The Quality Carpet & Flooring Specialist

Is your pooch hiding from you? Maybe your cat has brought you a 'loving trophy'?

Almost half of us (49%) own a cat or a dog... which can involve flooring mishaps! Here are our top five tips to love your carpet as well as your pet:

1. Use a doormat or a rug in doorways with outdoor access.

2. Use a barrier to keep your pet out of certain rooms with vulnerable flooring! Remember to close the door, or install a baby gate, (works for dogs more than cats!)

3. Sprinkle an odour-neutralising spray - even baking soda - to lift unwanted smells.

4. Get ready to blot any 'accidents' - immediately!

5. Rubber brooms are fantastic for gathering fur from your carpet.

"All of us Charles Wilson Carpets love pets - and appreciate the risks involved with your flooring!" says Adam Wilson, director and cat owner. "The good news is that there are simple steps to take that will protect your flooring and redeem your pet!"

If in doubt, please ask - we'll have some handy tips for you! Pop into our store, or call us on 01462 450780.

For more general carpet caring tips, click here.

It's official: the sale of flooring tiles is booming! Why have tiles become such a popular flooring choice?

There are several reasons why people are choosing tiles. The biggest reason is the versatility they offer.

We love this type of flooring as it's very durable and practical. This makes tiles perfect for kitchens and bathrooms, especially as they are water resistant and non-absorbent.

You can choose from a huge variety of materials and finishes, from soft carpet tiles to vinyl. In fact, 74% of stockists are selling more vinyl than five years ago. The finishes available are top quality, making tiles a practical and affordable choice whilst ensuring that your flooring looks great.

The Stone Finish
“Many people like the look of natural stone tiles, however they are put off by how hard they feel underfoot and how cold they are during the winter, ” explains Adam Wilson of Charles Wilson Carpets. “Flooring tiles can create the same look but with greater warmth, comfort and resilience.”
 
The Look of Wood
Choose from a wide choice of wooden finishes, perfect for a quieter alternative to wood itself and easy to keep clean.
 
The Comfort of Carpet
Carpet tiles are soft to walk on, easy to install and offer great design choices. These tiles are great for high footfall areas and absorbing sound. This means they are often favoured by landlords. “Carpet tiles give home owners the warmth and comfort of carpet whilst providing a flooring which is easy to install and cost effective to replace,” says Adam.
 
Creative Freedom
A distinct advantage is the wow factor you can easily create when designing the look of your room. Flooring tiles offer the best freedom and flexibility to incorporate colours, patterns and impact to your space. You really are spoilt for choice! 
 
Resilience
This ‘instant makeover’ is designed to withstand daily use. Whilst being stain-resistant, if needed you can just uplift a plank (if stuck down version used & non-click) to remove damaged areas.

“Flooring tiles have become hugely popular and the range available has grown enormously,” says Adam.

Are you tempted by the look, resilience and versatility of flooring tiles?  Pop into our store at 39 Hermitage Road, Hitchin. Take a look at our range of flooring tiles and our friendly team can answer any questions.

Bright colours, sparkles, camouflage… children often want a special look for their bedrooms that just doesn’t gel with the rest of the house. At Charles Wilson Carpets, we help provide funky and fabulous individual looks – with choices that can keep everyone happy!
 
Cheap & Cheerful
 
What to do for the young lady who won’t be swayed from off-white plush pile carpet whilst she’s putting on her makeup, the budding ballerina for whom nothing but pink will do or the gothically inspired teen who wants floor to ceiling black?
 
The answer? Look to the manmade, synthetic fibres. But why?
 

• Firstly, they are far less expensive but can be pretty durable
• Ease of cleaning – often bleach cleanable (very diluted) for stubborn stains
• Bright bold colours are often available as the white yarn dyes easily to a pure colour
• Often good guarantees but be careful of the terms – some ask for professional cleaning year each to maintain their guarantee – that would cost you more than the carpet in a few years!
• Deep piles are often available for super comfort & squidge (be aware the longer the pile the more vacuuming it needs and it will flatten down faster) 

Three Versatile, Creative Types of Flooring for Children’s Bedrooms
 
1. Sheet vinyl - is not the dull boring & rather tacky product it used to be. Imaginative pattern designs add some fun to a room or subtle wood effect/marbling to add a simple background to which you might add a fun rug or play mat.
 

• Vinyls can be inexpensive.
• Cheaper fun patterns such as roadways or pretty pink flowers tend to be lower quality and not very long lasting… but how long will your child want to play with cars on it or still want baby pink?
• Gives cushioning – levels of this vary but the depth is not an indicator of quality, just comfort. Nice on little ones’ knees when they play.
• Fitting costs – because it’s a sheet it goes down quickly with little mess or fancy preparation. This keeps the fitting time/cost down (you may need a ply layer if you have floorboards to even the surface out, helping wear). 

2. Laminate or luxury vinyl tiles are a more durable, longer lasting option. If you choose a simple wood effect or pattern in neutral tones they will last for years as your children grow. To change the look as they grow you could use rugs in up-to-date patterns or colours to alter the style.

• Laminates can be a little noisy if used upstairs but buy a good quality (look for the guarantee & surface layer thickness). They will be both durable, smart, easy clean & long lasting
• Laminates are not so good where you might have spilt water/drinks or sharp edges of toys that can blow or damage the surface. (You can replace planks but you might have to unclick the whole floor first!)
• Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) – you may have heard of Karndean, Moduleo or Polyflor to name but a few. Tiles & planks of thin vinyl provide a highly water resistant, scuff resistant surface as a good foil for any more elaborate ideas the children may have!
• LVT is now one of the most preferred alternatives to carpet because it is easy to clean, you can just uplift a plank (if stuck down version used & non-click) to remove damage, it is warmer & less noisy underfoot.
• Both need a very flat surface, preparation is key – so factor this in when considering these options. 

The downside is the cost. The materials are sometimes more expensive than carpet or vinyl but it is the time taken to lay the floor that adds to the price. That said, it will last a great deal longer and year on year provides very good value for money (a good quality will seem them through to university!).
 
3. Rugs are the ultimate way to change the look of a room quickly and easily. Keep the underlying floor simple, neutral and understated and jazz things up with a design of your child’s choice. See our page on rugs for more information - and how to design your own rug!.
 
“We help many customers create a fabulous look for their children’s bedrooms – usually several times as the children grow and their tastes change!” says Adam Wilson of Charles Wilson Carpets. “These tips will help you to look at versatile, practical options that are cost-effective to update when needed.”
 
If you would like to chat through these options in more detail or see the wonderful array of patterns and designs available, pop into our Hermitage Road store. Our friendly team can offer the best advice for your budget and your child’s taste, keeping everyone happy!