The smart guide to wood flooring installation. Includes advice on:- Pre Installation Preparation Installation Methods Maintenance: Looking after the floor Troubleshooting Common Issues Aftersales & Support

When selecting the right floor for your project, there are several considerations to be made. SUITABILITY When making the choice between solid and engineered hardwood flooring you must consider the suitability. Engineered boards have grown in popularity over the years as an excellent alternative to solid wood, engineered boards boast superior stability, versatility and use a smaller amount of eco-precious hardwood. Unlike solid wood, engineered boards are composed of multiple layers of timber, as a result engineered wood is compatible with under-floor heating and can be used in kitchens and basements as it's more dependable. Solid boards are the traditional choice offering a thicker wear layer allowing the boards to be sanded and refinished many times. Also consider the installation method, each floor has a recommended method. We don't recommend hardwood flooring for bathrooms or areas exposed to water. GRADE The grade of hardwood is set when the natural logs are selected, the timber is grouped according to the number and nature of features, like knots, splits, grain and colour variances. We offer five grades: Prime, Select, Natural, Rustic and Super Rustic. Prime has the cleanest most uniform appearance, down to Super Rustic given to our most characterful boards, with large knots and splits being a prominent feature of these floors. FINISH The choice of finish determines the overall aesthetic of the floor. Our finish options include oiled and lacquered. Generally speaking oiled floors have a natural matt finish, while lacquered boards give your floor a subtle shine. You should also consider the surface of the floor, with smooth and brushed being our most common surface options, we also supply hand-scraped and saw cut floors for a highly on-trend 'craft' look. Unfinished boards are supplied for finishing in-situ. The edge style of boards has an impact on the overall look of a finished floor. A bevelled edge offers a distinctive depth, while a square edge provides a seamless surface. SHADE The colour and shade can help set the tone for the whole look and mood of your space. Rustic warm mid tones can create a vintage ambience, whereas Scandinavian influenced pale woods give a fresh, light, modern effect. Dark floors can work well in larger areas, and can be both historic or ultra-modern in appearance. Smaller rooms, or rooms lacking natural lights tend to benefit from pale or bleached tones helping to create a feeling of open space. Of course personal preference is a major factor, and our comprehensive range of timbers means your perfect floor is right here waiting for you. ENVIRONMENT At Atkinson & Kirby, we are proud to hold an extensive list of environmental accreditations so you can be sure you're getting the most sustainable high-quality floor. It's always important to consider the environment when choosing your flooring. Engineered boards use less eco-precious timber making them the most environmentally friendly option. Oak has the incredible ability to withstand the test of time. Taking the time to care for your floor will increase its longevity, making it even more sustainable. If you require any flooring advice, please get in touch with our expert team here or calling 01695 673234.

Calculating the amount of flooring packs you will need for a room is a surprisingly easy task. You will need to know two things, the m2 of your room and the pack size of your chosen flooring. It’s important to know that all floors have different pack sizes so the amount of packs you need will depend on which floor you have chosen. In this guide we show a step-by-step of how to calculate how many packs you need. 1. Measure the width of your room Using a tape measure, extend it from one wall to the wall opposite. Take a note of this number in meters, this is the width of your room. 2. Measure the length of your room Measure the other two parallel walls in your room also using a tape measure. Note this number down in meters, this is the length of your room. 3. Multiply the length of your room by the width Multiply the length by the width of your room. To ensure there are no errors, use a calculator to do this. This is the size of your room in square meters. 4. Add 10% to account for any errors Add 10% to the figure calculated in step 3 to use as wastage. This will account for any errors that can be made when laying flooring. This will ensure you have enough flooring to complete your room without having to order more or leave your floor unfinished while waiting for the additional packs to arrive. As oak is a natural product our flooring will differ slightly from pack to pack, therefore this step is essential for a consistent colour. This is number is the m2 of flooring required. 5. How many packs do I need? Each floor has a different pack size, you can find this number in the specifications section on the product page of your chosen flooring. Once you have this number, you will need to divide the m2 required by the pack size.  This figure will then need to be rounded up to a whole number. This is the amount of flooring packs you will need.  Example: Width x Length: 4m x 7m = 28m Add 10%: 28 x 1.1 = 30.8m How much flooring you need: 30.8m2 Pack size of chosen flooring: 2.1m2  m2 Required / Pack Size: 30.8m2 / 2.1m2 = 14.6666667 packs Amount of flooring packs required: 15 packs

A step-by-step guide to fitting scotia beading, using mouldings and basic woodworking tools and techniques.  1. What is scotia beading used for? The floor is the foundation that an interior design is built on, it sets the tone and mood for your space. Adding scotia beading allows you to keep your Atkinson & Kirby flooring in pristine condition. Result: happiness m2.  Wood is a natural product and has the ability to expand and contract when temperature and moisture levels fluctuate, when installing flooring it’s important to leave a sufficient expansion gap around the perimeter of the room. Scotia is a decorative moulding used to cover this expansion gap without removing the skirting board. Ensure you choose a scotia that is thick enough to cover this gap. Top tip: Select a scotia style and colour that matches the skirting board or floor for a cohesive look. Measure the perimeter of your room to determine the total length of scotia required, then add another 20% for wastage.  2. Cutting the moulding  When joining two ends of scotia together, they will need to be cut to a mitre joint, this means cutting at a 45 degree angle for a seamless finish. For internal and external corners measure the distance to the next corner and mark onto the back of the scotia, and the intended direction of the mitre cut. Next, use a mitre box and mitre saw at a 45-degree angle in the marked direction. Then cut the adjoining scotia to make a mitre cut in the opposite direction, sand both mitred ends until smooth. Hold both mitred ends together ensuring they fit properly. If the fit isn’t exact you can use a block plane to shave down the ends to achieve a better fit. When fitting the end of the scotia flush to the wall, cut at a 90-degree angle. 3. Fitting a return  In installations when the end of the scotia is exposed, such as next to a door, fitting a return to the exposed end will achieve a neater finish. Firstly, make a mitre cut to the exposed end of the scotia. Next, complete a mitre cut on another piece of scotia in the opposite direction to the previous mitre cut, then cut this small piece to size. Ensure it fits into the exposed end of scotia, then apply PVA to the mitre and fit the return onto the scotia and flush to the wall.  4. Securing the moulding to the wall You can opt for nails which offers a more reliable hold, or adhesive which allows for a more clean and professional finish. To fit scotia using nails, secure into position by nailing the scotia to the skirting by spacing one nail every 30cm, ensure you don’t nail the scotia to the floor. To fit scotia using adhesive, apply grab adhesive to the back of the scotia and carefully apply to the wall, ensuring not to get any on your flooring. Apply PVA to any external mitres. Use flexible decorators caulk to fill any gaps between the top of the scotia and skirting, wipe any excess with a damp cloth to smooth the surface.  5. Add the finishing touches Once the scotia is applied, use decorators caulk to patch any gaps, cracks, or holes prior to finishing. There are many different finishing options, you can stain for a traditional look, paint for a contemporary finish, or choose to retain the original look of raw pine. These little finishing touches are where you can tie in with your chosen décor and match your existing skirting or Atkinson & Kirby flooring. Result: happiness m2.  6. Share your renovation project We love seeing how you have transformed your home with Atkinson & Kirby flooring. Upload a picture of your project to Instagram or Facebook and tag us @atkinson_kirby. You can also upload your images to our testimonials page here. We can’t wait to see Atkinson & Kirby flooring in your homes! 

A step-by-step guide to fitting skirting board, using mouldings and basic woodworking tools and techniques.  1. Why is skirting needed? The floor is the foundation that an interior design is built on, it sets the tone and mood for your space. Adding skirting board allows you to keep your Atkinson & Kirby flooring in pristine condition, while looking aesthetically beautiful. Result: happiness m2.  Skirting board covers the expansion gap between your flooring and the wall to create a neater finish. Wood is a natural product and has the ability to expand and contract when temperature and moisture levels fluctuate. When installing flooring it’s important to leave a sufficient expansion gap, ensure you choose skirting that is thick enough to cover this gap. Fitting skirting after your flooring is always preferred as it is visually more professional, we recommend removing existing skirting prior to fitting. This guide is for pine or primed MDF skirting, it is not recommended for pre-finished skirting.  2. Where to start We recommend starting from the left-hand side of the door and working your way around the room anti-clockwise, dealing with each corner in turn. Next we must know how to cut the skirting for external and internal corners. We recommend a mitre cut for external corners, and a scribed joint for internal corners as not all walls are at a perfect 90-degree angle.  3. Cutting the moulding for an external corner – mitred  Measure the distance to the next corner and mark onto the back of the skirting, and the intended direction of the mitre cut. Next, secure the skirting front facing into the mitre box.  Using a panel saw make a 45-degree angle mitre cut in the marked direction. Secure the adjoining skirting board into the mitre box and make a mitre cut in the opposite direction, sand both mitred ends until smooth. Hold both mitred ends together ensuring they fit properly. If the fit isn’t exact you can use a block plane to shave down the ends to achieve a better fit.  4. Cutting the moulding for an internal corner – scribed joint First, take one of the 2 pieces that will form the internal corner and cut to size with a straight cut, so the end is flush to the wall. Then place this piece at a 90-degree angle onto the face of the second piece of skirting, and draw around the profile onto the face of the piece you will be cutting.  Using a coping saw carefully saw around the profile mark you have just drawn, to create a scribed joint. Position both skirting boards together in the internal corner, ensuring that the scribed joint fits into the profile of the skirting. If the fit isn’t exact, lightly sand down the end to achieve a better fit. Remember to make the cut at the other end of the skirting before fitting them to the wall. 5. Securing the moulding to the wall The preferred option when securing the skirting is adhesive, as it allows for a clean and professional finish. If your wall isn’t completely straight you may want to use another applying method alongside the adhesive. Starting from the left-hand side of the door, apply grab adhesive to the back of the skirting and apply PVA to any external mitres, and carefully apply to the wall.  If using an additional applying method, use a pipe detector before nailing or drilling into any walls. If fixing to a stud wall, use a stud detector to locate the vertical timber studs, hammer lost head nails through the skirting into the timber studs. If fixing to a masonry wall use a masonry drill, making sure to countersink the screw holes so that the screws are hidden. Ensure you attach skirting to the wall and not your Atkinson & Kirby flooring. Use flexible decorators caulk to fill the gap between the top of the skirting and wall, wipe any excess with a damp cloth to smooth the surface.  6. Add the finishing touches Once the skirting is applied, use decorators caulk to patch any gaps, cracks, or holes prior to finishing. You have many different options when finishing pine skirting, you can stain for a traditional look, paint for a contemporary finish, or choose to retain the original look of raw pine.  These little finishing touches are where you can tie in with your chosen décor and Atkinson & Kirby flooring. If you decide to stain or leave as it is, we recommend sealing the surface with a varnish or oil. For primed MDF skirting we recommend painting. 7. Share your renovation project We love seeing how you have transformed your home with Atkinson & Kirby flooring. Upload a picture of your project to Instagram or Facebook and tag us @atkinson_kirby. You can also upload your images to our testimonials page here. We can’t wait to see Atkinson & Kirby flooring in your homes!