FLOORINGNEWS Learning with Lion Floor

The affordability and durability of commercial sheet vinyl floors make them a popular choice for education environments. With high-traffic levels and a need to maximise value, it’s important that the installation upholds the integrity of the floor finish to maximise durability. Choosing Lion Floor ensures a subfloor for sheet vinyl floors that provides a smooth and flat finish with excellent durability.

Lion Floor is a pre-conditioned engineered fibreboard that’s made in Finland from locally sourced and highly sustainable wood by-products to be an alternative to BS 8203 compliant plywood. It’s construction and density mean it’s highly durable and impact-resistant and so ideal for education environments, as well as other contract flooring projects. Available in larger than 8'x4' sheet sizes for big areas, it is the first hardboard panel to be designed and manufactured specifically for the flooring industry.

Lion Floor eliminates the problems that come with the core gaps and overlaps found in plywood and unlike other oil-tempered hardboards, it doesn’t need wetting before installation. The flat, strong panel is ready to receive screeds and feather compounds and fitting is simple to, as it is laid in the same way as plywood and can be cut with either a knife or saw.

Peter Jones, Finnish Fibreboard (UK) Ltd, says: “Reliability is key to the long-term success of an installation and so it’s good to know that Lion Floor eliminates the potential pitfalls of using plywood, with an engineered fibreboard that’s reliable and confidence inspiring. What’s more, it’s also affordable and no more expensive than BS compliant plywood, making it a genuine alternative in education and other contract installations.” www.finfib.fi

Flooring guru joins fitting elite

Head of training at F. Ball and Co. Ltd., Tim Green, has joined an elite group of UK flooring professionals to achieve Master Fitter status.

Master Fitters are practising fitters who demonstrate the highest level of competence and knowledge in floorcovering installation, accredited by the National Institute of Carpet & Floorlayers (NICF). Founded in 1979, the organisation aims to promote excellence within the flooring industry and an understanding and awareness of the British Standards Code of Practice for the installation of textile, resilient and timber floorcoverings, as well as provide assurance of quality of workmanship to the public.

Candidates are required to demonstrate proficiency in installing a wide range of floorcoverings, including Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVTs), carpet and wood, through both practical and theory examinations, as well as submit references from people who can vouch for the standard of their work.

As head of training at F. Ball, Tim is responsible for devising and delivering courses at the company’s Centre of Excellence, which offers free, hands-on training for all flooring professionals, covering subfloor preparation and floorcovering installation through practical demonstrations and exercises using high-performance F. Ball products. Commenting on his award, Tim said: “I’m passionate about the flooring trade, and I pride myself on staying up-to-date with the latest in flooring industry developments, so I’m delighted to receive this award as recognition of that. I look forward to continuing to inspire the highest standards in flooring installation.”

T 01538 361 633 www.f-ball.co.uk

Wise advice with underlays

Consumers spend time deciding on the style of their carpet, but enhancing the longevity and comfort of their carpet with a good quality underlay is often an afterthought. With the wide choice of floorwise underlays, it is possible to make sure that every carpet benefits from better comfort and a longer life.

While it’s often tempting to skimp on underlay selection with budget carpets, a good quality underlay is really essential. This is because it flatters cheaper carpets by supporting the thinner pile thereby helping to prevent wear as well as masking imperfections in the substrate which will be felt through thinner low-quality carpet and underlay combinations. Worse still, budget underlays are generally thicker and less dense than better quality products, so carpets are prone to rucking and ruching as they compress over time. These problems are often exacerbated in the most used areas of the home, such as hallways, staircases, landings and lounges.

Andrew Gill, group product manager, floorwise: “A new carpet is an investment and something which customers want to make sure lasts. By recommending a quality underlay to provide the best support for their carpet, there’s a chance to secure extra revenue, and even if the customer doesn’t choose the very best, it’s likely they’ll opt for something above what they may have gone for without that recommendation, or if it was simply a price issue.”

The floorwise range features a wide choice of PU underlays, ranging from cost-competitive MD+ (medium density plus) qualities right up to UHD+ (ultra-high density plus) for the best long-term performance. With a quality underlay at every price point, retailers can be confident in finding an underlay that gives the best possible support for the customer’s budget.

T 01509 673974 www.floorwise.co.uk