When it comes to fitting your floor, you will want to have everything to accessorise properly. While you may know a bit about underlay and skirting there's plenty more to finishing your floor than just that - not every floor has the same requirements, and certainly not every home does either.
With this guide we have indeed made it all about the accessories - which ones you will need to know about, what they're used for, and which ones each flooring type needs to help you get the most out of it as well as to put the finishing touches on any room.
Accessory need-to-knows
We have a full guide covering the A-Z of flooring terms, but there are several you will want to know when learning about accessories. Profiles are used where one floor meets another, or a doorway, staircase, or external door. Door profiles, end profiles, ramp profiles, and t-profiles all serve to help bridge different floors to one another, so be sure you are getting the right ones to match your needs.
Expansion and shrinkage refers to how floors subtly change with the room's temperatures, necessitating the need for expansion gaps that are covered by skirting board or scotia. With both these and profiles, you'll want to know the best options for your floor and room to achieve the perfect finish.
Lastly, there is underlay, which it is important to go into more detail on.
The importance of underlay
Underlay is a barrier that sits beneath your flooring and provides a range of benefits, from eliminating uneven subfloors, to thermal insulation and sound reduction. There are also underlay with an inbuilt Damp Proof Membrane (DPM). These are ideal for real wood floors placed over potentially moist concrete subfloors.
When choosing your new floor, it is good to keep in mind that several products, including luxury click vinyl, laminate, and engineered wood floors, require the use of underlay for successful installation. Other floors, such as carpets, solid wood, and sheet vinyl, may only need underlay depending on the specifics of the floor and the condition of your subfloor.
What do I need to install carpets?
There are several essential accessories you'll need for a successful carpet installation. First among them is carpet grippers, which are placed around the edge of the room to keep the carpet in its place and secure. Next, pick which profile will add the finishing touch. If you need a door profile, we have both aluminium and simbrass options available.
When considering which underlay you will get to go with your carpet, remember that thicker carpets are best with thinner underlay and vice versa. Depending on the backing and subfloor suitability you can even fit your carpet without an underlay. For more information read everything you need to know about carpets to help you decide.
What do I need to install vinyl flooring?
Sheet vinyl has the option to be loose laid, unlike luxury vinyl, up to a certain m2 depending on the particular floor. We have everything you need to know about sheet vinyl to help you determine if this is suitable for you. It should be glued down in high traffic areas where loose lay installation is not suitable, which is easy to do with a spray adhesive such as our Vitality Vinyl Adhesive. You will of course need any edge, door, or ramp profiles where appropriate.
What do I need to install laminate flooring?
As well as suitable underlay, the key accessories you need to install laminate flooring are scotia beading, to cover the expansion gap around the edge of the room, and profiles that match both the beading and the floor for a consistent look. To help space your laminate it is good to get some spacing wedges like those included in our Easy Fit Flooring Installation Kit.
What do I need to install luxury vinyl flooring?
Like with laminate, luxury vinyl will need scotia bead to go around the perimeter of the room and any need door, edge, or ramp profiles, though these can be of a colour of your choosing to compliment the floor rather than to match it.
What do I need to install luxury vinyl flooring?
Other necessary accessories will depend on how your vinyl is installed - adhesive will be required for glue down to be fitted, while luxury click vinyl will need appropriate underlay and hand roller to help secure the locking joints.
What do I need to install wood flooring?
Whether solid wood or engineered wood you will likely want scotia beading or skirting for the expansion gap and matching profiles to get the best look for your floor. Engineered wood - whether traditional tongue and groove or click system - will want an appropriate underlay to go between it and the subfloor.
SHOP ALL ENGINEERED WOOD ACCESSORIES
This is not the case with solid wood flooring, though be sure to read out guide on how to install solid wood flooring to properly prepare your subfloor for installation, and acquire the correct adhesive if fitting that way.
SHOP ALL SOLID WOOD ACCESSORIES
With all the different accessories you will want to properly install your floor, be sure to take your time familiarising yourself with them and what is best for your floor and your home. If you need more assistance, contact us and our flooring experts to get the help you need
