Soft Floorcovering Installation Considerations

A survey of UK property owners published in May revealed that dated or worn carpets are their biggest cause of embarrassment; considered worse than faults such as cracked plasterwork or peeling paint. Small surprise then that we are witnessing significant growth in the sales of soft floorcoverings; together with the products used for their installation.

Though vinyl and wood surfaces undoubtedly remain popular for buildings subject to heavy pedestrian traffic, there is a view that carpets and carpet tiles offer a far more comfortable surface underfoot; and also contribute to good acoustic characteristics, cutting down on reverberation.

Therefore, we are seeing facilities managers or building owners across the sectors - including hotels, leisure, retail and hospitality: both replacing old worn-out carpets, and overlaying hard surfaces with the many grades and styles of product available in the marketplace.

It is of course, essential for any new carpet to be correctly installed if it is to match a customer’s aesthetic expectations, and to fulfil its full potential in terms of lifetime cost or duration. The substrate must obviously be smooth and sound while, where a bonded installation is required, the choice of adhesive will be critical.

As a major manufacturer in the field, Tremco offers a comprehensive selection of smoothing compounds and adhesives, including its SF110 product which is widely used in education and residential work, as well as the sectors mentioned above. It is a water-based product, offering long open time as well as good bond strength, and is ideal for laying felt, hessian, rubber, gel and latex backed carpets.

Floorcoverings remain a key feature to most interior décors and represent a significant investment for the building owner. It is in the best interests of the customer and their specialist flooring contractor to utilise adhesives and other materials which ensure their enduring success in use.