There's A Whole World At Your Feet

Feb 24 2008 Donny Sheridan

Diy Donny Confused About What To Cover Your Floor With? Here's My Guide From Carpet And Tiles To Laminate And Real Wood

There are so many types of flooring available it's easy to be baffled by the choice - from wood, carpets and tiles to vinyl and laminate.

Before you go for the latest trendy look, keep your feet on the ground and work out whether it's what you need.

Think about what the room is going to be used for and how easy the floor will be to clean. My wife bought a white rug for the living room and, predictably, red wine was spilled on it.

How warm do you want the room to be and does it need to be soundproof?

Consider safety issues - there is no such thing as a non-slip floor.

And don't forget kitchen and bathroom floors will need protection against water. If you're confused about all the risks and choices, a good place to start is Carpetrite. They have a huge stock of different coverings. Phone 01475 722422 for more information.

Here are the main types of flooring to consider.

LAMINATE

There is nothing quite like laminate flooring for choice of colour and design.

The click system - in which the boards are locked together - makes it very easy to lay.

Laminate flooring is made of layers of compacted material with a wood effect on the top that is treated with a protective coating.

You can choose any colour and design for a decorative finish. Laminate flooring is hardwearing and suitable for most rooms but it is not waterproof.

It is a floating floor, which means it is not attached to the sub-floor.

TILES

Tiles are not only extremely durable, they also come in a huge range of decorative finishes.

With under-floor heating, they are no longer considered a cold surface.

The beauty of tiles is the limitless layouts you can create. The more difficult the pattern, the more skill is needed to lay them.

A herringbone layout may be too hard for the DIYer but there is nothing to stop you practising on a utility room or front step.

Make sure you use waterproof tiles in kitchens and bathrooms.

VINYL

PVC is a manmade material commonly known as vinyl. It's extremely hardwearing, looks new for longer and is suitable for wet areas such as bathrooms.

Vinyl is easy to lay compared to other floorings and costs a lot less money - which is why it is so popular.

But with modern strips such as Karndean, the cost increases. This flooring is in demand as it is durable, quicker to lay than tiles, easy to maintain and warm underfoot.

Decorative designs are easy and it looks realistic, whether it is a wood or tile effect.

WOOD

There are two types of wood flooring - engineered and solid. While the former is cheaper, hardwood flooring will last a lifetime.

It is ideally overlaid on to an existing timber floor but can also be laid over a concrete floor using clips.

Hardwood normally comes pre-varnished. With a little patience, an enthusiastic DIYer will be able to lay a wooden floor.

CARPET

Carpets offer luxury underfoot and there is a huge range in price and quality.

As well as natural and manmade fibres, there is also the underlay to consider.

Carpets are warmer and offer better acoustics than solid wooden floors.

Let's face it, if you lived in a tenement, would you want the flat above to have wooden floors or be carpeted?

DONNY'S LITTLE HELPER

Screwdriver bits are made to fit into cordless drills but there are different sizes to suit the range of screw heads. Use the wrong bit and you will chew the head of the screw or wear out the head of the bit. So buy a set of bits - a pack of five to 10 is a good starting point. Hold the screw on to the bit that fits and you will avoid damage.