Floating floors have a multitude of benefits. Not only are they relatively simple to lay, but they are simple to pull up too, should you need to investigate a leak or repair a specific segment of flooring.
Last week, we look at some of the benefits of Luxury Vinyl Tiling (LVT), one of the newer kids on the flooring block. Durable, water resistant and versatile, LVT can be used in any room but it is a favourite for bathrooms and kitchens. This week, we get stuck into the action and give you a detailed account of how to lay your LVT flooring.
Laying your tiles
The way that you lay your tiles will depend on the pattern of the flooring. If you have chosen wood plank effect tiles, the direction in which you lay your tiles could impact the visual dimensions of the room. By running planks parallel to the longest wall, you can make a hallway look longer, but if you lay tiles so that the planks appear to run across the width, inline with the shortest wall, you can make the room look larger. If you don’t have a distinct direction in your chosen pattern, lay your tiles parallel to the light source to minimise the appearance of the joins.
Map it out
You don’t want to be left with fiddly bits of tile to fit at the walls, so measure the length of the room and calculate how many whole tiles you will need, as well as the cut remainder. If the cut piece will need to be less than 50mm, it is a good idea to cut the first plank in half so that the row begins and ends with a cut piece, rather than beginning with a whole piece and ending with a fragment. As you need to stagger the joins on a floating floor, you can use the offcut piece at the opposite end of the next row.
Once you have checked that you have enough tiles, and you know what you need to cut in order to achieve a high quality look, you are ready to go! Follow Trust A Trader for more tips and advice, and head over to the next blog, which tells you how to fit your floating LVT floor.
If you are unsure about how to fit your floor, or if once unpacked, the process is a little more daunting than you thought, don’t despair. Trust A Trader is on hand to help you to find local, rated and vetted professional floor layers, handymen and bathroom fitters guaranteed to complete the work to the highest standard – no fuss, no stress, no hassle. For more advice, follow our community of traders and customers on Facebook or Twitter.