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FAQs

Can't find the answer you're looking for? Here we share our most frequently asked questions to help you out!

Most common questions

Where can I buy Atkinson & Kirby flooring?

Atkinson & Kirby flooring can be purchased through our trusted stockists located throughout the UK. Find your local retailer with our stockist locator here

For trade customers, you can purchase our flooring and flooring accessories directly here on our website, simply sign up for a trade account and once approved you will be able to shop. Sign up for a trade account here.

What are your delivery options?

Deliveries are made between 8am and 6pm. All of our delivery services are curb side delivery only. Please make sure someone is available to accept the delivery. 

Delivery to your branch
We aim to deliver within 1-2 working days. We offer free delivery for orders £500 or more. Orders under £500 that contain flooring accessories only, are subject to a £25 delivery fee. Orders under £500 and contain flooring, are subject to a £45 delivery fee.

Direct to Customer Delivery
We aim to deliver within 1-2 working days. Orders are delivered directly to your customer, and are subject to a £45 delivery fee. Please be aware that we deliver on large vehicles and it is your responsibility to advise us of any access issues. If you require the delivery on a smaller vehicle due to access issues, we can offer this service on request and price is on application, please get in touch with our team for this option.

Direct to Site
We aim to deliver within 1-2 working days. Orders are delivered directly to site, and are subject to a £45 delivery fee. Please be aware that we deliver on large vehicles and it is your responsibility to advise us of any access issues. If you require the delivery on a smaller vehicle due to access issues, we can offer this service on request and price is on application, please get in touch with our team for this option.

Ireland, Channel Islands & Restricted Areas
Orders to these locations are looked at on an order by order basis by our sales team, and are excluded from next day delivery services.

Large Projects
Due to the nature of large projects and call off schedules, delivery terms will be discussed as part of the project package, and falls outside of our standard delivery terms.

*Costs above exclude VAT.

What is your return policy?

Returns must be made within 28 days and will be subject to a restocking fee of 20% plus a £45 return carrier charge. Goods must arrive in a good saleable condition, open packs cannot be returned for credit.  Contact our sales team on sales@akirby.co.uk or call 01695 573234 for returns. 

*Costs above exclude VAT.

How do I become an Atkinson & Kirby retailer?

We are always looking to work with new and upcoming flooring retailers and showrooms. If you are interested in becoming a retailer of our inspirational, quality hardwood flooring, submit your details here and our team will get back to you within 48 hours.

Why wood flooring

What is engineered wood flooring?

Engineered wood flooring offers the same sophistication of a solid wood floor, while using smaller amounts of eco-precious hardwoods and benefiting from added practicality. Suitable for use with underfloor heating, our precision engineered flooring boards deliver on style, with exceptional quality, stability and performance.

What is solid wood flooring?

For some, there's nothing quite so authentic as a solid natural block or plank floor. Our solid timber floors are a statement of quality, which goes back to Atkinson & Kirby's roots in 1903. Whilst the format is steeped in tradition, the character you can give a space with solid wood is as varied as the tonal richness of wood itself. Solid wood flooring isn’t recommended for areas that will be in contact with water or underfloor heating.

What are the benefits of choosing a wood floor?

Wood floors are beautiful, hard-wearing, easy to maintain and environmentally friendly. They are also one of the least toxic flooring options ensuring the safety of your children and pets.

Choosing wood flooring

How do I order a sample of flooring?

Atkinson & Kirby flooring samples can be ordered through our trusted stockists located throughout the UK. Find your local retailer with our stockist locator here

For trade customers, you can order flooring samples directly here on our website, simply sign up for a trade account and once approved you will be able to order. Sign up for a trade account here.

How do I calculate the amount of packs I need?

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. View our step-by-step guide here.

Installation

Do I need to acclimatise my wood flooring?

Wood flooring does need to acclimatise to ensure installation runs smoothly and to prevent any problems in the future. 

We recommend that you store the products in a room with the same or similar humidity to the room they will be installed in for 48 – 72 hours prior to installation. Some floors may require up to 5 days. The flooring packs should be stored and stacked in the original packaging. This allows the timber time to become accustomed to the temperature, preventing any expansion or shrinkage issues in the future.

What is an expansion gap?

Wood is a natural product and has the ability to expand and contract. When installing flooring it’s important to leave a sufficient expansion gap. The expansion gap refers to the gap between the flooring and wall that must be left around the whole perimeter of the room. 

Ensure you choose skirting board that is thick enough to cover this gap. View our how to install skirting board guide here.

Can I fit wood flooring with skirting board already fitted?

Scotia is a decorative moulding used to cover the expansion gap between your floor and skirting, without removing the skirting board. Ensure you choose a scotia that is thick enough to cover this gap. View our how to install scotia beading guide here.

Can I fit wood flooring over underfloor heating?

All of our engineered wood flooring collections can be used with water-based underfloor heating, choose from our parquet, contemporary and classic collections. It’s important to note that the temperature should never exceed 27°c. View our engineered floors here.

Care and maintenance

What should I use to clean my wood floor?

By following simple maintenance guidelines you will maintain the natural beauty of the floor. Here are our top tips for regular maintenance and cleaning:

  • Clean the floor regularly
  • Wipe up any spilt liquids immediately 
  • Use protective pads under all furniture legs
  • Use barrier mats at all external doors
  • Protect your floor from grit
  • Do not use abrasive cleaners
  • Do not use a wet mop. A damp mop is recommended.

View our full maintenance instructions here.

Certifications

What is FSC?®

The FSC® certification is globally recognised and endorsed by major environmental charities, such as WWF and the Woodland Trust. These certifications promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests. At Atkinson & Kirby we are proud to be FSC® certified, meaning we source our timber from trees that are harvested as part of responsible and sustainable forest management, as well as promoting responsible and ethical practice. Read our environmental promise here.

What is PEFC®?

PEFC® is the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification; a leading global alliance of national forest certification systems. PEFC® are an international non-profit, non-governmental organization, dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. 

At Atkinson & Kirby we are proud to be PEFC® certified, meaning we source our timber from trees that are harvested as part of responsible and sustainable forest management, as well as promoting responsible and ethical practice. Read our environmental promise here.

Are wood floors environmentally friendly?

Wood is an amazing natural resource and we feel privileged to work with it. Environmental responsibility is at the heart of Atkinson & Kirby and we are proud to support sustainable timber production with a host of environmental and sustainable accreditations.

Oak is our top choice for hardwood floors as it is one of the most sustainable timbers, with UK forest management and protection programs regularly replanting oak trees in woodland areas, it has one of the smallest carbon footprints of all woods and releases fewer toxic emissions during the manufacturing process than any other options. Read our environmental promise here.

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