Floor Fitting Guide

Whenever you’re getting a home project done, hiring an expert is a good idea. This recommendation is especially true with flooring installation. Poorly installed vinyl floors can bubble and curl up at the edges, for example.

If you hire fitters that don’t know what they’re doing or are too lazy to do the job right, then chances are it won’t be long before your flooring needs replacement. It’s much better to get the job done right the first time.

Still, some people prefer doing things themselves. If you’re one of these people and don’t want to hire a professional, you must tackle the project with utmost care. With flooring, you must be patient and practice strict attention to detail. If you feel like that’s something you can achieve, go for it. But first, here are a few helpful tips to help you along the way.

Floor Preparation Before Fitting

Vinyl, laminate, carpeting, and other types of flooring all have different, unique installation processes. However, they all have in common a need for a steady hand, accuracy, and dedication. Keep in mind that any home improvement installation, including new flooring, is going to take time. Therefore, patience is a must for projects like this. Rushing the process only increases the chance of mistakes, which will probably take you even longer to fix. Not to mention they’re generally fairly expensive.

The first step is making sure you’re adequately prepared before beginning your project. There’s a lot that goes into flooring installation, and you don’t want to miss anything. In addition, some steps are time-sensitive, which means you won’t be able to fetch any tools or supplies that you forgot.

You also need to be sure you’ve got the layout planned correctly, especially with tiles or other segmented patterns. It’s not uncommon to see patterns that have been laid incorrectly or get cut off in a way that looks jarring and ruins the room’s aesthetic.

Since getting the flooring installation right the first time is so essential, below we have featured fitting instructions for the main steps of installation and fitting.

Taking Measurements For Your New Flooring

Before you begin installing your new flooring, you have to get the measurements for the area where the flooring will go.

To do so, we recommend drawing a rough diagram of the relevant areas of your home.

You don’t have to include every little detail, as long as the measurements are accurate.

Don’t forget to add a bit for excess.

Out With the Old, in With the New

Once you’ve taken measurements as accurately as possible, it’s time to begin tearing out the old flooring so you can replace it.

You’ll almost always have to remove the old flooring before you install the new one.

Under the old flooring will be the sub-floor, which is the base that the original flooring was installed atop.

The sub-flooring must be prepared before you begin the installation process

Placing & Fitting the New Flooring

Flooring has different fitting methods, but a few essentials remain the same. Always measure out and cut a slightly larger area than necessary to account for inaccuracy.

Lay the flooring down in position, making sure you have enough to reach every wall and corner of the room. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but make sure there is roughly 75mm of excess on every side. Do not cut it to size yet unless you have no other choice. Smooth out the flooring and dry-fit it, then begin at the longest wall and begin fixing it into place.

For carpet, you’ll use tack strips; for vinyl, glue; and for synthetic tiles or artificial wood products, you’ll be laying out the squares or strips and affixing them piece by piece.

The trick with each flooring type is to start off right at the longest wall and proceed steadily and patiently to the other end of the room. Only once the flooring is firmly affixed to the floor and abutting the wall without gaps should you trim away any excess. Very carefully fit, measure, and cut around any obstructions like support walls, doorways, cabinets, or irregular transitions to another room or flooring type.

For carpeting, crease it along the skirting board with a carpet tucker. Cut the carpet 5mm or so above its surface along the wall edges.

Fasten it to the floor along the longest wall with the appropriate fasteners, stretching the carpet as you go to avoid wrinkles when you’re finished.

Once the installation is complete, replace the skirting board to put your house back in sorts! 

For vinyl or laminate flooring, make sure the tiles or strips securely lock together or that the flooring is pressed firmly into the glue beneath. If glued, let dry.

If carpeting, tiles, or strips, make sure the entire floor is solidly fitted and replace the skirting trim to lock the flooring edges into place.

Now your room makeover is complete!

For expert fitting advice, feel free to contact Carpet City, or stop by our London Showroom to speak to a knowledgeable staff member.