Flooring Installation: Why it Matters
Posted January 22, 2024
If you have a flooring project on the horizon, you may have considered undertaking the install yourself. DIY is in our blood as Kiwis, we just love to give things a go in order to save a few dollars and c’mon, it can’t be that hard right? Wrong. Flooring installation – whether carpet, vinyl, laminate or hybrid, requires skill and expertise that comes from years of experience in the industry. We’re going to look at why it’s worth having a professional install your flooring.
Flooring is a significant investment and as such you want it to look the best it can and to add value to your home or property. Many people only think about the aesthetics such as colour and style when it comes to flooring, not installation. However, correct installation is paramount to having floors that not only look amazing but function just as they should and continue to do so for years to come. Engaging a professional will give you the peace of mind that the installation meets with the manufacturer’s guidelines as well as industry standards; and this ensures that all warranties on your flooring are not compromised. The Flooring Centre has an experienced team of installers who are committed to undertaking all installations to meet or exceed all New Zealand standards and best trade practice.
Carpet is the more straightforward of flooring products to install however it certainly still requires a high level of skill and experience to be done correctly. Some carpets, such as loop pile or textured carpets require specialist knowledge to ensure they are installed properly and look their best. Right from the quoting and planning stage of your flooring, our team will always send you a flooring “seam /join" plan with your quotation, this ensures there are no surprises with joins or seams being in unsightly places in your home. An experienced installer will know all the tricks of the trade to ensure the cutting and finishing of seams will be undertaken with appropriate care and dexterity to get the best result every time.
An experienced carpet layer knows all the tricks of the trade to get the very best result.
The installation of hard flooring such as sheet vinyl, vinyl planks, and laminate or hybrid planks can be very technical and a lot can go wrong if the installer doesn’t know what they are doing or are unfamiliar with the specific brand or flooring type. Sheet vinyl can be reasonably straightforward in some instances or extremely complex in others, depending on the size and shape of the space it is being installed in. Pattern repeats are very important to consider when installing sheet vinyl as this affects the quantity of flooring needed as well as the aesthetic of the finished job. Vinyl planks are often selected as they tend to look more authentic compared to sheet vinyl options. However, if not installed carefully, vinyl plank installations can be disastrous. The preparation of the substrate is perhaps the most important aspect of installing vinyl or vinyl planks as this will ultimately determine the finished level and look of the floor once complete. A big concern with any hard flooring is consideration and testing of the moisture content of the concrete slab. Did you know that moisture in concrete can cause your new flooring to bubble or lift off the floor, not to mention the potential for mould and mildew to grow under your flooring? The Flooring Centre team will always undertake moisture testing and documentation to ensure that the floorcovering is fully warranted and that any potential moisture problems are prevented by implementing a moisture barrier system when needed.
Installation of vinyl planks is best left to a professional who knows what they are doing. Moisture testing of the subfloor (right) is very important prior to installation, our team always ensure this is completed and documented so that the flooring is fully warranted and that any potential problems can be prevented.
Laminate and Hybrid flooring are both designed to be installed as a floating floor. Because of this, a very flat surface is required and so for most installations, careful floor preparation is imperative. Ensuring undulations in the substrate are removed or minimised will ensure that the substrate is suitable to install Laminate or Hybrid flooring successfully. Adversely, poor preparation may result in an installation with springy boards and / or planks pulling apart, both of which may be impossible to remedy without uplifting the whole floor and starting again. Our installers know how to correctly undertake floor preparation to set a great foundation for your flooring to be installed upon. Another big mistake often made by amateur installers of floating floor systems is inappropriate or no allowance for expansion and contraction to all perimeters and adjacent surfaces. Did you know that a floating floor in a 10 metre long space can grow by approximately 10mm? This can be greater depending on ambient temperature in the space as well as temperature fluctuations. Additionally, it is very important that laminate and hybrid flooring is not fixed to the substrate in any way. This includes via skirting boards, doorstops, toe kicks, end panels and sealants; or even placement of heavy objects on top of a floating floor, anything that may effectively prevent the floor from expanding or rafting freely. Because hybrid and laminate flooring expands and contracts, compartmentalisation is often required. This is usually in large or multi-room installations and is essentially breaking the flooring up into separate areas so that each can move freely and individually. These breaks in the flooring are most often placed at door thresholds and are covered with matching trims in order to minimise any detrimental aesthetic affect.
Floating floors like laminate and hybrid require a very flat surface for correct installation. Larger areas often require compartmentalisation to allow for expansion and contraction, this is covered with matching trims to minimise any detrimental aesthetic effect.
It’s not hard to see that flooring installation requires skill and knowledge that ultimately comes from years of experience in the industry. From preparation through to installation and finishing, if you want a job done right first time, it’s best left to the experts. Our team are committed to the highest standards so you can have peace of mind knowing your floors are in the best hands. If you’re after new flooring, come and chat to our friendly team, they’d love to help you get started on your flooring journey!
Start your flooring journey now!