Are you planning to renovate your home or paint your walls and ceilings? In that case, you need to keep your floors safe from spilling liquids, chemicals and paint. To do this you'll need suitable floor protection; it comes in two categories: plastic floor protection film and cardboard floor protectors. Here are the most important things you need to know.
Types of Protective Floor Coverings
Protective floor coverings have two categories: plastic films and cardboard products and all floor protection products are easy to cut, fit and heavy-duty (specially made for the construction industry) and water-resistant.
Plastic Film for Protecting Floors
There are various plastic films, including self-adhesive and non-adhesive options. The adhesive floor protection film is ideal for keeping your carpets safe, while the non-adhesive counterpart is best for smooth surfaces.
Poly Weave Fabric
Poly weave fabric is a woven polyethylene fabric that's water resistant and is a good choice for painting, varnishing and other activities where liquids are used. Its anti-slip surface makes it extra safe and comes in a 100m long roll that's 1.8m wide.
Plastic Film for Hard Floors
If you need temporary floor protection for hard floors, choose this type of film; it has a light adhesive that won't leave residue on tiles, floorboards and similar surfaces. This is a clear and tacky film that's reverse rolled with the adhesive on the outside, making it easy to roll out and stick to the floor without the need of using tape. It's quite easy to apply against skirting boards or walls and it remains in place, which reduces the risk of tripping. It comes in a 100-metre-long roll that's 1 metre wide.
Sticky Film for Carpets
This carpet protection is similar to the hard floor film but has a different adhesive that's designed to stick better to soft and fluffy surfaces such as rugs and carpets. It's best for protecting freshly carpeted surfaces from muddy shoes, debris, paint, concrete, and dust. This film roll is 100 metres long and 1 metres wide.
The easiest way to lay it down is to use an applicator (it's a time-saver). A roller applicator takes 1 metre-wide carpet protection rolls, allowing you to walk over the area pushing the applicator in front of you like a broom. Apply the sticky film neatly and smoothly to the carpeted area.
This method is best for covering large carpeted floors (new office spaces). You can also do this by hand; apply pressure to stick the plastic at the edge of the carpeted area, move backwards, unroll and press down the carpet film as you go.
Bubblewrap
Bubblewrap is a good choice and is often used in construction to keep safe delicate surfaces like balustrades, corners, edges and handrails. You can find rolls that are 100 metres long and 1.5 metres wide. It's the best size for builders and contractors.
Cardboard for Floor Protection
Cardboard for floor protection products are ideal for residential, commercial, renovation and refit products. It's best to lay it on top of tiles, carpets, lino, and wood floorboards; it'll keep safe your kitchen benches, stairs, painted walls and coloured concreted. You can use it on granite, marble and stone floors, too. These cardboard protectors will keep various surfaces safe including floors, walls, bench tops and stairs. It's easy to install - simply roll out the roll, with the logo side up.
Builder Floor Protection for Timber Floors?
If you have timber floors, you can easily choose both cardboard and plastic protection film. To choose the ideal item for your project, consider the processes you'll do during your project. Consider if there's a necessity for shock absorption in case of heavy objects drop. Cardboard flooring protection may give a bit more protection than a thin plastic film layer. However, if you need a waterproof product because there will be a risk of spilling liquids, paints or sealants, choose the plastic film.
Builders Film for Carpets
If you're trying to keep your carpet floors safe you probably wonder which builder film to choose. Carpets by nature are slippery when overlaid with plastic, so choosing regular builders' film or drop sheet isn't the best choice. It's best to use sticky plastic carpet protection film. It's self-adhesive and designed not to leave marks on the carpet. The tacky film is strong enough to remain in place and reduce any potential slips.
Floor Protection On Walls and Other Surfaces
You can easily use floor protections for your walls and other surfaces when renovating or doing other tasks. Tacky carpet protection is ideal for carpets, but if you have non-adhesive plastic films and cardboard floor protection you can easily wrap them, mould, tap or wedge them around other surfaces. For instance, you can use them to protect granite kitchen benches, built-in storage units, or walls alongside narrow staircases can.
How Long Can Floor Protection Stay in Place?
If it's self-adhesive protection, it should be removed as soon as you're done with your project. This will ensure minimal chance for any residue to stay on the carpet. Non-adhesive protectors are safe and can stay in place for as long as you need them.
