only the suction head of the vacuum, but for more common cut pile carpets, the beater brush head is recommended. Stains should be removed promptly with specialist cleaning solutions.

Keeping carpets clean not only makes a home more hygienic, but may also extend the life of the carpets. North Wales homes and businesses choose carpets for the warmth and cosiness they bring to rooms. They may need a little extra maintenance than hard surface floors, but a good-quality natural fibre carpet adds luxury to any room and should last a long time even in busy households.