Installing new flooring of any kind takes a lot of skill, requiring expert hands in order to achieve the desired look for the long-term. With professional flooring installers, you have every aspect of the flooring project covered - but when you choose to self-install, you need to take a lot into consideration in order to do it right.
No matter which flooring type you invest in, the need to install on an even, stable subfloor is necessity in order to maximise the longevity of your choice.
The first step before installing your flooring of choice is ensuring the subfloor is well prepared to support it. It needs to be evened out, stable and suitable for the choice you have gone for. No matter if it is hardwood, laminate or vinyl flooring, it will require the same amount of attention.
Laminate Flooring
With laminate flooring, there are certain subfloor types that are not suited - such as cushioned, carpet and glued vinyl. For laminate flooring, you should ideally be working with concrete, plywood, ceramic or vinyl subfloors that don't require any glue.
Preparation of a subfloor for laminate flooring is relatively straightforward - make sure that it is moisture-free following a good, thorough clean. It is important that all traces of dirt, debris and spilled paint are removed and that your floor is as even as possible. File down as many bumps and nails to meet the level requirement and fill in any dents or holes that are caused by your previous flooring removal. If parts of the subfloor raise higher than the rest, sand it down until fully even.
Make sure that any compounds that you use on your subfloor are fully dry and moisture is kept to a minimum of 12%.
LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile)
LVT - such as Amtico - is an extremely durable product and can withstand a lot of abuse. However, if the subfloor laying underneath is not at its highest-quality, vinyl tiles can damage over time. When they are exposed to moisture underneath, they begin to warp and become fragile - meaning you need to ensure your subfloor is fully dry before installation.
Like laminate, the subfloor requires extensive cleaning and levelling before the tiles are fitted. If you are installing floating vinyl, there is additional requirements of a vapor barrier when using a concrete subfloor. If you choose to install on a plywood subfloor, there will need to be an extra layer of wood to make it thick enough for the required stability.
Carpet Tiles
Carpet tiles can be fitted over all hard subfloors (vinyl, tile, laminate, hardwood etc), but needs to be avoided if wanting to fit over an exisiting carpet as it will not support it.
When installing carpet tiles over a concrete subfloor, even it out using a self-levelling compound if required. As with other flooring types, carpet tiles needs the subfloor to be cleaned, dried and levelled prior to any installation work being done.
No matter what type of flooring you choose from Galloway Flooring in Manchester, subfloor preparation is pretty much the same. Without the subfloor being fully cleaned, levelled and dried, your new flooring will not last for the long-term - and will require repairs or replacement over time.
Always follow your flooring choice installation recommendations to the letter, or work with professional flooring installers to avoid any costly mistakes. Contact the team at Galloway Flooring in Denton today to ensure your flooring is installed correctly the first time.
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