12.1    Introduction

Many factors
go into a person's choice for their type of flooring, including comfort,
noise cancellation ability,
cleaning requirements, endurance
and most importantly, cost.

The floor below the flooring
you see is referred to as the subfloor. The subfloor provides
support to the above flooring.
Depending on whether
the subfloor is above grade or below grade (above or below ground), will determine what the subfloor
is made of.

Today's homeowner is confronted with an astonishing array of options and they need you to not only help them decide what choice is best for them but also to have an in-depth
knowledge of how to install
the flooring yourself.

This module will cover a few different
types of flooring and how to install them, as well as identify some common flooring issues and how to go about fixing or renovating.

 12.2    Laying Carpet

 In this section, we will cover
a rough outline of how to lay wall-to-wall carpet yourself.

 You should
prepare yourself with these proper tools:

*Hand stapler

*Tack strip cutter

*Gloves

*Razor knife

*Power stretcher

*Knee kicker

*Carpet knife

*Stair Tool

*Measuring tape

*Hammer

*Top cutter

As far as materials go, you will need enough measured carpet to cover the room, padding, tape and tackless
strip. To get the right amount of carpet, start by measuring
the longest walls of the room and multiply by the width to get the square metres.

Add about 10% to that, in order to allow for mistakes, pattern matching and any irregularities.

Ensure the floor to be carpeted is clean and smooth. Scrape any joint compound up, as well as any old paint and then thoroughly sweep and vacuum the room. If you are able to, remove the doors from the room, so as not to have to work around them. This will also make it easier for you to remove the doorjambs,
if necessary.

Using the cutter, cut the tackless strips down to size and nail them about one and a third centimetres from the wall. Perpendicular to the direction
you are planning to install
the carpet, lay out the carpet padding,
stapling it near the tackless
strips with your staple hammer.
Stretch the padding
so that the pieces are fitted tightly
together and staple along the seam as you alternate
the staples.

Locate the tackless strips through the padding and use your utility knife to cut away the padding
here so that the strips are all exposed.

You will need to bring the roll of carpet outside, if possible and at almost seven and a half centimetres out from the longest length of the room, notch the corners of the carpet.

On the back of the carpet, run a chalk line from notch to notch. Cut along the chalk line, roll up the carpet and head back inside.

Keeping the carpet as straight as possible,
roll it out into the room. Cut away the extra, but leave about seven centimetres. Lay out extra carpet needed to fill the room, as in areas where the wall/floor changes. Trim around any obstacles. Glue the seams together of all of the pieces and place heavy objects on top of the seams to keep them in place as they dry.

 12.3    Laying Laminate

Laminate flooring was first introduced in the 1970s as an alternative to real wood flooring.

Laminate flooring is a multi-layered synthetic flooring product
fused together with a lamination process, often simulating
wood or stone.

12.4    Linoleum and Vinyl

These two are both highly resilient flooring
choices, which share a lot of different
characteristics.

 So much so, that many dealers in flooring mix up the two themselves because they are just that similar. So, what makes them different?

 Knowing
this will help you better explain them to your future clients:

*Linoleum and vinyl flooring have a few material differences. Petroleum,
a non-renewable source,
is used in the process of manufacturing man-made vinyl flooring.
The process requires
large amounts of energy, which eventually produces
and extracts chlorine,
a vital component in its makeup. On the other hand, linoleum is made from a naturally occurring
material taken from flax seeds, known as linseed oil. Other renewable
resources, such as wood flour, resin and cork dust, are then mixed with the linseed oil.

*The two also differ in the way they are installed.
Vinyl tiles are extremely simple to lay out. Its sheet materials
can take a bit more careful concentration and measuring. With it being 
as resilient and waterproof as it is, it does not call for any waxing or sealing. The installation of linoleum is very similar to vinyl, but it needs to be treated with a surface sealer once done. You also need to make sure the seams between these tiles are as thin as they can be and are expertly protected
against any threat of water.

*With its completely waterproof
materials, vinyl can be installed
in almost every wet environment, which can benefit
in an event of a flood. Linoleum,
on the other hand, cannot withstand all water environments and the installation of linoleum can be completely ruined if a flood occurs.

*Vinyl is much cheaper,
as it costs about a quarter of what linoleum
costs.

Fact

With its artificial production process, vinyl is known to produce
some harmful chemicals
within the interior
of the room it has been installed
in.Linoleum's all natural,
highly renewable resources
mean it is extremely environmentally friendly.

Source: Thespruce.com

 Activity 1

 Estimated time: 10 to 15 minutes

Whilst laminate
flooring is very easy to install, there are so many different
steps involved and various scenarios
can change certain aspects of what you need to do.

For this activity,
you should set yourself up with a binder filled with all of the different steps to install
not only laminate flooring but other types of flooring being discussed
here and beyond.

You can even have a plethora of floor samples on hand, mainly carpet, which are typically free at any flooring store.

Be sure to add in details for yourself on what you would need to do to get you adequately
from point A to point B, missing no steps and overcoming every possible obstacle
in the process.

12.5    Common Flooring Issues and Their Solutions

With any flooring
product your client chooses, each comes with its own common problems.

Luckily, there is usually a good explanation and remedy for 
each  problem  and 
being  informed  of them can help you to put your clients'
minds at ease. Let's look at some of those most common issues and how to properly address them.

Slippery Surfaces

The smoother surfaces
of some floors, mainly laminate
ones, usually pose a threat to safety,
should they end up wet. Someone can slide across the room and fall straight to the ground - and this can sometimes even happen just because someone
decided to wear socks, even if the floor is completely dry.

The first thing to keep in mind is to
stress the importance of cleaning up spills and other hazards immediately. Strategically placed carpets
and runners with non-slip padding can help to create a path for those who must wear their socks.

Surface Damage and Scratches

Though most people consider laminate
flooring to be extremely strong, it is sadly very susceptible to scratches.

It could simply be the steps of a
high-heeled shoe, or someone deciding to move around furniture. Scratching is almost always inevitable.

The simple solution
is to eliminate whatever might cause the problem. People might have to tell a guest to kindly remove their heels, or they might want to tack on some felt padding to the feet of their furniture, before attempting to move it.

Bubbling

Spills can also lead to damaging the boards themselves. If not cleaned
up rapidly and efficiently, moisture
can seep into the seams of the boards, causing their surfaces
to bubble. When the damage becomes terribly unsightly, the boards should be completely
replaced. You should recommend your client keeps some extra on hand for just the scenario.

This is typically
described as loss of pile fibre and weight. Many warranties offer a five to 10-year protection plan for wear, so be sure to ask about that on the client's
behalf. Depending on what carpeting
has been chosen
to be installed, the appearance of the wear can be different. Proper
care and maintenance can help to avoid wearing.

Activity 2

Estimated time: 15 to 20 minutes

Now would be a great time to add a new section to that binder you made earlier.
This section should serve as a reference
for you to look back on, in the event that one of your clients has an issue with their flooring.

You should put in some research to get yourself
well aware of all the different choices,
so you know what you are talking about as you give your future client their quote.

12.6    Renovating

Aside from the kitchen and bathrooms, a home's flooring
is one of the biggest options to undergo a remodel.

All in all, tiles are what you should be recommending to any homeowner
who is looking to do this. For one thing, whether they are laminate,
vinyl or linoleum,
they are much easier to install and usually much cheaper than hardwood floors. They can typically outlast the everyday wear and tear that inevitably comes with heavy foot traffic.

Whilst carpeting certainly
adds a warm feeling to any home, many new, modern homeowners
are beginning to see it as outdated,
something you may want to point out to those clients looking
to renovate and then sell their home. The price can also fluctuate, depending
on the type of carpet and how much you may need to cover the area.

Fact

Whilst
all prices will vary depending
on the types of flooring
chosen, basically look to spend about £2,882 for installing
roughly 46 square metres of tile, £3,744 for 46 square metres of hardwood and £2,297 for 46 square metres of carpeting.

Source: improvenet.com

12.7    Boarding a Loft

A loft within a home can bring the ideal solution to anyone who may be searching for additional storage
space or even an extra room where they can hang out, or turn into a private office.

However, most lofts are not made readily suitable for a safe room to spend time in and most are not made to insulate proper airflow. Sadly, the loft is one of the top spaces in a home to not be taken advantage of. Few too many people realise that it does not cost a lot to turn the space into a professional storage or tiny, extra room.

 You will need:

 *Drill

 *Disposable overalls
with hood

 *Tape measure

 *Pencil

 *Electric screwdriver

 *Mask for dust

 *Gloves

 *Jigsaw and workbench (provided
you need to cut the boards to size)

 *Hammer

The project can be somewhat
fiddly and you need to keep in mind this space is usually cramped
and very dusty. There will also be a lot of trips up and down a ladder, as you will not be able to fit most of what you need up there, nor have ample room to do what you need to. This is not to put you off accepting
these types of jobs, just to prepare you.

Put the overalls,
gloves and mask on for protection. Take measurements in metres, as this will be easier to go purchase the boards with. Be sure to tack on about 20% of extra material
for any awkward cuts and of course, mistakes.

Check the depth of your insulation.

Governmental guidelines for insulation call for a 270-millimetre thickness
of blanket for it.

Your best bet is to build a raised loft floor over the insulation and put as much insulation as you can below the boards. Not only is this extremely
strong, but it also lets you climb over awkward joists and leaves a gap above the insulation, which will prevent future condensation.

Place the first board across the joists of the loft, mark where it crosses over and cut excess, allowing
for the board to be completely supported
by the joists. To get the strongest
layout, you should place the boards in a staggered
pattern so that neighbouring joins do not line up. Lay one board next to the previous one and mark where it will need to be cut, if applicable.

Measure, cut and place infill pieces as you go, to fully place the run of boards. Use your gloves,
as the edges can be very
sharp and slide the boards into position. If there is any resistance, place a block of wood along the outer edge of the board and tap with a hammer.

Doing this will prevent damage to the edges of the boards, which are very vulnerable.

You should keep in mind that you will likely come across light fittings
whilst placing the boards. Feel free to cut the panel to make easy access to the light. Recessed spotlights do generate a lot of heat, so be sure to keep all insulation
material well out of the close vicinity
of those lights, to prevent any possible
cause of fire there.

This might lead to reducing
some of the insulation properties, but it is more common these days for lights within lofts to come with heat diffusers, or for the area around the light to be completely sealed off. The need to move the insulation back will only arise in lofts of old homes that have yet to be updated.

Older homes may also possess a mixture of older joists and modern joists, which help to support its more modern ceiling.
This might cause issues with placing and fixing different
boards as you go.

This is also where building that raised loft floor above the insulation comes in handy, as you can start with a brand new, levelled off group of joists.

Make absolutely sure that you are not trapping any wiring that may be running through the loft between a board and a joist.

Should you come across one in the way, your best move is to fix the wire with clips where it can be seen. If there is no slack in the wire to allow for this, cut power to the wire and add a junction box to it, which will help to lengthen the cord for you.