We use cookies to make your experience better. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
0121 328 5391
Flooring Buying Guide
How to buy flooring guide
We know it’s not easy deciding on which flooring to buy especially when it’s for decorating your home, office or investment property. This guide can help you to make the right choice on buying flooring that will suit your purpose and needs.
Choosing the right floor
Before you go ahead towards looking at the types of floors available you should identify some key points that will help to narrow your choice of flooring.
Here a few important questions and suggestions to get you started:
- Where will the floor be installed? At home? At Work? Or Investment Property?
At Home – you may want to splurge a little and get the floor that will complement your décor which you will look at and appreciate every day.
At Work – you may want to consider something that is hard wearing and easy to maintain.
Investment Property – it depends on the value of the property and the type of tenants you want to target.
- How much foot traffic will you expect?
The busier it is the more pressure on the floor. This will determine the thickness and the quality of the floor to give you more durability
- Will the floor be exposed to water or moisture?
Kitchens and bathrooms require more water resistance with protective layers on the surface such as laminate.
- What is the size and orientation of the room or space?
If you have smaller and longer rooms you may want lighter colours with narrower planks to give a more spacious perception of the room. If you have larger and wider rooms you may want to choose darker and wider planks.
- What about the other rooms?
You may want to keep the rest of the rooms or surrounding areas of the similar shade, colour and finish to maintain consistency.
Types of Flooring
Floors Direct offer three types of flooring each with different characteristics, budget and purpose.
Laminate
If you want a lot of choice in shades of colours, effects, thickness and finishes then laminate flooring will certainly offer you the biggest selection to browse with the best chances to find the desired floor you’re looking for. Other than choice of range, laminate also offers you the cheapest solution to changing your floor.
What is Laminate Flooring?
In summary, laminate flooring is made from a combination of wood materials with a laminated photographic film on the surface to achieve an endless possibility of effects which gives the floor its finished look.
Types of Laminate
Textured Laminate
The textured laminates have slight ripples on the surface to give a wooden look and feel.
It provides a balance between laminate and natural wood.
Hand-scraped Laminate
This type of laminate offers a rougher finish closer to a natural looking finish.
This type is suited for cottages and real wood lovers.
Smooth Varnished
This is a more of a glossy effect laminate for a more modern and contemporary look.
It can be slippery and shiny but can look very sleek in your lounge of office meeting room.
V-Grooved
This is a feature that is manufactured with most laminate planks that gives a defined grooved line in between each plank.
The impact of the line depends on the colour of the groove.
Budget: the cost of laminate ranges from £4 per m² to £30 per m²
Suitability
Laminate flooring is ideal for areas with a high footfall whether it is in your home or commercial places such as offices and retail shops. As it is designed for moisture resistance it can be applied to floors that may be subject to water and damp such as kitchens, bathrooms and production areas.
