Ripping up old carpet, torn lino or chipped laminate is one of those renovation projects that seem tantalisingly easy and can reap rich rewards. The holy grail of this decorating project is, once the dust settles, to discover that underneath the dated or damaged top flooring there’s gorgeous parquet, solid stone tiles or original floorboards just needing a spot of tidying up.
The sad reality is that all too often that corner of grey you glimpsed is the corner of a concrete slab, rather than gorgeous flag stones, and that the beautiful wooden board you spotted when you peeked under a patch was the only one in the room that wasn’t cracked, warped or damaged.
Tackling Terrible Subfloors
It can be tempting when you make disappointing discoveries to simply lay cheap flooring on top and forget about what lurks underneath. While this offers quick results, in many cases, it’s worth spending a little time improving the subfloor before you install a new surface so that your end result will be more durable.
For uneven boards, you can screw the boards down and fill any gaps between them with a mixture of sawdust and PVA glue. Painstaking work like this might seem futile, but it will reduce draughts and dampness, create a level surface and give you the chance to check there’s no rot, damp or woodworm in the boards. In all but the worst cases, this should create a decent base to cover. Alternatively, you can cover the floor with a layer of plywood or OSB to provide a more even base and more insulation underfoot. If you’re looking for commercial carpet sales, bear in mind the need to consider floor levels throughout your building, as this might be an awkward solution in just one room.
A cracked concrete slab needs to be cleaned—and allowed to dry throughly, as concrete is porous—before you begin. Then, use a self-levelling compound, poured on and spread with a cement trowel to fill any dents and cracks.
Fitting Your Floor
Both uneven wooden floors and concrete slabs can cause issues with the flooring above, which is possibly one of the reasons why the previous top floor was so damaged it just had to go. The main issue is allowing moisture and draughts through to the top layer, and the key to cutting down on this is to use a good, thick underlay.
For floating timber floors or commercial-grade laminate, look for an underlay that has a damp or moisture barrier specifically built in. This can make the floor more warm and comfortable underfoot and help smooth out an uneven surface, too.
Laying carpet on top of concrete or uneven boards often requires a good-quality underlay that insulates against damp and heat-loss. Give our expert team at Complete Carpet Co in Melbourne a call today, or call into either or Blackburn or Bayswater stores to have a look at the underlay and carpet options we can offer you.
