Underlay

A lasting impression

A multitude of choice allows for finely tuned fittings

The Floorwise underlay collection is renowned for delivering added value and long-term performance.

When it comes to range, there are few UK brands that can manage the same level of choice in underlay. With recycled PU, rubber sponge, rubber crumb, wood and laminate, combination felt, acoustic, underfloor heating and LVT underlays, Floorwise has one of the widest collections available.

‘It is not just about the diversity of the collection. The company has worked hard to develop unique specifications that ensure quality at every price point. Be it a budget recycled PU like Initio or a premium rubber crumb option such as Champion, you can be sure that fantastic floors start with a Floorwise underlay,’ says Richard Bailey, Floorwise md.

‘We’ve made sure that our underlay collection provides options to keep everyone happy, not only in terms of choice and comfort but also long-term performance. Whether you’re installing a tufted carpet or tackling sound beneath laminate, you know that using Floorwise will keep your customers delighted well into the future.’

For carpet underlays, great performance comes in a balance of comfort and long-term support. The recovery of the underlay plays a key role in getting this balance right – Floorwise calls this ‘bouncebackability’, and density is a controlling factor, which is why it offers several options. A prime example is its recycled PU underlays, with densities from MD+ (Medium Density Plus) right up to UHD+ (Ultra High Density Plus). Along with altering the thickness of the underlay, this approach ensures comfort expectations are met and long-term support delivered in line with budget.

It is also keen to promote a systembased approach to carpet underlay, highlighting the importance of suitable grippers. The Diamond gripper enjoys an enviable reputation among installers as an option for high-quality underlays, holding carpet well over thick 11mm products, as well as giving a better hold over the carpet’s lifetime. For more costconscious jobs, its Premium gripper range delivers a value product that delivers reliable quality and strong hold.

‘The installation is just as important as the carpet in meeting the expectations of the homeowner,’ says Bailey. ‘Underlay that fails to give that all-important comfortable underfoot feel from the off will leave a homeowner disappointed, but one that loses its comfort too quickly will also leave a less than glowing lasting impression. Floorwise underlays and grippers let retailers and installers fine-tune the installation, so that every floor feels fantastic.’ Visit: www.floorwise.co.uk

renu has won awards

286 rolls of renu were used at the COP26 summit before being recycled

A greener option

renu is 98% recycled and 100% recyclable

In today’s climate-conscious world, it is more important than ever to offer customers eco-friendly flooring solutions. Manufactured at Interfloor’s site in Haslington, Lancashire, renu is an innovative high-quality underlay that combines Tredaire’s established features of luxury and comfort with the vision to aim for 100% recycling in the manufacture and afterlife of a high-quality underlay.

It is a product created from the results of its own in-house consumer research targeted at UK homeowners. Of the participants contacted, 88% said they would choose a carpet underlay that is recycled/recyclable over one that is not. They also ranked end-of-life recycling as the most important factor when choosing a product for the home.

From this data, it was clear that a new and innovative solution was needed.

Interfloor has used post-consumer waste, car tyres and plastic bottles in the manufacture of its underlay for many years. But with renu it has gone further, responding to the aspiration for a fully sustainable product. It is 98% recycled, using ethically sourced and genuinely recycled materials, which means it keeps waste from going to landfill, and it is 100% recyclable itself.

The main body of the underlay is made of foam reclaimed from recycled soft furnishings. The foam is then mixed with a binding agent and subjected to high-temperature steam under high pressure.

The backing is made from 100% recycled and unbleached paper and vegetable-based inks are used for printing. The facing film is made from

renu POS

an ethically produced, carbon-negative bio-based film made from sugar cane. The sugar cane actively captures CO2 from the atmosphere, at the same time releasing oxygen – making this material not just green, but proactively green.

Energy-efficient renu has a high tog rating, which means it is a great insulator which will help keep houses warm and save energy.

The point of underlay is that it feels great and prolongs the life of a new carpet – and renu, being made from high-density foam and with a thickness of 9mm, is suitable for all areas of the home. An award-winning product that remains true to luxury and comfort whilst helping to meet the environmental expectations of a modern world. Visit: www.interfloor.com/renu

Heatflow allows the warmth from underfloor heating to pass quickly into the room

Shhh…

Heatflow sits between the flooring, moisture membrane, underfloor heating and subfloor

Quality underlay makes all the difference for wood and laminate floors

When consumers buy hard floors, they want to know that noise and energy efficiency are top priorities for manufacturers. Interfloor provides that reassurance with its specialist underlays for wood and laminate flooring offering some of the best noise-reducing performance in the industry. The Duralay Timbermate range includes the best-selling sponge rubber Timbermate Excel and Silentfloor Gold.

One of the most important benefits of specialist underlays for hard floors is a reduction in impact sound. We all know that walking on a hard floor can be both loud and sharp, and the right quality underlay will make a big difference in reducing the sound. Tests show in-room acoustics can worsen if inferior underlays are used under hard flooring: a lightweight, air-filled, cellular product creates an echo chamber and amplifies sounds.

Duralay Timbermate underlays reduce in-room noise by up to 30%. Independent tests prove the products, with their superior weight and density, significantly reduce acoustic noise levels and all have achieved low SONE ratings and impressive soundreduction ratings. Silentfloor Gold achieves a substantial sound reduction of 24dB and Timbermate Excel is close behind with 23dB.

Timbermate Excel is a 3.6mm gauge high-density resilient rubber underlay, while the top-end Silentfloor Gold is a 4.2mm gauge high-density resilient rubber underlay. Cold, hard groundfloor subfloors such as concrete are more prone to moisture damage, so both feature a vapour barrier which helps to repel moisture and protects the flooring.

Laminate panels need to be evenly distributed and fixed securely in place so they don’t move or warp. A lot of subfloors are slightly uneven or bumpy, which can affect the quality of the laminate installation. Therefore, installing an underlay evens out small imperfections in the subfloor. Helping ensure the laminate is level and stable prevents overstraining of joints in wood and laminate boards, which then extends the lifespan of the flooring.

For underfloor heating, Duralay Heatflow Wood & Laminate is a specialist low-tog and high-density resilient rubber underlay. It also helps to keep noise to a minimum with a rating of 21dB and, in doing so, like all Interfloor underlays, creates the perfect ambience for a much more peaceful place to be.

Heatflow has a low tog rating, allowing the warmth generated by underfloor heating to pass quickly into the room. It conducts more heat than other underlays, which makes it an ideal choice for installations with underfloor heating, bringing greater heating efficiency and the potential for reducing heating bills.

In addition, Duralay Technics 5 is a high-specification, twin-scrim underlay that is an excellent choice for engineered wood flooring. Due to its density and Textron backing, Technics 5 provides exceptional dimensional stability, thereby providing a perfect base for the flooring, reducing overstraining on joints and greatly reducing both impact and airborne sound between rooms with a sound reduction rating of 29dB. Visit: www.interfloor.com

Timbermate sample pack

Rope tricks

Tradition has inspired a first-time collaboration

Taking inspiration from the classic Orkney chair (seen opposite) Vincent Van Duysen has created his first design for Kettal: Giro.

‘The initial and core idea and research behind this collection was about the rope, using it in a different way by sewing several together in order to create the shape of the product itself. A big source of inspiration has been the Orkney Chair. As a great example of vernacular product design, this classic has inspired me to draw on the past with an eye to today’s and Kettal’s technology expertise.

‘Whereas in the Orkney the rope was made of real rope, Giro hinges on the flexibility of recycled polypropilente rope and on the necessity to produce such a collection industrially. There is a respect for the tradition and craftsmanship, but translated to an actual modern up-to-date version, taking all the profit of the actual technology and know-how of Kettal,’ he says.

‘The study of vernacular furniture can teach us a lot, not only about the development of understandings of furniture, or the development of societies and cultures, or about relationships between furniture and wider realities, but also how the position

The collection is made up of a folding dining chair, stackable dining chair, club armchair, a three-seater sofa, modular upholstery and side, dining and centre tables

of furniture as a cultural good, as a good embedded in a culture and society, can see furniture serve as a component of projected understandings of heritage and identity, and in doing so can endow attributes on an object of furniture it doesn’t naturally, inherently, possess.

‘Based on adding a natural material to a very sustainable material that can face all kinds of weather, the result is a very comfortable, welcoming look and feel. The start of a range that boasts warmth, elegance and cosiness.’

The collection consists of dining chairs and tables, sofas, and centre and side tables.

‘The combination with teak gives it a very natural, authentic aspect. The materials are the protagonists of the collection, which seems almost not designed, it comes naturally together. Therefore, the attention to details is essential. That’s why we attached a deep attention to the intrinsic qualities of each material: the pattern of the rope (twisted), its thickness, its stitching and sewing details. But also, the joinery details, definition of edge radius, sections of the teak.

‘In Giro, we have some variety of shapes, textures and materials, such as the difference between the seating items and the coffee and side tables. And still all the items merge harmoniously together to create a warm, tactile and pleasant atmosphere.

‘Giro is a collection that can blend into interiors and exteriors due to its tactility and pure lines.’ Visit: www.kettal.com

The range is inspired by the Orkney Chair

For everyone

A comprehensive package of benefits is on offer

Members can de-brand and use the Pure brand

SMG aims to have something for every retailer, large or small, long established or just starting out. Members run their business as they see fit but gain advantage from a comprehensive package of benefits and a low annual membership fee.

SMG members have more than 450 retail outlets throughout the UK, allowing the group to offer independent retail members a package of benefits including preferential group pricing, rebates, promotions, a central ordering facility and options for own-branding. SMG also offers retailers the opportunity to purchase furniture and beds from some of the top industry suppliers.

SMG’s bespoke own-branded unitary under the Pure banner is designed to be a ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ option for members, giving retailers everything they need to optimise their de-branded offer in store. Retailers can choose from a range of bespoke unitary and then select from a basket of products, including topselling ranges from the best suppliers in the industry, covering every price point.

There is something for every store, large or small – featuring carpet, carpet tiles, vinyl, underlay or LVT, and members don’t even need to have a direct account with the supplier whose product they feature.

As well as this range of own-branded products, a tailored de-branding service is available, giving maximum flexibility and offering members the opportunity to design their own branding using their own artwork and logos.

‘Independent retailers are attracted to joining SMG as the group guarantees that members can retain their complete independence but at the same time benefit from preferential discounts, rebate schemes and promotions from a comprehensive range of approved suppliers. On top of this, members can also access products from any approved supplier via our Central Purchasing Scheme, even without a direct account. And with Pure they can access an exclusive own-brand range should they wish to – to any extent that suits their own business,’ says Mike Reed, SMG head of operations.

‘Not only do members benefit from great terms but SMG offers a business support package that is second to none. With a free-of-charge business support helpline, bespoke SMG retail insurance, IFC options, discounted utility brokerage and preferential credit-card rates, it’s an all-round great deal. The key driver for SMG has always been to create profitable partnerships between members and approved suppliers. Both have the same goals and SMG is able to deliver more sales and greater profitability for both.’ Visit: www.smg-group.co.uk

Refurbishing rather than replacing the existing sign at Manns Carpets, Wallsall

Individuality

Bespoke support allows members to pursue their own marketing identity

The Metro buying group has represented independent flooring retailers since 1979 and for more than 20 years it has also recognised the importance of assisting retailers in marketing the products they sell.

Following the introduction of Metro’s own label, Carpet 1st, in the mid 1990s, the group has constantly looked for ways to support retailers and the sale of not only own-label products but also any products to help members make a profit.

Metro’s marketing service in 2022 is at its most versatile yet with a dedicated marketing team which assists not only with flooring displays but also with any possible project that a retailer may wish to undertake. From a label to a poster, all print work is designed and printed in-house at subsidised rates, covering almost anything a member requires.

Metro’s members are spread across the UK and work has been carried out from Aberdeen to the Isle of Wight and Northern Ireland.

Metro prides itself on allowing members to retain their independence, and having a bespoke marketing service allows members to pursue their own marketing identity while being supported by the group with more than 30 years of advertising and marketing experience. Work is carried out remotely and/or on site from a fully equipped marketing vehicle, with display and sign-making printers and access equipment allowing the team to work on site and at height if required.

The group has continuously invested in equipment and facilities to make sure that no job is too large or small to handle. One such job was carried out recently in Walsall at Manns Carpets, where it made more sense to refurbish what would be a very expensive sign to replace. The sign was remanufactured and existing framework used to create effective results at minimum cost.

Not every job needs to be done on-site and smaller projects are completed in its own studio and production unit and despatched nationwide. From price cards to pavement signs, everything is designed, printed and completed in-house. Visit: www.carpet1st.co.uk

The refurbished sign