Flooring solutions

What floor to choose

Preparing your floor
Installing underfloor heating
Planning your floor tiles
Tiling your floor
Laying carpet tiles
Laying laminate flooring
Laying sheet vinyl
Painting a concrete floor
Attaching a new skirting

Flooring & Tiles

Contents

What floor to choose ....................................................................... 2

Preparing your floor ........................................................................ 3

Installing underfloor heating .............................................................. 5

Planning your floor tiles ................................................................... 9

Tiling your floor ............................................................................... 14

Laying carpet tiles .......................................................................... 20

Laying laminate flooring ................................................................... 22

Laying sheet vinyl ............................................................................ 26

Painting a concrete floor.................................................................... 29

Attaching new skirting ...................................................................... 31

What floor to choose

TILE
KITCHEN

CARPET

VINYL
SHEETING

LOUNGE
BATHROOM

LAMINATE

SEALED
CONCRETE

CORRIDOR/HALL
STAIRS
DININGROOM

BEDROOM
STUDY/OFFICE
WALL TO WALL CARPET
Installing wall to wall carpeting is not a typical DIY job as it requires specialised tools and equipment.
Builders Warehouse and selected Builders Express stores offer a professional carpet installation service
and a range of products to choose from.
2

Preparing your floor

Before you start laying flooring, careful surface preparation is
essential.

ENSURE THE FLOOR IS CLEAN, LEVEL AND SOUND

Sweep or vacuum the floor
to remove all dust.

Remove any paint, oil, grease

or solvent-based materials.
Smooth out any lumps or
depressions.
New flooring laid on a
properly prepared surface will
look better and last longer.
Tiles will crack and break if
not laid on a level surface.
Test different parts of the floor
with a spirit level to ensure all of
it is completely flat.
Any damp in the floor must
be sorted out. Either lay a
waterproof membrane over it
or seal the concrete, but, most
importantly, block off the source
of the damp.
3

CONCRETE FLOOR

Clean with a detergent and water. If your floor is uneven then you
will need to level it. You can lay most types of flooring directly
onto concrete. Tiles can be more forgiving of an uneven floor as
you can use the tile adhesive to fill the hollows. You could even
just clean and seal your concrete floor instead of tiling it.

TILES

It is always best to remove

old tiles before laying new
ceramic or stone floor tiles.
However, new tiles can be
laid directly on top of old ones
after these have been coated
with a primer. This, however,
will affect your floor height and
doors may have to be trimmed.

SKIRTING

LEVELLING CONCRETE

Irregular or powdery concrete floors might require sealing and

levelling with a wet-mix topping. Seal the floor with a mixture of 1
part bonding agent to 1 part water, then coat with a slurry made
up of 6 parts fine-grained sand (plaster sand) to 1 part cement
and water. Spread the slurry in an S pattern and work from side to
side. Check that your floor is indeed level after the slurry has dried
and set. Leave to dry overnight.
4

If you are tiling your floor,

you will need to remove your
skirting beforehand and then
replace it afterwards to cover
the untidy cut edges of the
tiles around the perimeter.
When laying laminate, you
can choose whether to run it
up to the skirting and cover
the gap between them with an
additional edge cover, or to
remove and reattach the skirting
as with tiles. Vinyl sheeting and
carpet tiles are usually laid up
against skirting, so theres no
need to remove it.

Installing underfloor heating

Underfloor heating is essential in the colder parts of our country, however the builders of your house
might not have thought so and now you are stuck with using heaters in every room. But all is not lost.
Should you decide to put down new flooring, you could very easily install DIY underfloor heating at
the same time. Tile Warm and WarmUp offer ranges of underfloor heating which put the heating
element as close to the surface as possible, as opposed to burying it in the underlying slab.

UNDER TILE HEATING

HOW TO

2 PEOPLE
4 HOURS

3
SKILL

What you
will need:
- Tile Warm kit
- Thermostat
- Steel float with

rounded corners

- Fastset tile
adhesive
- All things necessary

1
1 Prep floor as for tiling, including removing any old flooring, to

for tiles: Tiles,

adhesive, spreader,

spacers, grout, sealer

create a clean, sound, level and dry surface.

2
2 Decide on the best position
for the power source as the
thermostat will have to be
plugged into a socket after
being wired to the element.

4
4 Plan your layout of the heating element and the position of the
electrical socket and mark both onto the floor with chalk or a
pencil. Arrange for the element to cover 60-80% of the floor area.
Bathrooms are generally given 100% coverage.

3
3 Connect the KlimaGuard

(included in the kit) to check that

your system will work. Leave
it connected throughout the
installation process, including
the tiling afterwards, as it will
let you know if any damage
occurs during installation, thus
giving you a chance to fix it
before continuing.
6

5
5 Chisel a 10 mm deep recess in the floor where the thermostat
will go for the connector blocks to be recessed into the floor. Stop
the trunking for the cable to the electrical outlet about 100 mm
away from the outlet to leave room for an optional multiplug socket.

Do not allow any heavy

or sharp objects to fall
on, stand on, run over or
be dragged across the
heating element while its
being installed, and keep
the KlimaGuard attached
until the tiling is complete.

6
6 Prime the surface with the primer included in the kit and allow it
to dry. Wash the roller with warm water after use.

7
7 Place the element as per your plan, leaving a gap of 50 mm
between the lines of wire. Do not walk on the element or damage
it. If you do need to walk on it, cover it with cardboard first. Pull
the wax paper off one side of the double-sided tape that comes
with the element, a little at a time, and stick the tape to the floor
according to your plan, ensuring you keep it straight and cutting
it where necessary to maintain the 50 mm gap. Now remove the
wax paper from the other side and stick the element to the floor,
also keeping it straight and under slight tension. Never cross the
wires or lay them less than 50 mm apart.

8
8 Place green reinforcing
mesh, sticky side down, over
the element. Cover the whole
element and connector block,
cutting the mesh to fit where
necessary. Press the mesh down
so that it sticks to the floor and
keeps the element in position.
Do not overlap the mesh.
7

UNDER RUG HEATING

9
9 Mix good quality, fast-setting

floor tile adhesive as directed

by the manufacturers to make
a smooth paste. Make up the
liquid of water and KlimaFlex
additive. 20 kg tile adhesive is
enough to cover 5 m.

11
11 Tile the area as per normal
with tile adhesive and your
choice of tile.

12 Consult an electrician
when installing your thermostat.

10
10 Spread the adhesive evenly over the mesh with a steel float.

Make sure the element doesnt move and that the adhesive
penetrates the mesh. Continue until the mesh and element are
completely covered. Let the adhesive harden and dry completely.
8

A Rug Buddy is a great

alternative to traditional
heaters. You plug it into a
normal wall socket and place
it between a non-slip mat and
your rug.

There are great underlaminate and under-carpet

DIY heating options
available in the WarmUp
range. Ask at Builders for
details on how easy each
is to install when youre
re-flooring a room. The
element sits between the
underlay and the carpet
or laminate, and heats
up within 30 minutes of
being turned on. No long
waiting before you feel the
warmth, and no on-all-thetime energy consumption.

Planning your floor tiles

Floor tiles can be laid either square against the walls or on the diagonal. You also have the option of
creating a border around them or letting them run right up to the walls.

It is easy to work out

how many tiles you
will need
Length x width + 10%
waste = m of tile needed

Measure your room, taking

into account any recesses
for windows, arches and
fireplaces that will add to the
floor space and any built-in
cupboards that will reduce it.

Calculate how many tiles

you will need and add a
percentage for waste. When
tiling on the diagonal add
15%, but for simple designs
add 10%. Rather overestimate,
especially if it is your first tiling
project.

You will want 6-12 extra

tiles to keep at the end of your
project so youll have some
with which to fix cracked or
broken tiles in the future. If you
have chosen a particular colour
grout, keep some of that too.
9

GROUT AND ADHESIVE

The spread rates for both of these products will be indicated on
the packaging, but the amount you actually need will depend on
how much you use, how big the gaps are in your spreader, and
how level your floor is. Unopened packets are usually returnable.
If the floor is level and smooth, then 3-6 m per bag is the average
spread rate for tile adhesive. Note that larger tiles and uneven
floors need more adhesive. Never use too little tile adhesive as it
will result in hollows and possible weak points that might crack.

PATTERNS
If you are creating a pattern with contrasting colours which can
look very effective you will want to draw your room to scale
and plot exactly how to arrange the tiles. This is when to decide
whether you want to frame the room with a border, or hide the
messy edges with skirting.

3
3 Pull the string taut, then lift it

FIND THE CENTRE OF THE ROOM

and let it snap down. You will

now have a straight chalked
line on the floor.

The best place to start tiling a floor is in the exact middle. To

help you find this point you will need a chalk line. Rub a piece
of string, slightly longer than the width of the room, with chalk, or
buy some ready-made chalk line. Then...

2
2 Stretch the chalk line from

1
1 Locate and mark the mid-points
of opposite walls.

10

one mid-point to the other (you

could ask another person to
hold one end of the line for
you, or drive a nail into the
floor to tie it to).

4
4 Repeat from the mid-points of
the other two walls. Where the
lines cross is the middle of the
room.

STRANGELY SHAPED ROOM

1

Snap the first chalk line.

Tie 1 metre of string

to a pencil and get
a helper to hold the
end of the string down
on one end of the
chalked line. Keeping
the string taut, draw
an arc on the floor
with the pencil so that
it intersects with the
chalked line. Repeat
from the other end of
the chalked line.

Now ask your helper

to hold the end of the
string on the point
where one of the arcs
intersects the chalked
line. Again keeping the
string taut, draw arcs
on the left and the right
of the chalked line and
at an angle of 45
from it.

Repeat from the other

side.

You will now have two

points where the 45
arcs cross one another.
Snap your chalk line
between these two
points to create a
second chalked line
that should meet the
first at 90.

This is the mid-point of

the entire room and
where you should lay
your key tile.

Mid point
1m

1m

Mid point
1m

mark arcs

1m

Mid point

Correct
placement
of second
chalk line

11

KEY TILE
The first tile laid is the known
as the key tile as it determines
the position of all the other tiles
and therefore the pattern and
final look of the finished floor.
So it is very important that this
tile is in the right place. Rooms
are seldom completely square
and the walls might also not be
straight, which is why you start
at the centre of the room and
not in a corner.

chalked X marking the centre of

the room.

3
3 Dry-lay a row of tiles, with

spacers, from your key tile to

one wall.

Here are the various positions

where you could place your
key tile in relation to the

HOW TO PLAN YOUR TILING

The centre of a room is usually its focal point; however the focal
point could also be an area the eye is drawn to the floor in
front of the fireplace, say, or a bay window. In such cases you
should start your tiling from the centre of this area first so that it will
look the best.

If your tiles come from

different batches shuffle
them together so that you
lay them randomly and thus
make any colour difference
less noticeable.

2
1
1 Find where to position your

key tile by snapping chalk

lines, as above.
12

2 Dry-lay your key tile where

you want it. All the other tiles
will follow the lines created
by it, so put some thought
into its placement and the
consequences thereof, i.e.
waste and extra cutting.

4 Adjust the position of the key

tile so that the edge tile (the one
against the wall), which will
probably have to be cut to size,
wont be too narrow. A row of
very narrow tiles never looks
good. Ideally, edge tiles should
be a tile in width. Move your
tiles, and adjust the spacing,
until you achieve good-sized
edge tiles.

DETERMINING SPACING
The normal gap between tiles is 1.5 5 mm.
Use spacers to make sure the gap is uniform throughout the
room. To decide what size gap looks best, lay out 9 tiles in 3
rows of 3 and adjust the spacing between them.
Do not lay tiles too close together as there will probably be
some variation in their sizes and then youll have a problem
lining them up.

5
5 Dry-lay tiles to the other sides
of the room, adjusting all the
tiles if necessary, until you have
a clear idea of where best to
finally lay your key tile.

Ensure the gaps are accurate

and even and position the
tiles against a straight edge
to keep them aligned.
You can place your spacers
at the corners of your tiles
or standing on edge between
them. Standing them on edge
means using more spacers per
tile but as the adhesive starts
to set you can pull them out to
use with the next section.

EDGING
Stone-look tiles and tiles
with a pattern will hide
dirt better, so are a good
choice for high traffic areas.
Smooth, glossy tiles can
be slippery when wet and,
although easy to clean, do
show up dirt -- as do very
dark and light colours.

There are different types of edging choose the correct one/s

for your needs from the list below:

Shoe moulding:
6

If youve chosen a focal

point other than the middle
of the room, snap chalk lines
to establish exactly where the
centre of this point is and plan
your tiling from there. Adjust
your layout to make the tiling
around doorways and edges
look good.

You are now ready to

begin properly laying the tiles.

For covering
the expansion
gap around the
perimeter of the tiling. Nail to
the skirting.

Stair nosing: For the

overhangs of steps.
Screw and glue into
place.

T-moulding: For

the joints between

floors of the same

height, or two different laminate

floors.

Reducer strip:
To create a neat
transition between
flooring of different
heights (concrete to
tile, laminate to wood etc.)

End moulding:
For an attractive
finish where shoe
moulding is not
possible.
13

Although it is
not particularly
difficult, laying
tiles is meticulou
s
work that requ
ires
patience and tim
e.

Tiling your floor

Tiled floors are durable, easy to clean and a great way of bringing
a clean bright look into a room. They are suitable for a wide range
of locations, particularly wet areas such as bathrooms, and there
is a huge range of colours and patterns to choose from.

What you
will need:
- Tiles

- Tile adhesive
- Grout

HOW TO

1 PERSON
3 DAYS

SKILL

- Tile cutter, tile pincers,

angle grinder with diamond
blade
- Serrated trowel
- Grout spreader

SAFETY GEAR

- Sponge & bucket

- White rubber mallet
- Spirit level
- Straight edge
- Chalk line

Safety glasses
Dust mask
Rubber gloves
(for grouting)

1 Dry-lay your tiles to ensure that your pattern and spacing work

and that you have enough tiles. It will also enable you to identify
any major colour deviation.
14

- Tile marker (whiteboard

marker)
- Spatula
- Reducer or edging
- Chisel and hammer
- Spacers

2
2 Using a hammer and chisel,
cut notches in the floor. This will
give the adhesive more to grip
on and make it less likely that
you will have tiles lifting in the
future. Clean area to remove
all dust.

4
4 Lay the key tile and the first

row of tiles against a straight

edge. To lay a tile, hold it in
both hands, position the back
edge against the previous row
or a straight edge, and drop it
gently into place. Gently move
the tile around with the palms
of your hands and then ease it
into the correct position.

6
6 As you lay each row, spread
only enough adhesive for 3-4
tiles at a time.

3
3 Starting where your key tile is

to be placed, apply adhesive

to the floor with a serrated
trowel. To ensure the tiles are
level, make the adhesive a
uniform thickness. Hold the
trowel vertically, whether
applying adhesive to the
floor or directly to a tile. Tile
adhesive remains workable for
only about 10 minutes, so work
quickly and dont spread it over
too big an area.

7
5
5 Place spacers between the
tiles to keep them the same
distance apart. You will need
to remove the spacers before or
during grouting.

7 Continually check that the tiles

are level, adjusting them where
necessary by lightly tapping
down any proud edges with a
rubber mallet. Dont hit the tiles
too hard because some break
easily.
15

8
8 If a tile sits low, it usually
means theres not enough
adhesive under it. Lift the tile,
add more adhesive and press it
down again.

9
9 Once you get to the edge

of the room you will no longer

be able to lay whole tiles but
have to cut them to size. First,
though, clean up all adhesive
that has squeezed out from
under the laid tiles.

11

14

11 Apply adhesive to the back of 14 Let the adhesive cure for a

the tile and place it in position.

12
12 Dont assume your room is
square. Measure, mark and cut
each edge tile separately.

full 24 hours before grouting.

15
15 Mix the grout and water in a
bucket to a runny consistency.

10
10 To accurately measure where
to cut an edge tile, place it
on top of the last full tile laid.
Align a third tile on top of both
and push it to the wall. Use the
edge of the third tile to draw a
line on the tile to be cut. Use a
whiteboard marker as it wont
stain the tile. Cut the tile just
short of the line to allow for
spacers.
16

13
13 Make sure you clean up all
excess adhesive from between
the tiles and on their surfaces.

16
16 Wearing rubber gloves
and using a spreader, sweep
the grout over the tiles until
it completely fills the gaps
between them.

Clean adhesive off tiles

while still workable. It is
very hard to remove when
dry.

17
17 Run the end of a piece of
dowelling or similar object
(even your finger will do) firmly
along the grout lines. This will
improve the finished look of
the grout while simultaneously
compacting it.

19
19 Allow the grout to set for 10-

15 minutes, then clean the tiles

twice with a sponge and water.
The first sponging will level the
grout in the joints and clean the
corners and skirting; the second
will clean the tiles. Allow the
grout to dry.

21
21 Let the grout cure for a day
or two before allowing heavy
traffic over the area.

20

18
18 Clean off any excess grout
as you go.

20 Sponge the surface of

the tiles again to remove
any smears left after drying.
For large areas, change the
water often. To remove any
final smears, use a solution of
one cup white vinegar diluted
in a bucket of warm water.
Lastly, polish the tiles with a
clean towel or bunched up
newspaper.
17

COMPLEX CUTS

HOW TO CUT TILES

Hone your skills on discards to improve your success rate, rather
than risk expensive mistakes.

STRAIGHT CUTS
1
Use a hacksaw or an angle
grinder fitted with a diamondtipped blade. Diamond blades
are pricey but worth it as they
make the job much easier. Wet
saws, with a water-lubricated
diamond blade, can be hired.
These are very accurate and
essential for cutting stone tiles,
such as those made from
marble, granite or slate.

1
1 For straight cuts, use a tile

cutter suitable for floor tiles,

which are extremely hard and
large.

3 Score the tile once

with the wheel of the cutter,
maintaining a firm, steady
downward pressure throughout
the stroke.
2

4
2
2 Set the cutter up on a firm,
level, stable surface. Hold the
lever down with your forefinger
on top.
18

4 Reposition the lever near the

centre of the tile and press it
down firmly to snap the tile.
Professional tilers often snap
tiles by pressing on them with
the palms of their hands instead
of using the lever.

2 Mark where to cut on top of

the tile and place it on a stable,
flat surface. Carefully guide
the blade along the cut line.
Complete any cuts that meet at
an angle by notching out the
corner of the angle fully.

3
3 Use a pair of tile pincers to
nibble small pieces of waste
from awkward corners.

TILING ON THE DIAGONAL

For the best-looking job, minimise the number of cut tiles, keep
diagonal cuts to halves, and arrange the tile pattern so it is
symmetrical in relation to the most prominent wall.
Keep a straight length of
wood handy (or a straight
edge) ideally, it should
be about three times longer
than one of the tiles you
are using. After laying each
tile, place the length of
wood on the tile so that it
also rests on some tiles that
have already been laid.
If theres a gap under it,
add or remove adhesive
beneath the newly laid
tile until all the tiles, at all
points, make a flat surface.

In order to achieve all this you can play with the size of the
spacing between the tiles and the gap between the tiles and walls
during the dry-lay phase.
2400

Wall

3000

Wall

1800

90

Check that your layout is

square using a Pythagorean
3-4-5 triangle. This simple
method allows you to establish
or check whether corners make
90 angles. Mark a point
1800 mm away from a corner
on one side and 2400 mm
away on the other. Measure the
diagonal distance between the
two marks. The angle is exactly
90 if this equals 3000 mm. If
your layout isnt square, adjust
it until it is.

If a room itself is badly out of square, the edge tiles will need
to be wider at one end of the room than they are at the other. Try
to hide discrepancies in corners that receive the least amount of
attention.
19

Laying carpet tiles

HOW TO

1 PERSON

SKILL

6 HOURS

What you
will need:
- Carpet tiles

- Cutting blade
- Steel ruler

2
2 Lay your key tile at this point

1
1 Find the centre of the room
using a chalk line.
20

and plan the pattern and

placement of the other tiles
out from it towards the walls.
Take into account what size
the edge tiles will be, as a
thin strip of carpet will not look
good, and adjust the layout
accordingly.

- Edging
- Chalk line
- Paper (for any
templates)
- Pencil
- Carpet tape /
contact adhesive

3
3 Using the attached tape, stick

the tiles down, lay your key

tile and a row of tiles out from
it towards the walls on either
side. Some carpet tiles do not
have tape and you will need to
use contact adhesive or carpet
tape. Butt the edge of each tile
tightly and squarely against the
previous one, making sure not
to trap any carpet pile in the
joint.

6
6 To cut edge tiles, place and

align the tile to be cut on top

of the last whole tile laid. Place
another tile on top of the tile
to be cut and push this tile
squarely up against the skirting.
Use the edge of this tile to
pencil a line on the tile to be
cut. Cut the tile along the line
with a blade on a firm, safe
surface. Place a spare tile or
some wood underneath it to
protect other tiles from being
cut too.

4
4 Position all the whole tiles

before measuring and cutting

the edge tiles and those around
fittings.

7
7 Fit the cut tile in place against
the skirting.

There are a number of

edging options for handling
the transition between
carpet tiles and wooden,
laminate or ceramic tile
flooring. It all depends on
whether one of the two sits
proud or if they are both on
the same plane, i.e. level to
each other.

PATTERNS

Make your own patterns by

mixing colours, laying tiles in
a chessboard pattern, creating
a border, or randomly adding
tiles with a contrasting colour.
A chessboard pattern is a
bold, simple design. Use dark
and light coloured tiles and
alternate them to create the
effect.

8
5
5 For tricky pipes and curves,

create a paper template to use

as a cutting guide.

8 Repeat this process, working

your way around the room.
As rooms are not always
square, measure each edge tile
separately in the above fashion
before cutting.

Tiles of contrasting colours

laid randomly is also a
bold design and adds a
contemporary look.
21

Laying laminate flooring

Laminate flooring is a great way to get the lovely natural look of
wood at a fraction of the price of laying solid wood floors. It is
scratch resistant and hard wearing, making it ideal in high traffic
areas. DIY laminate flooring isnt laid with an adhesive. It uses a
locking system which makes installation quick and easy.
The floor must be level, dry and clean when laying laminate, and
you need a good quality damp-proof underlay.

HOW TO

1 PERSON

3
SKILL

1 DAY

What you
will need:
- Air-o-thene

(underlay)

- Masking tape
- Laminate flooring
- Edging
- Transition pieces
- Circular saw or

hand saw

1
1 Clean the surface thoroughly

and remove all grease, grime

and dust. Unfortunately you
cannot lay laminate over parquet
or wall to wall carpeting.
22

2
2 Unwrap the laminate and

leave lying flat for 48 hours

in the room in which it is to
be installed so that it can
acclimatise to the room.

- Sandpaper
- Tape measure
- Adhesive or

skirting nails

- Try square

3
3 Cover the floor with an

underlay (also sometimes called

underfelt or Air-o-thene), taped
together at the edges to create
a damp-proof base on which
to lay the laminate. This will
stop the laminate from swelling,
prevent damp seeping through
the floor and smooth out minor
unevenness. It is not necessary
to tape the underlay to the floor
as once the laminate is laid
over the floor, it will not move.

4
4 Inspect each plank of
laminate for defects before
installing it.

5
5 Lay the planks from left to
right. Start with the small lip
facing the wall.

6
6 Use spacers to create an

8-10 mm expansion gap

between the planks and any
fixed objects (e.g. walls and
built-in cupboards).

7 When laying the last plank

in a row, turn it through 180
so the large lip faces the wall.
Mark where to cut it in order
to finish off the row. Dont
forget to leave the 8-10 mm
expansion gap.

8
8 Turn the cut piece back
through 180 so the small lip
faces the wall and click it into
place.
23

9
9 Use the offcut to begin the next row, as maximum strength is

achieved when the joints in adjacent rows are at least 40 cm

apart. If the offcut does not allow this much separation, use a new
plank and cut it as required.

11
11 When laying the last row,

turn the plank through 180

with their small lips facing the
wall, allow for the expansion
gap and mark where they need
to be cut lengthwise.

For the best visual effect,

lay laminate panels parallel
to incoming light from
windows and doors.

10
10 Clip each plank into place (small lip into large) at a

20-30 angle and then lower it into place. As the planks are
clicked into place they are placed under tension, drawing them
together and ensuring they stay locked with no play or gaps.

24

TAKE NOTE

Since all timber products

expand and contract, an
8-10 mm expansion gap
must be left around the
perimeter of the room.
This is covered by edging
or skirting connected to
the wall so the wood can
move underneath it.

12
12 Use a circular saw or hand
saw to make the cut, then clip
them into place.

13
13 Measure and cut the

edging you have chosen. Use

adhesive (if you have perfectly
straight walls) or steel skirting
nails to attach it to the walls.
Never attach to the floor as
the laminate needs freedom to
expand and contract beneath
the edging.

The surface must be

level, dry and clean.
Minor indentations must
not exceed 2 mm over a
20 mm length.
If the surface is rough
or has minor indentations
deeper than 2 mm, apply
a levelling screed.
Do not lay laminate on
top of carpets or parquet
flooring.
Laminate can be laid on
top of tiles if they are
solid, smooth and
perfectly flat.
Always use a good
quality damp proof underlay.
Always select the
appropriate grade of
laminate to suit the
amount of traffic it will be
subjected to -- low, medium
or high (residential, office
or commercial).

14
14 Choose appropriate

transition edging for doorways

(T bar or reduction), and nail
or glue down the placement
gutter that comes with it. Clip
your transition into place in the
gutter.

Do not clean laminate

flooring with ordinary
mops as they retain too
much liquid and can cause
the laminate to swell.
Rather use a slightly damp
cloth or a microfibre mop.
Wipe up spills immediately
before the liquid has time
to seep into the joints.

25

s
se sheet ch
u
o
t
y
r
T
t
same ba
from the lour
co
to avoid in your
ns
variatio
vinyl.

Laying sheet vinyl

HOW TO

1 PERSON

3
SKILL

8 HOURS

SAFETY GEAR
What you
will need:
Safety glasses

1
1 Measure the widest wall

which the ends (not sides) of

the sheeting will butt against,
add 100-200 mm (to allow
50-100 mm on each side for
trimming) and use the total to
calculate how many strips you
will need.

26

Measure the longest

wall which the sides of the
sheeting will butt against, add
100-200 mm for trimming and
multiply the total by the number
of strips. This will give you the
minimum amount of sheeting
you will have to buy. Take into
account the need to match up
patterns and if there are a lot of
cut-outs to be made. Allow for
the vinyl to extend halfway into
doorways, and dont forget to
include alcoves and recesses.

- Tape measure

- Vinyl
- Blade and

replacement blades

- Scissors
- Adhesive
- Straight edge

floor and skirting meet by

pressing a wide chisel onto it
and moving it along the line.

3
3 After buying your vinyl, keep

it in the room in which it will

be laid for 48 hours to bring it
to the room temperature. Vinyl
becomes brittle when cold, so
heat the room if youre laying it
in winter.

5 To make a marking gauge,

hammer a nail through a strip
of wood, 30 mm from the
end. Let the tip of the nail just
protrude. Run the end with
the nail squarely along the
skirting and with the tip of the
nail on the vinyl. The nail will
mark the vinyl, providing you
with a cutting line which will
ensure that your sheeting fits
neatly against the skirting. Cut
along the line with scissors or
a blade. Slide the vinyl against
the skirting.

8
8 Hold a metal straight edge
on the crease and use it as a
guide to cut through the vinyl at
a slight angle with a blade.

9
9 To fit the vinyl around external

6
6 When lining up and trimming

4
4 Unroll the vinyl about 25 mm
away from the skirting of the
longest uninterrupted piece of
wall. Skirting boards are rarely
perfectly straight so you will
have to mark where to cut the
sheet to ensure it fits snugly
against the skirting. To do this
youll have to make yourself a
marking gauge.

vinyl to fit into an internal

corner, cut a V notch in it in
line with the corner, using
scissors. This will allow the
vinyl to lie flat on the floor. The
notch will come out of your trim
allowance.

corners, make one straight cut

in it down to the floor and in
line with the corner, and turn
the trim allowance up against
the skirting on either side of the
corner.

10 Cut the vinyl along the

skirting as per steps 7 and 8.

11
7
7 Make a sharp crease in the

vinyl along the line where the

11 Once youve cut, trimmed

and laid the vinyl fully, lift the

edges and glue them to the
floor.
27

CUT OUTS

12
12 To join sheets of vinyl as
you lay them, slide the new
sheet along next to the previous
one until their patterns match
exactly. If you cant do that,
then overlap the sheets until the
patterns match and cut through
both using a blade. Dont join
sheets in a doorway where the
joint will be subjected to lots
of traffic and heavy wear and
tear.

Fit your vinyl to go around

irregularly shaped items such
as a basin or toilet pedestal
by folding it back on itself and
cutting straight lines in it from
the edge of the vinyl to the base
of the item. Begin at the middle
of the item, then work around it.
Be very careful not to tear the
vinyl or cut too far into it. You
want the cuts to allow your vinyl
to lie smooth and flat.

Using a wide chisel, crease

the vinyl around the base of the
item.

13

Cut the vinyl along the

crease, trimming each flap until
the sheet fits perfectly.

13 Fold back the edges of the

sheets and, without moving
them, glue them securely to the
floor. Press down firmly with
both hands along the glue line
to ensure a good bond.
Lift the edge of the vinyl,
apply adhesive to the floor
around the item and press the
vinyl back into place.
If you are laying vinyl in a
bathroom, glue the edges
to the bathroom floor with a
silicone sealant to create a
waterproof barrier.

28

An alternative to cutting the

vinyl as above is to create a
paper template of the base of
the item and trace it onto the
vinyl.

DOORWAY

Cut vinyl in the same manner

around architraves and
doorways. Make vertical cuts
in the vinyl down to the floor
so that it lies snugly up against
the door frame. Remember
to leave 100 mm excess on
either side of the doorway for
trimming. Press the vinyl into the
angle between the door frame
and floor to form a crease, and
cut along the crease. Allow the
vinyl to protrude halfway into
the doorway. Fit edging to the
vinyl in the doorway to protect
it and prevent it from lifting.
The edging should be covered
when the door is closed.

PIPES
To fit vinyl around a pipe,
make one straight cut from the
edge of the vinyl to the pipe, in
line with the pipe, then make
small cuts at the pipe end until
the vinyl lies flat around the
pipe. Trim the flaps of vinyl for
a snug fit.

Or you could make a paper

template of the pipe and trace
it onto the vinyl. Youll still need
to cut a line from the edge to
the pipe so you can ease the
vinyl around it.

SAFETY GEAR
Safety glasses
Gloves
Dust mask

Painting a concrete floor

Lifting old and outdated flooring and replacing it with stained and sealed concrete is a cheap and
easy way of making a floor presentable, even modern. And you could still use it as a subfloor later on
while maintaining a great look in the meantime. Fired Earth Trendy Floor is a single pack, high-quality,
durable urethane concrete floor coating with a gloss finish.

HOW TO

1 PERSON
2 DAYS

SKILL

What you
will need:
- Spirits of salt

(hydrochloric acid)

1
1 Acid etch new or uncoated concrete surfaces with a dilution of

1 part spirits of salt to 5 parts water in a plastic watering can.

Dampen the concrete with plain water, then apply the spirits of salt
solution evenly over it. Leave the acid to etch the concrete for 5
minutes, then rinse it off thoroughly with clean water. It is important
to rinse off all the acid to ensure the coating will bond firmly to
the concrete. Allow the concrete to dry. Note that no etching is
necessary if the concrete was previously coated, just a complete
sanding. This will create a good base for adhesion for the new
coating.

- Plastic watering can

- Fired Earth

Trendy Floors

- Paintbrush
- Mohair roller & tray
- Polycell brush cleaner
- Mineral turpentine

29

2
2 Dilute the first coat of Trendy
Floors with 10-15% of mineral
turpentine. Apply it all in one
session, dont stop at all. Leave
it to dry and wait 16 hours
before recoating.

3
3 A second coat is always

necessary. Paint it on undiluted

and allow it too to dry for 16
hours.

4
Clean your
brushes and
roller with
Polycell brush
cleaner.
30

You will have to keep all

traffic off the floor while
the paint dries. Because
the drying time for each
coat is about 16 hours,
take into account before
you begin that you
wont be able to use the
area for just over a day
following each coat.

Attaching new skirting

Skirting is a decorative form of trim designed to hide the often
untidy line where a floor and a wall meet as well as protect the
wall plaster from scuffs and knocks. It is also used to hide the
roughly cut edges of tiles, laminate and sometimes carpeting. It
can be varnished or painted, depending on the look you want.

HOW TO

SAFETY GEAR
Safety glasses
Ear plugs
Dust mask

1 PERSON

SKILL

5 HOURS

What you
will need:
- Skirting

- Tape measure
- Mitre saw
- Pencil
- Wood glue
- Wood preserver
- Primer

1
1 Measure the perimeter of

your room and add 20%

wastage for cutting and errors.
Remember to subtract the width
of any doorways or built-in
cupboards from the total.

2
2 Practise making a few mitre

joints, getting the two halves

to meet neatly, before trying
to cut them on the lengths of
skirting that will be going into
or around your corners.

- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Adhesive or
masonry nails
- Filler
- Sanding block & fine grit
- Acrylic sealer

31

youve drawn out from the point

to mark on the front where the
outer edge of the mitre cut will
go.

3
3 Start with the longest wall.

Measure and mitre cut the

end of the board that meets a
corner, remembering that the
angle of the cut will be different
for internal and external
corners. Cut the skirting for both
halves of the joint at the same
time. Fit them together so they
create a neat and attractive
joint.

Before fitting wooden

skirting, treat the back with
wood preservative to extend its
life, paint on a wood primer as
well as the first coat of enamel.
Leave the cut ends raw so you
can glue them together.

7
7 Paint on your final coat after
masking off the floor and wall.

If you want to keep the

natural wood look, seal
skirting before installing
and patch with a coloured
acrylic filler to match the
wood. Use a final coat of
sealer or varnish instead
of paint.

MITRE CUTTING FOR AN

EXTERNAL CORNER

Use the marks to draw lines

across the whole skirting. Do
the same with the other piece
of skirting, placing it against the
adjacent wall. You now know
where to cut each piece to get
them to butt perfectly against
one another and create a neat
joint.

JOINING SKIRTING
If a length of skirting is too
short, attach it to another in the
following manner.
Cut the ends of both at
opposing 45 angles so they fit
together (a 45 joint is stronger
than just butting two square
ends against each other).

Find a length of wood about

50 mm wide.
Place it on the floor against
the one wall and use it to draw
a line on the floor parallel to
the wall.

5
5 Fix your skirting in place
with adhesive (if your walls
are perfectly straight) or with
two masonry nails every half
metre or so. When using nails
punch the heads well into the
wood and cover them with filler
(sanding them down before
painting so they dont show).

6 Fill the gap where the

skirting meets the wall -- and
any other gaps -- with sealer.
32

Run the line right past the

corner. Do the same for the
adjacent wall, so the two lines
cross. Now draw a line from
the point of the corner to where
the lines cross.
Corner of wall

Two marks on
skirting

Press your skirting against

the wall and use the point of
the corner to mark on the back
where the inner edge of the
mitre cut will go, and the line

Check that they fit together

and sand the cut ends smooth.
Glue the ends together and
allow the glue to set. Fix the
new, extended skirting to the
wall as per usual.

REMOVING OLD SKIRTING

Tap the blade of a bolster chisel
between the wall and skirting
with a hammer. When there is
enough space for it, insert a
crowbar. Slip a thin piece of
wood between the crowbar
and the plaster (to protect it),
and lever the skirting off the
wall.

33

Disclaimer

Gar

den
Edib ing es
se
le
Des garde ntials
ign nin
Kee ing yo g
ur
pin
Pai g a lu garde
nti
n
sh
Dec ng the lawn
ora
in
Pain ting a side of
ti
y
fe
Floo ng out ature our ho
me
rin side w
Tilin g solu your all
tio
g
hom
e
Sec your w ns
urin all
The g your s
pl
h
Ligh umbing ome
tin
bas
ics
Sw g
imm
Cho ing po
osin ol ca
We g the re
r
eke
nd D ight to
IY p ols
roje
cts

Builders booklets, DVDs and other guides are provided strictly for informational purposes only. The
information contained herein is intended to provide general information with regard to simple DIY
projects. As products, laws and regulations are continually changing, Builders takes no responsibility
for the accuracy of information contained herein or any liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of
any project. It is the responsibility of the viewer/reader to ensure compliance with all applicable laws,
rules, codes and regulations as the case may be. Safety is important, make sure to take proper safety
precautions and exercise caution when taking on any DIY project. Always read the manufacturers
instructions and heed their guidance for using their product. Certain products or materials may only
be available at selected Builders stores. If there is any doubt regarding any element of a DIY project
please consult a professional. Builders cannot be held liable for any loss, damage or injury that may
result out of the use of the Builders booklets, DVDs and other guides.

O IN

ALS
THE
GE

RAN

34