Home Improvement Advice for Flooring

Linoleum Do it Yourself Tips for Flooring

Linoleum is the original floor covering for kitchens and bathrooms! Made from a mixture of cork, resins and other synthetic fibres, lino is one of the hardest wearing materials you can purchase. There is a huge selection, not only in colours, but also in style and appearance, ranging from heavy marbled to completely plain (used for desktops), through to tiles and matching borders and motifs! In semi-dry areas, such as domestic kitchens and toilets, lino is an excellent choice. Due to the relatively smooth surface of lino, it isn't recommended for areas of high water content, i.e. industrial kitchens, bathrooms or public areas, anti-slip must be used in such areas!

Installation of Linoleum

Unless a strict procedure is followed, the installation of linoleum can be an awkward process! The best procedure, without doubt, entails the use of a professional flooring contractor (only joking!). The best procedure entails the use of templates. A template is made from paper feltine, a sheet of thick paper, usually 1m or 2m width, specifically manufactured for this application. The idea is to lay the paper covering the entire area, cutting as close as half an inch to the skirting, or, in the case of a WC, as close around the fixtures as possible to about half an inch (12mm). Then, take an implement such as a ruler, and lay this flat on the floor, pressing tight against the skirting, marking a pencil line onto the paper at an exact distance all the way around, including all fixtures and architraves. Next, with the correct length of lino laid flat out on the floor, ease the paper template up and lay this in position on top of the lino. Then take the same ruler as was used to mark onto the paper, and, using the new pencil mark as your guide, mark exactly where the original skirting met...Hey Presto. Then, with a sharp knife and a clear conscience, cut the lino exactly to this mark.

When complete, lift the lino and ease into position in and around any fixtures. Not finished yet! With your lino laying flat in position, ease back one half, then with the recommended adhesive, stick the lino down. When one half is done finish the other, taking care to ease out any air that may have got trapped between the adhesive and the back of the lino! Take note! The use of a professional fitter is highly recommended.

Anti-Slip Flooring

Anti-slip flooring is, as the name implies, non-slip! These products are designed for 'wet' areas such as bathrooms, showers and any areas where the public may come into contact with spilt water. There is a good selection of anti-slip vinyls to choose from, some of the top names such as Marley and Polyflor(James Halstead) being at the forefront. Some have a raised surface, allowing small amounts of wet to lay below the surface area. Others rely on the addition of tiny particles of carborundem(like stone) for their non-slip qualities.