Starting up a business is difficult enough. The never ending meetings with potential clients and investors, the uncertainties, the trial-and-errors. No wonder many entrepreneurs stuck in the garage for quite some time. But for those who’ve made it through the first year, they might have seen that their startup’s growth is sustainable. At that time, they might need to hire new staffs and setup an office as the HQ of their business.
Sure, an HQ would be nice to have. But what about the renovation costs, not mentioning the costs related to lease, paperwork and other due diligences? One route many entrepreneurs take is to DIY their renovation.
Paint jobs, setting up fixtures, electricity installations – everything can be done with a little help from your partners, friends and neighbours. But there’s one thing you need to consider taking extra effort: Flooring.
You see, commercial flooring has to deal with a great deal more punishment than the average domestic floor covering. Not only does it have to withstand the constant punishment of footfall, it must be easy to clean and highly resistant to stains. There is also a specific installation process involved – which ensures it stays firmly in place for its entire lifetime.
DIY flooring tips
To help you out in your DIY carpeting endeavour, we have some tips for you. Let’s get started: Carpet suppliers and fitters will usually incorporate four steps into the fitting process – what are they?
1. Prepare the floor
If your office floor already has a floor covering down, it must be completely removed. The carpet must be pulled up (preferably from one corner) and rolled as it is lifted off the floor. Your office carpet may be attached to gripper rods, in which case a degree of force will be needed.
At this stage, you should inspect any underlay in place; if it is in good condition, you may be able to lay your new carpet directly over it. The same applies to the gripper rods, but most commercial carpet specialists will recommend fitting new ones. If you have to fit new rods, make sure there is a 3mm gap between them and the walls or skirting. Clear the entire area of debris, and you’re ready to lay the new carpet.
Some carpets will require the use of tack-less strips instead of gripper rods, and commercial carpet tiles will often be fitting with a special adhesive backing or tape.
2. Cut the carpet
The initial carpet you cut should be at least four inches longer than the floor in every direction. You should then mark the room’s exact dimensions with a line on the carpet backing. Remember, it’s much better to err on the side of caution and make your cut too large, as making it too small will result in a gap – and the need to use an off-cut to fill it. Once the carpet is in place, it should be overlapping your office floor in every direction. At this point, you should use a sharp Stanley knife to trim away the excess carpet on all sides, which should leave you with a perfectly-cut piece of carpet for your room’s dimensions.
3. Stretch the carpet tightly into place
Once your carpet is in place, you will need to ensure it fits snugly in your office. Use a knee-kicker to stretch the carpet over the tack-less strips or gripper rods. You can use a carpet stretcher in order to create a secure fit. If you are using tacked gripper rods, you should use a bolster chisel to hammer the edges of the carpet between the wall and the rod.
4. Trim the carpet at doorways
You should trim your carpet so its edge is perfectly centred under the closed door at each doorway. You can then create a clean finish by fitting a door-edge strip – usually available in a gold or silver colour.
Thinking twice about DIY carpeting?
Of course, fitting a commercial carpet can be a complex, time-consuming task, which is why it may be worth calling in the professionals to fit it for you. If you have a working office, and you want to keep the disruption in your office to a minimum, Selby Carpets now offers a unique service whereby they can install a carpet without the need to clear the room of office furniture. They use state-of-the-art shift-and-lift technology to work around the various static items in your office, so all you have to do is get on with your daily business.