Stockwell is a superb blend of both old and new. Step out of your tube station and you’ll see stately Victorian homes right next to modern new builds that have laminate floor and fitting fronts. No matter which kind of property you live in, prepping it for a new floor is just as important as the floor itself.
People devalue prep. They believe installation day is what counts and all that precede it is just admin. Not so. Fail to prepare, and you will never get the best laminate floor and fitting job.
Clear the Room, Properly
Seems pretty self-explanatory. Remove the furniture, lift the rug, you’re done. Well there’s one catch.
People tend to forget the things that don’t come immediately to mind.
Such as the drapes trailing the ground. Still partially filled bookcase. That lamp that hasn’t been unplugged.
A clutter-free room really helps the pace. All the fitters are far quicker, more precise and fewer “Ohh.. Carefull that vase” moments when you haven’t got to slave your way between sofas and piles of tea cups. If your in a Stockwell flat, squeezing your furniture into a hall or another room on installation day can really help.
Your Pets also need putting right. A nosey cat snooping on new underlay is funny until you’ve got a blender.
Check What’s Underneath Your Current Flooring
This is where it all gets a bit fun. Quite a few of the houses in Stockwell, particularly the older terraced properties closer to the high street, hide a former glory beneath 40 years of carpet. If you strip back the layers you’ll probably come across some very sellable lumps of timber, or some pretty decayed boards.
That’s important because it alters the entire preparation plan. Sometimes, in addition to cleaning and leveling the sound floorboards, you might only have to replace portions of those that are damaged. Others may have to be fully replaced if they are in compromised condition.
Taking a quick peek beneath your current floor, or speaking to floor fitters who are able to inspect it properly, can save you a lot of grief in the long run.
Sort Out the Walls and Skirting First
Painting before flooring is another common ‘boo boo’. It’s no joke to remove paint from a new laminate floor (as anyone who’s ever done it can tell you)and masking tape doesn’t help as much as you might hope. Use your decorating time to do your walls first.
Think about the skirting boards. Some can be taken off and re-fixed around new flooring for a better finish. Others prefer to leave them in place with the new floor set close to them. Either is fine, but decide before you begin so you don’t end up tackling the question halfway through.
Moisture Checks Matter More Than You’d Think
Stockwell is so near the river that older buildings can occasionally have problems with dampness, especially on ground-floor flats or basement conversions. Very often laminate flooring and dampness don’t make happy bedfellows and the moisture trapped beneath a new floor covering can lead to the floor bowing and warping, a lovely smell and the growth of those multiple tentacles called mould.
If you can, before you install measures the moisture content within the subfloor-a common task usually done in the kitchen, on the ground floor or near outside walls. Wood Floor Fitters London use trained teams who normally do this without needing reminders.
Detecting dampness early on is an investment of a lot less than paying for a ruined floor, six months further down the line.
A Real Example Worth Sharing
Last year, an empty flat just off Stockwell Park Walk needed new flooring. The tenant thought it’d be done in a morning. Instead, under the scrap carpet, there was a floor of rotted, water damaged boards. No-one had told her because no-one knew.
Discovering that so soon made a world of difference. The rotten area was removed, the sub floor was flattened and the laminate was installed smoothly a few days afterwards. If the rot had gone unnoticed, the new flooring would have failed in a couple of months at most. That’s the importance of good preparation and an experienced eye inspecting.
What to Do the Night Before Installation
Just the basics, but it makes a difference. Vacuum again. Make sure the room is totally clear.
Make sure animals are out of the area for the day.
If you have little kids, maybe go somewhere while work is being done.
Speak to your installer about access. Parking near Stockwell can be scarce, (particularly near the tube station and main shopping streets). Informing your fitters of parking restrictions or the entry code to the buildings in advance can eliminate potential delay to the installation even before it begins.
People Also Ask: Is laminate flooring a cost-effective solution for upgrading aging London homes?
Yes that is true and it’s one of the best options with regards to mixed and or uncertain subfloor situation particularly in the case of internal finishes on property. It is very tolerant of small imperfections in substrates after the large and more expensive subfloor problems have been rectified and is significantly cheaper than solid wood flooring. With the complex costs involved with improving the appearance of the Stockwell home versus those involved in many other parts of London an affordable laminate flooring installation would be very appealing. Opt out of carbon costs by using experienced fitters who prepare the property properly and this will give a quality performance floor that will last not only visually attractive.
Why Experience Changes the Outcome
Doing 20 years of fitting floors all over London teaches lessons a manual can’t. Which Stockwell roads often have damp basements. Which kinds of property are most likely to have rotted boards hiding beneath tired carpet. How to recognize problems early on.
This quality of knowledge can only be gained by doing the job thousands of times, over and over again, learning from the early mistakes and truly caring that the right thing is done for every customer. Best Flooring Fitters London has amassed the knowledge time and time again.
Preparation is where an installation is won or lost. Prepare properly and that floor will look great for years to come. Prepare improperly and you’ll soon be repairing it again.
Getting ready for a new floor in your Stockwell property? Don’t gamble on how to prepare. Call 020 3322 7001 and speak to some experienced, knowledgeable flooring professionals or visit https://flooringfitterslondon.org.uk/ to arrange a survey to help you prepare properly.