Flooring sales surpassed $21 billion for the first time in 2016,
Revealing that trends are shifting faster than ever.
This means that there will inevitably come a day that you wish to update your floor.
Maybe you’ve moved into a new home and can’t stand the carpet
In the bathroom or the color of the kitchen laminate.

Ripping up the old flooring and bringing in the new
Is a manageable task in most cases,
But what if there are fixtures blocking the floor?
This can provide difficulties in neatly refitting a carpet.
Here are some top tips to help make the process quick and easy.

Remove What You Can

Ripping out a fixture may seem daunting,
With many thinking this requires extra work and effort.
However, it will save you time in the long run
And allow you to achieve a better result.

Certain fixed water features in the home require
A complete seal between the flooring and the fixture.
For instance, toilets and sinks, which may leak,
Need as tight a fit as possible.
The easiest way to achieve this is to fit the floor under,
Rather than around. This prevents the possibility of a gap emerging.
Once a toilet is removed, you can confidently lay down
The new floor before popping the fixture back in.
Remove all features where possible for the best results.

Using The Right Tools

Some items, such as chimney and cabinets,
Are fixed in place and cannot be moved.
When removing a fixture isn’t possible,
Your key focus should be on accuracy.
You need to cut the flooring with complete precision,
So that it can be shaped around interior objects.

A circular saw is often recommended for
Cutting neat and perfectly straight lines.
For instance, if you are resizing wooden floorboards,
A circular saw will give the greatest accuracy and precision.
However, if you are looking to cut curved lines and circles,
Then select a jigsaw.

Choosing the right tool is half the battle
When it comes to doing a good job.
This sets you up for cutting the flooring to precise measurements,
So it looks neat and tidy when laid
Around or against your unmovable home fixtures.

Leave An Expansion Gap

For hard flooring, you have to be careful
Not to lay the wood directly next to walls or vertical obstructions.
A three quarter inch expansion gap is essential.
As the wood absorbs moisture from the air over time, it will expand.
If you don’t leave a gap for it to expand into,
Then you could end up with flooring that buckles and breaks.
You can fill this gap in with moulding
So that the floor stays down and there is a tight,
Aesthetically pleasing fitting around interior fixtures.

Reflooring can seem a daunting task at first,
Especially when you don’t just have four walls
And a square space to fill.
Make it easier by removing fixtures where possible
And laying the floor underneath.
When this can’t be done, select the right saw
To give you maximal accuracy, remembering to l
Leave expansion gaps where needed.