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Flooring solutions

• What floor to choose

• Preparing your floor

• Installing underfloor heating

• Planning your floor tiles

• Tiling your floor

• Laying carpet tiles

• Laying laminate flooring

• Laying sheet vinyl

• Painting a concrete floor

• Attaching a new skirting

Flooring & Tiles

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1

What floor to choose ....................................................................... 2

Preparing your floor ........................................................................ 3

Installing underfloor heating .............................................................. 5

Planning your floor tiles ................................................................... 9

Tiling your floor ............................................................................... 14

Laying carpet tiles .......................................................................... 20

Laying laminate flooring ................................................................... 22

Laying sheet vinyl ............................................................................ 26

Painting a concrete floor.................................................................... 29

Attaching new skirting ...................................................................... 31

Contents

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What floor to choose

WALL TO WALL CARPETInstalling wall to wall carpeting is not a typical DIY job as it requires specialised tools and equipment. Builders Warehouse and selected Builders Express stores offer a professional carpet installation service and a range of products to choose from.

TILE CARPET VINYLSHEETING

LAMINATE SEALEDCONCRETE

KITCHEN

LOUNGE

BATHROOM

CORRIDOR/HALL

STAIRS

DININGROOM

BEDROOM

STUDY/OFFICE

x

x

x

x

x

xx

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Preparing your floorBefore you start laying flooring, careful surface preparation is essential.

• Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove all dust.

• Remove any paint, oil, grease or solvent-based materials.

• Smooth out any lumps or depressions.

• New flooring laid on a properly prepared surface will look better and last longer.

• Tiles will crack and break if not laid on a level surface.

• Test different parts of the floor with a spirit level to ensure all of it is completely flat.

• Any damp in the floor must be sorted out. Either lay a waterproof membrane over it or seal the concrete, but, most importantly, block off the source of the damp.

ENSURE THE FLOOR IS CLEAN, LEVEL AND SOUND

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Clean with a detergent and water. If your floor is uneven then you will need to level it. You can lay most types of flooring directly onto concrete. Tiles can be more forgiving of an uneven floor as you can use the tile adhesive to fill the hollows. You could even just clean and seal your concrete floor instead of tiling it.

CONCRETE FLOOR

Irregular or powdery concrete floors might require sealing and levelling with a wet-mix topping. Seal the floor with a mixture of 1 part bonding agent to 1 part water, then coat with a slurry made up of 6 parts fine-grained sand (plaster sand) to 1 part cement and water. Spread the slurry in an S pattern and work from side to side. Check that your floor is indeed level after the slurry has dried and set. Leave to dry overnight.

TILES

It is always best to remove old tiles before laying new ceramic or stone floor tiles. However, new tiles can be laid directly on top of old ones after these have been coated with a primer. This, however, will affect your floor height and doors may have to be trimmed.

SKIRTING

If you are tiling your floor, you will need to remove your skirting beforehand and then replace it afterwards to cover the untidy cut edges of the tiles around the perimeter. When laying laminate, you can choose whether to run it up to the skirting and cover the gap between them with an additional edge cover, or to remove and reattach the skirting as with tiles. Vinyl sheeting and carpet tiles are usually laid up against skirting, so there’s no need to remove it.

LEVELLING CONCRETE

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Underfloor heating is essential in the colder parts of our country, however the builders of your house might not have thought so and now you are stuck with using heaters in every room. But all is not lost. Should you decide to put down new flooring, you could very easily install DIY underfloor heating at the same time. Tile Warm and WarmUp offer ranges of underfloor heating which put the heating element as close to the surface as possible, as opposed to burying it in the underlying slab.

Installing underfloor heating

HOW TO

UNDER TILE HEATING

1

1 Prep floor as for tiling, including removing any old flooring, to create a clean, sound, level and dry surface.

What you will need:

- Fastset tile adhesive

- Tile Warm kit

- Steel float with rounded corners

- All things necessary for tiles: Tiles, adhesive, spreader, spacers, grout, sealer

- Thermostat

2 PEOPLE

SKILL

13 5

4 HOURS

6

2

2 Decide on the best position for the power source as the thermostat will have to be plugged into a socket after being wired to the element.

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3 Connect the KlimaGuard (included in the kit) to check that your system will work. Leave it connected throughout the installation process, including the tiling afterwards, as it will let you know if any damage occurs during installation, thus giving you a chance to fix it before continuing.

4

4 Plan your layout of the heating element and the position of the electrical socket and mark both onto the floor with chalk or a pencil. Arrange for the element to cover 60-80% of the floor area. Bathrooms are generally given 100% coverage.

5

5 Chisel a 10 mm deep recess in the floor where the thermostat will go for the connector blocks to be recessed into the floor. Stop the trunking for the cable to the electrical outlet about 100 mm away from the outlet to leave room for an optional multiplug socket.

7

Do not allow any heavy or sharp objects to fall on, stand on, run over or be dragged across the heating element while it’s being installed, and keep the KlimaGuard attached until the tiling is complete.

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6 Prime the surface with the primer included in the kit and allow it to dry. Wash the roller with warm water after use.

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7 Place the element as per your plan, leaving a gap of 50 mm between the lines of wire. Do not walk on the element or damage it. If you do need to walk on it, cover it with cardboard first. Pull the wax paper off one side of the double-sided tape that comes with the element, a little at a time, and stick the tape to the floor according to your plan, ensuring you keep it straight and cutting it where necessary to maintain the 50 mm gap. Now remove the wax paper from the other side and stick the element to the floor, also keeping it straight and under slight tension. Never cross the wires or lay them less than 50 mm apart.

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8 Place green reinforcing mesh, sticky side down, over the element. Cover the whole element and connector block, cutting the mesh to fit where necessary. Press the mesh down so that it sticks to the floor and keeps the element in position. Do not overlap the mesh.

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9

9 Mix good quality, fast-setting floor tile adhesive as directed by the manufacturers to make a smooth paste. Make up the liquid of water and KlimaFlex additive. 20 kg tile adhesive is enough to cover 5 m².

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10 Spread the adhesive evenly over the mesh with a steel float. Make sure the element doesn’t move and that the adhesive penetrates the mesh. Continue until the mesh and element are completely covered. Let the adhesive harden and dry completely.

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11 Tile the area as per normal with tile adhesive and your choice of tile.

Consult an electrician when installing your thermostat.

There are great under-laminate and under-carpet DIY heating options available in the WarmUp range. Ask at Builders for details on how easy each is to install when you’re re-flooring a room. The element sits between the underlay and the carpet or laminate, and heats up within 30 minutes of being turned on. No long waiting before you feel the warmth, and no on-all-the-time energy consumption.

UNDER RUG HEATING

A Rug Buddy is a great alternative to traditional heaters. You plug it into a normal wall socket and place it between a non-slip mat and your rug.

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9

Planning your floor tilesFloor tiles can be laid either square against the walls or on the diagonal. You also have the option of creating a border around them or letting them run right up to the walls.

It is easy to work out how many tiles you will need

Length x width + 10% waste = m² of tile needed

• Measure your room, taking into account any recesses for windows, arches and fireplaces that will add to the floor space and any built-in cupboards that will reduce it.

• Calculate how many tiles you will need and add a percentage for ‘waste’. When tiling on the diagonal add 15%, but for simple designs add 10%. Rather overestimate, especially if it is your first tiling project.

• You will want 6-12 extra tiles to keep at the end of your project so you’ll have some with which to fix cracked or broken tiles in the future. If you have chosen a particular colour grout, keep some of that too.

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GROUT AND ADHESIVE

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1 Locate and mark the mid-points of opposite walls.

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2 Stretch the chalk line from one mid-point to the other (you could ask another person to hold one end of the line for you, or drive a nail into the floor to tie it to).

3

3 Pull the string taut, then lift it and let it snap down. You will now have a straight chalked line on the floor.

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4 Repeat from the mid-points of the other two walls. Where the lines cross is the middle of the room.

The spread rates for both of these products will be indicated on the packaging, but the amount you actually need will depend on how much you use, how big the gaps are in your spreader, and how level your floor is. Unopened packets are usually returnable. If the floor is level and smooth, then 3-6 m² per bag is the average spread rate for tile adhesive. Note that larger tiles and uneven floors need more adhesive. Never use too little tile adhesive as it will result in hollows and possible weak points that might crack.

PATTERNS

If you are creating a pattern with contrasting colours — which can look very effective — you will want to draw your room to scale and plot exactly how to arrange the tiles. This is when to decide whether you want to frame the room with a border, or hide the messy edges with skirting.

FIND THE CENTRE OF THE ROOM

The best place to start tiling a floor is in the exact middle. To help you find this point you will need a chalk line. Rub a piece of string, slightly longer than the width of the room, with chalk, or buy some ready-made chalk line. Then...

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STRANGELY SHAPED ROOM

1 Snap the first chalk line.

2 Tie 1 metre of string to a pencil and get a helper to hold the end of the string down on one end of the chalked line. Keeping the string taut, draw an arc on the floor with the pencil so that it intersects with the chalked line. Repeat from the other end of the chalked line.

3 Now ask your helper to hold the end of the string on the point where one of the arcs intersects the chalked line. Again keeping the string taut, draw arcs on the left and the right of the chalked line and at an angle of 45° from it.

4 Repeat from the other side.

5 You will now have two points where the 45° arcs cross one another. Snap your chalk line between these two points to create a second chalked line that should meet the first at 90°.

6 This is the mid-point of the entire room and where you should lay your key tile.

1m

1m

Mid point

1m

1m

Mid point

mark arcs

Mid point

Correctplacementof secondchalk line

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KEY TILE

The first tile laid is the known as the ‘key’ tile as it determines the position of all the other tiles and therefore the pattern and final look of the finished floor. So it is very important that this tile is in the right place. Rooms are seldom completely square and the walls might also not be straight, which is why you start at the centre of the room and not in a corner.

Here are the various positions where you could place your key tile in relation to the

HOW TO PLAN YOUR TILING

The centre of a room is usually its focal point; however the focal point could also be an area the eye is drawn to — the floor in front of the fireplace, say, or a bay window. In such cases you should start your tiling from the centre of this area first so that it will look the best.

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1 Find where to position your key tile by snapping chalk lines, as above.

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2 Dry-lay your key tile where you want it. All the other tiles will follow the lines created by it, so put some thought into its placement and the consequences thereof, i.e. waste and extra cutting.

3

3 Dry-lay a row of tiles, with spacers, from your key tile to one wall.

4

4 Adjust the position of the key tile so that the edge tile (the one against the wall), which will probably have to be cut to size, won’t be too narrow. A row of very narrow tiles never looks good. Ideally, edge tiles should be ½ a tile in width. Move your tiles, and adjust the spacing, until you achieve good-sized edge tiles.

If your tiles come from different batches – shuffle them together so that you lay them randomly and thus make any colour difference less noticeable.

chalked X marking the centre of the room.

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T-moulding: For the joints between floors of the same

End moulding: For an attractive finish where shoe moulding is not possible.

Reducer strip: To create a neat transition between flooring of different heights (concrete to tile, laminate to wood etc.)

Stair nosing: For the overhangs of steps. Screw and glue into place.

5 Dry-lay tiles to the other sides of the room, adjusting all the tiles if necessary, until you have a clear idea of where best to finally lay your key tile.

6 If you’ve chosen a focal point other than the middle of the room, snap chalk lines to establish exactly where the centre of this point is and plan your tiling from there. Adjust your layout to make the tiling around doorways and edges look good.

7 You are now ready to begin properly laying the tiles.

DETERMINING SPACING• The normal gap between tiles is 1.5 – 5 mm. • Use spacers to make sure the gap is uniform throughout the room. To decide what size gap looks best, lay out 9 tiles in 3 rows of 3 and adjust the spacing between them. • Do not lay tiles too close together as there will probably be some variation in their sizes and then you’ll have a problem lining them up.• Ensure the gaps are accurate and even and position the tiles against a straight edge to keep them aligned.• You can place your spacers at the corners of your tiles or standing on edge between them. Standing them on edge means using more spacers per tile but as the adhesive starts to set you can pull them out to use with the next section.

Stone-look tiles and tiles with a pattern will hide dirt better, so are a good choice for high traffic areas. Smooth, glossy tiles can be slippery when wet and, although easy to clean, do show up dirt -- as do very dark and light colours.

EDGING

Shoe moulding: For covering the expansion gap around the perimeter of the tiling. Nail to the skirting.

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There are different types of edging – choose the correct one/s for your needs from the list below:

height, or two different laminate floors.

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Tiling your floorTiled floors are durable, easy to clean and a great way of bringing a clean bright look into a room. They are suitable for a wide range of locations, particularly ‘wet’ areas such as bathrooms, and there is a huge range of colours and patterns to choose from.

HOW TO

1 Dry-lay your tiles to ensure that your pattern and spacing work and that you have enough tiles. It will also enable you to identify any major colour deviation.

1

SAFETY GEAR

• Safety glasses• Dust mask• Rubber gloves (for grouting)

Although it is not particularly difficult, laying tiles is meticulous work that requires patience and time.

What you will need:

- Tiles

- Tile adhesive

- Grout - Tile cutter, tile pincers, angle grinder with diamond blade

- Serrated trowel

- Grout spreader

- Sponge & bucket

- White rubber mallet- Spirit level

- Straight edge

- Chalk line

- Tile marker (whiteboard marker)

- Spatula

- Reducer or edging- Chisel and hammer

- Spacers

1PERSON 1

SKILL

3 5

3 DAYS

15

2

2 Using a hammer and chisel, cut notches in the floor. This will give the adhesive more to grip on and make it less likely that you will have tiles lifting in the future. Clean area to remove all dust.

3

3 Starting where your key tile is to be placed, apply adhesive to the floor with a serrated trowel. To ensure the tiles are level, make the adhesive a uniform thickness. Hold the trowel vertically, whether applying adhesive to the floor or directly to a tile. Tile adhesive remains workable for only about 10 minutes, so work quickly and don’t spread it over too big an area.

4

4 Lay the key tile and the first row of tiles against a straight edge. To lay a tile, hold it in both hands, position the back edge against the previous row or a straight edge, and drop it gently into place. Gently move the tile around with the palms of your hands and then ease it into the correct position.

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5 Place spacers between the tiles to keep them the same distance apart. You will need to remove the spacers before or during grouting.

6

6 As you lay each row, spread only enough adhesive for 3-4 tiles at a time.

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7 Continually check that the tiles are level, adjusting them where necessary by lightly tapping down any proud edges with a rubber mallet. Don’t hit the tiles too hard because some break easily.

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8

8 If a tile sits low, it usually means there’s not enough adhesive under it. Lift the tile, add more adhesive and press it down again.

9

9 Once you get to the edge of the room you will no longer be able to lay whole tiles but have to cut them to size. First, though, clean up all adhesive that has squeezed out from under the laid tiles.

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10 To accurately measure where to cut an edge tile, place it on top of the last full tile laid. Align a third tile on top of both and push it to the wall. Use the edge of the third tile to draw a line on the tile to be cut. Use a whiteboard marker as it won’t stain the tile. Cut the tile just short of the line to allow for spacers.

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11 Apply adhesive to the back of the tile and place it in position.

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12 Don’t assume your room is square. Measure, mark and cut each edge tile separately.

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13 Make sure you clean up all excess adhesive from between the tiles and on their surfaces.

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14 Let the adhesive cure for a full 24 hours before grouting.

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15 Mix the grout and water in a bucket to a runny consistency.

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16 Wearing rubber gloves and using a spreader, sweep the grout over the tiles until it completely fills the gaps between them.

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17 Run the end of a piece of dowelling or similar object (even your finger will do) firmly along the grout lines. This will improve the finished look of the grout while simultaneously compacting it.

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18 Clean off any excess grout as you go.

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19 Allow the grout to set for 10-15 minutes, then clean the tiles twice with a sponge and water. The first sponging will level the grout in the joints and clean the corners and skirting; the second will clean the tiles. Allow the grout to dry.

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20 Sponge the surface of the tiles again to remove any smears left after drying. For large areas, change the water often. To remove any final smears, use a solution of one cup white vinegar diluted in a bucket of warm water. Lastly, polish the tiles with a clean towel or bunched up newspaper.

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21 Let the grout cure for a day or two before allowing heavy traffic over the area.

Clean adhesive off tiles while still workable. It is very hard to remove when dry.

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Hone your skills on discards to improve your success rate, rather than risk expensive mistakes.

STRAIGHT CUTS

1 For straight cuts, use a tile cutter suitable for floor tiles, which are extremely hard and large.

1

2

2 Set the cutter up on a firm, level, stable surface. Hold the lever down with your forefinger on top.

Score the tile once with the wheel of the cutter, maintaining a firm, steady downward pressure throughout the stroke.

HOW TO CUT TILES

4

4 Reposition the lever near the centre of the tile and press it down firmly to snap the tile. Professional tilers often snap tiles by pressing on them with the palms of their hands instead of using the lever.

COMPLEX CUTS

Use a hacksaw or an angle grinder fitted with a diamond-tipped blade. Diamond blades are pricey but worth it as they make the job much easier. Wet saws, with a water-lubricated diamond blade, can be hired. These are very accurate and essential for cutting stone tiles, such as those made from marble, granite or slate.

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2

2 Mark where to cut on top of the tile and place it on a stable, flat surface. Carefully guide the blade along the cut line. Complete any cuts that meet at an angle by notching out the corner of the angle fully.

3 Use a pair of tile pincers to nibble small pieces of waste from awkward corners.

3

3

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TILING ON THE DIAGONAL

For the best-looking job, minimise the number of cut tiles, keep diagonal cuts to halves, and arrange the tile pattern so it is symmetrical in relation to the most prominent wall.

• In order to achieve all this you can play with the size of the spacing between the tiles and the gap between the tiles and walls during the dry-lay phase.

• Check that your layout is square using a Pythagorean 3-4-5 triangle. This simple method allows you to establish or check whether corners make 90° angles. Mark a point 1800 mm away from a corner on one side and 2400 mm away on the other. Measure the diagonal distance between the two marks. The angle is exactly 90° if this equals 3000 mm. If your layout isn’t square, adjust it until it is.

• If a room itself is badly out of square, the edge tiles will need to be wider at one end of the room than they are at the other. Try to hide discrepancies in corners that receive the least amount of attention.

Keep a straight length of wood handy (or a straight edge) – ideally, it should be about three times longer than one of the tiles you are using. After laying each tile, place the length of wood on the tile so that it also rests on some tiles that have already been laid. If there’s a gap under it, add or remove adhesive beneath the newly laid tile until all the tiles, at all points, make a flat surface.

Wall2400

30001800

Wal

l

90°

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Laying carpet tiles

HOW TO

1 Find the centre of the room using a chalk line.

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2

2 Lay your key tile at this point and plan the pattern and placement of the other tiles out from it towards the walls. Take into account what size the edge tiles will be, as a thin strip of carpet will not look good, and adjust the layout accordingly.

What you will need:

- Edging

- Carpet tiles

- Steel ruler

- Paper (for any templates)

- Cutting blade

- Chalk line

- Pencil

- Carpet tape / contact adhesive

SKILL

13 51PERSON

6 HOURS

21

8 Repeat this process, working your way around the room. As rooms are not always square, measure each edge tile separately in the above fashion before cutting.

3

3 Using the attached tape, stick the tiles down, lay your key tile and a row of tiles out from it towards the walls on either side. Some carpet tiles do not have tape and you will need to use contact adhesive or carpet tape. Butt the edge of each tile tightly and squarely against the previous one, making sure not to trap any carpet pile in the joint.

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4 Position all the whole tiles before measuring and cutting the edge tiles and those around fittings.

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5 For tricky pipes and curves, create a paper template to use as a cutting guide.

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6 To cut edge tiles, place and align the tile to be cut on top of the last whole tile laid. Place another tile on top of the tile to be cut and push this tile squarely up against the skirting. Use the edge of this tile to pencil a line on the tile to be cut. Cut the tile along the line with a blade on a firm, safe surface. Place a spare tile or some wood underneath it to protect other tiles from being cut too.

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7 Fit the cut tile in place against the skirting.

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PATTERNS

Make your own patterns by mixing colours, laying tiles in a chessboard pattern, creating a border, or randomly adding tiles with a contrasting colour.

• A chessboard pattern is a bold, simple design. Use dark and light coloured tiles and alternate them to create the effect.

• Tiles of contrasting colours laid randomly is also a bold design and adds a contemporary look.

There are a number of edging options for handling the transition between carpet tiles and wooden, laminate or ceramic tile flooring. It all depends on whether one of the two sits proud or if they are both on the same plane, i.e. level to each other.

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Laying laminate flooringLaminate flooring is a great way to get the lovely natural look of wood at a fraction of the price of laying solid wood floors. It is scratch resistant and hard wearing, making it ideal in high traffic areas. DIY laminate flooring isn’t laid with an adhesive. It uses a locking system which makes installation quick and easy.

The floor must be level, dry and clean when laying laminate, and you need a good quality damp-proof underlay.

HOW TO

1 Clean the surface thoroughly and remove all grease, grime and dust. Unfortunately you cannot lay laminate over parquet or wall to wall carpeting.

1 2

2 Unwrap the laminate and leave lying flat for 48 hours in the room in which it is to be installed so that it can acclimatise to the room.

What you will need:

- Air-o-thene (underlay)

- Laminate flooring

- Sandpaper

- Masking tape

- Edging

- Circular saw or hand saw

- Transition pieces

- Tape measure

- Adhesive or skirting nails- Try square

SKILL

13 51PERSON

1 DAY

23

3

3 Cover the floor with an underlay (also sometimes called underfelt or Air-o-thene), taped together at the edges to create a damp-proof base on which to lay the laminate. This will stop the laminate from swelling, prevent damp seeping through the floor and smooth out minor unevenness. It is not necessary to tape the underlay to the floor as once the laminate is laid over the floor, it will not move.

4

4 Inspect each plank of laminate for defects before installing it.

5

5 Lay the planks from left to right. Start with the small lip facing the wall.

6

6 Use spacers to create an 8-10 mm expansion gap between the planks and any fixed objects (e.g. walls and built-in cupboards).

7

7 When laying the last plank in a row, turn it through 180° so the large lip faces the wall. Mark where to cut it in order to finish off the row. Don’t forget to leave the 8-10 mm expansion gap.

8

8 Turn the cut piece back through 180° so the small lip faces the wall and click it into place.

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9

9 Use the offcut to begin the next row, as maximum strength is achieved when the joints in adjacent rows are at least 40 cm apart. If the offcut does not allow this much separation, use a new plank and cut it as required.

10

10 Clip each plank into place (small lip into large) at a 20-30° angle and then lower it into place. As the planks are clicked into place they are placed under tension, drawing them together and ensuring they stay locked with no play or gaps.

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11 When laying the last row, turn the plank through 180° with their small lips facing the wall, allow for the expansion gap and mark where they need to be cut lengthwise.

For the best visual effect, lay laminate panels parallel to incoming light from windows and doors.

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12

12 Use a circular saw or hand saw to make the cut, then clip them into place.

13

13 Measure and cut the edging you have chosen. Use adhesive (if you have perfectly straight walls) or steel skirting nails to attach it to the walls. Never attach to the floor as the laminate needs freedom to expand and contract beneath the edging.

14

14 Choose appropriate transition edging for doorways (T bar or reduction), and nail or glue down the placement gutter that comes with it. Clip your transition into place in the gutter.

• The surface must be level, dry and clean.• Minor indentations must not exceed 2 mm over a 20 mm length.• If the surface is rough or has minor indentations deeper than 2 mm, apply a levelling screed.• Do not lay laminate on top of carpets or parquet flooring.• Laminate can be laid on top of tiles if they are solid, smooth and perfectly flat.• Always use a good quality damp proof underlay.

Since all timber products expand and contract, an 8-10 mm expansion gap must be left around the perimeter of the room. This is covered by edging or skirting connected to the wall so the wood can move underneath it.

TAKE NOTE

Do not clean laminate flooring with ordinary mops as they retain too much liquid and can cause the laminate to swell. Rather use a slightly damp cloth or a microfibre mop. Wipe up spills immediately before the liquid has time to seep into the joints.

• Always select the appropriate grade of laminate to suit the amount of traffic it will be subjected to -- low, medium or high (residential, office or commercial).

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Laying sheet vinyl

HOW TO

1 Measure the widest wall which the ends (not sides) of the sheeting will butt against, add 100-200 mm (to allow 50-100 mm on each side for trimming) and use the total to calculate how many strips you will need.

1

Measure the longest wall which the sides of the sheeting will butt against, add 100-200 mm for trimming and multiply the total by the number of strips. This will give you the minimum amount of sheeting you will have to buy. Take into account the need to match up patterns and if there are a lot of cut-outs to be made. Allow for the vinyl to extend halfway into doorways, and don’t forget to include alcoves and recesses.

8 HOURS

1PERSON 1

SKILL

3 5

SAFETY GEAR

• Safety glasses

2

What you will need:

- Scissors

- Tape measure

- Blade and replacement blades

- Adhesive

- Vinyl

- Straight edge

Try to use sheets

from the same batch

to avoid colour

variations in your

vinyl.

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3

3 After buying your vinyl, keep it in the room in which it will be laid for 48 hours to bring it to the room temperature. Vinyl becomes brittle when cold, so heat the room if you’re laying it in winter.

4 Unroll the vinyl about 25 mm away from the skirting of the longest uninterrupted piece of wall. Skirting boards are rarely perfectly straight so you will have to mark where to cut the sheet to ensure it fits snugly against the skirting. To do this you’ll have to make yourself a marking gauge.

4

5 To make a marking gauge, hammer a nail through a strip of wood, 30 mm from the end. Let the tip of the nail just protrude. Run the end with the nail squarely along the skirting and with the tip of the nail on the vinyl. The nail will mark the vinyl, providing you with a cutting line which will ensure that your sheeting fits neatly against the skirting. Cut along the line with scissors or a blade. Slide the vinyl against the skirting.

5

6

6 When lining up and trimming vinyl to fit into an internal corner, cut a V notch in it in line with the corner, using scissors. This will allow the vinyl to lie flat on the floor. The notch will come out of your trim allowance.

7 Make a sharp crease in the vinyl along the line where the

7

8 Hold a metal straight edge on the crease and use it as a guide to cut through the vinyl at a slight angle with a blade.

8

9 To fit the vinyl around external corners, make one straight cut in it down to the floor and in line with the corner, and turn the trim allowance up against the skirting on either side of the corner.

Cut the vinyl along the skirting as per steps 7 and 8.10

9

floor and skirting meet by pressing a wide chisel onto it and moving it along the line.

11 Once you’ve cut, trimmed and laid the vinyl fully, lift the edges and glue them to the floor.

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12 To join sheets of vinyl as you lay them, slide the new sheet along next to the previous one until their patterns match exactly. If you can’t do that, then overlap the sheets until the patterns match and cut through both using a blade. Don’t join sheets in a doorway where the joint will be subjected to lots of traffic and heavy wear and tear.

12

13 Fold back the edges of the sheets and, without moving them, glue them securely to the floor. Press down firmly with both hands along the glue line to ensure a good bond.

13

CUT OUTS• Fit your vinyl to go around irregularly shaped items such as a basin or toilet pedestal by folding it back on itself and cutting straight lines in it from the edge of the vinyl to the base of the item. Begin at the middle of the item, then work around it. Be very careful not to tear the vinyl or cut too far into it. You want the cuts to allow your vinyl to lie smooth and flat.

• Using a wide chisel, crease the vinyl around the base of the item.• Cut the vinyl along the crease, trimming each flap until the sheet fits perfectly.

• Lift the edge of the vinyl, apply adhesive to the floor around the item and press the vinyl back into place.

• An alternative to cutting the vinyl as above is to create a paper template of the base of the item and trace it onto the vinyl.

DOORWAY

Cut vinyl in the same manner around architraves and doorways. Make vertical cuts in the vinyl down to the floor so that it lies snugly up against the door frame. Remember to leave 100 mm excess on either side of the doorway for trimming. Press the vinyl into the angle between the door frame and floor to form a crease, and cut along the crease. Allow the vinyl to protrude halfway into the doorway. Fit edging to the vinyl in the doorway to protect it and prevent it from lifting. The edging should be covered when the door is closed.

PIPES

• To fit vinyl around a pipe, make one straight cut from the edge of the vinyl to the pipe, in line with the pipe, then make small cuts at the pipe end until the vinyl lies flat around the pipe. Trim the flaps of vinyl for a snug fit.

• Or you could make a paper template of the pipe and trace it onto the vinyl. You’ll still need to cut a line from the edge to the pipe so you can ease the vinyl around it.

If you are laying vinyl in a bathroom, glue the edges to the bathroom floor with a silicone sealant to create a waterproof barrier.

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Lifting old and outdated flooring and replacing it with stained and sealed concrete is a cheap and easy way of making a floor presentable, even modern. And you could still use it as a subfloor later on while maintaining a great look in the meantime. Fired Earth Trendy Floor is a single pack, high-quality, durable urethane concrete floor coating with a gloss finish.

Painting a concrete floor

HOW TO

1 Acid etch new or uncoated concrete surfaces with a dilution of 1 part spirits of salt to 5 parts water in a plastic watering can. Dampen the concrete with plain water, then apply the spirits of salt solution evenly over it. Leave the acid to etch the concrete for 5 minutes, then rinse it off thoroughly with clean water. It is important to rinse off all the acid to ensure the coating will bond firmly to the concrete. Allow the concrete to dry. Note that no etching is necessary if the concrete was previously coated, just a complete sanding. This will create a good base for adhesion for the new coating.

1

1PERSON 1

SKILL

3 5

2 DAYS

SAFETY GEAR• Safety glasses• Gloves• Dust mask

What you will need:

- Paintbrush

- Spirits of salt (hydrochloric acid)

- Fired Earth Trendy Floors

- Mohair roller & tray

- Plastic watering can

- Mineral turpentine

- Polycell brush cleaner

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2 Dilute the first coat of Trendy Floors with 10-15% of mineral turpentine. Apply it all in one session, don’t stop at all. Leave it to dry and wait 16 hours before recoating.

3 A second coat is always necessary. Paint it on undiluted and allow it too to dry for 16 hours.

Clean your brushes and roller with Polycell brush cleaner.

4

You will have to keep all traffic off the floor while the paint dries. Because the drying time for each coat is about 16 hours, take into account before you begin that you won’t be able to use the area for just over a day following each coat.

2

3

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Attaching new skirtingSkirting is a decorative form of trim designed to hide the often untidy line where a floor and a wall meet as well as protect the wall plaster from scuffs and knocks. It is also used to hide the roughly cut edges of tiles, laminate and sometimes carpeting. It can be varnished or painted, depending on the look you want.

SAFETY GEAR• Safety glasses• Ear plugs• Dust mask

HOW TO

1 Measure the perimeter of your room and add 20% wastage for cutting and errors. Remember to subtract the width of any doorways or built-in cupboards from the total.

1 2

2 Practise making a few mitre joints, getting the two halves to meet neatly, before trying to cut them on the lengths of skirting that will be going into or around your corners.

What you will need:

- Skirting- Tape measure

- Pencil

- Mitre saw

- Wood glue- Wood preserver- Primer- Paint - Paintbrush- Adhesive or masonry nails- Filler

- Sanding block & fine grit- Acrylic sealer

SKILL

13 51PERSON

5 HOURS

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3

3 Start with the longest wall. Measure and mitre cut the end of the board that meets a corner, remembering that the angle of the cut will be different for internal and external corners. Cut the skirting for both halves of the joint at the same time. Fit them together so they create a neat and attractive joint.

5 Fix your skirting in place with adhesive (if your walls are perfectly straight) or with two masonry nails every half metre or so. When using nails punch the heads well into the wood and cover them with filler (sanding them down before painting so they don’t show).

Fill the gap where the skirting meets the wall -- and any other gaps -- with sealer.

6

7 Paint on your final coat after masking off the floor and wall.

7

MITRE CUTTING FOR AN EXTERNAL CORNER• Find a length of wood about 50 mm wide.

• Place it on the floor against the one wall and use it to draw a line on the floor parallel to the wall.

• Run the line right past the corner. Do the same for the adjacent wall, so the two lines cross. Now draw a line from the point of the corner to where the lines cross.

• Use the marks to draw lines across the whole skirting. Do the same with the other piece of skirting, placing it against the adjacent wall. You now know where to cut each piece to get them to butt perfectly against one another and create a neat joint.

JOINING SKIRTINGIf a length of skirting is too short, attach it to another in the following manner.

• Cut the ends of both at opposing 45° angles so they fit together (a 45° joint is stronger than just butting two square ends against each other).

• Check that they fit together and sand the cut ends smooth.

• Glue the ends together and allow the glue to set. Fix the new, extended skirting to the wall as per usual.

REMOVING OLD SKIRTINGTap the blade of a bolster chisel between the wall and skirting with a hammer. When there is enough space for it, insert a crowbar. Slip a thin piece of wood between the crowbar and the plaster (to protect it), and lever the skirting off the wall.

5

you’ve drawn out from the point to mark on the front where the outer edge of the mitre cut will go.

Corner of wall

Two marks onskirting

• Press your skirting against the wall and use the point of the corner to mark on the back where the inner edge of the mitre cut will go, and the line

Before fitting wooden skirting, treat the back with wood preservative to extend its life, paint on a wood primer as well as the first coat of enamel. Leave the cut ends raw so you can glue them together.

4

If you want to keep the natural wood look, seal skirting before installing and patch with a coloured acrylic filler to match the wood. Use a final coat of sealer or varnish instead of paint.

33

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DisclaimerBuilders’ booklets, DVD’s and other guides are provided strictly for informational purposes only. The information contained herein is intended to provide general information with regard to simple DIY projects. As products, laws and regulations are continually changing, Builders takes no responsibility for the accuracy of information contained herein or any liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. It is the responsibility of the viewer/reader to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations as the case may be. Safety is important, make sure to take proper safety precautions and exercise caution when taking on any DIY project. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions and heed their guidance for using their product. Certain products or materials may only be available at selected Builders stores. If there is any doubt regarding any element of a DIY project please consult a professional.  Builders cannot be held liable for any loss, damage or injury that may result out of the use of the Builders’ booklets, DVD’s and other guides.  

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