Project Overview
A residential property in Camden Town needed new flooring throughout several rooms. The existing floor was outdated and in poor condition, and the client had selected an engineered wood product to replace it. The brief included removing the old floor, preparing the subfloor, fitting the engineered boards, and completing all the finishing details: door frame trimming, beading along the walls, and thresholds at room transitions.
The Challenge
The rooms originally had an outdated and worn floor that no longer matched the desired aesthetic. The space lacked a smooth transition between areas, and the doors and frames required adjustments to accommodate the newly engineered flooring. Additionally, without proper beading and thresholds, the edges of the room felt unfinished.
To begin the transformation, we carefully assessed the space, ensuring the subfloor was suitable for engineered flooring installation. The door frames and doors needed trimming to ensure a perfect fit once the new floor was in place. Without these adjustments, the new flooring would not have lain flat, leading to an uneven and impractical finish.
Camden Town properties are often older period buildings with subfloors that have settled unevenly over time. This one was no exception. Before any boards could go down, the subfloor had to be checked with a long straight-edge and any high spots ground back and low spots filled with a self-levelling compound.
Our Approach
Old flooring was carefully lifted and removed first. We checked for any damaged or soft sections in the subfloor and made repairs before proceeding. The self-levelling compound was mixed and poured, then left to set overnight.
Door frames were undercut using a multi-tool with a flush-cut blade, with a spare board offcut used as a depth guide. This ensures the board slides neatly under the frame rather than butting against it, which gives a much cleaner look at doorways. The doors themselves were also trimmed to account for the new floor height.
Engineered boards were then laid floating over a foam underlay, starting from the most prominent wall and working across the room. Each row was staggered at least 300mm from the previous to avoid any H-joint pattern forming. Expansion gaps were maintained at all walls and fixed points.
Once the boards were down, Scotia beading was fitted around the perimeter to cover the expansion gaps. At doorways, transition thresholds were fitted to bridge the level change between rooms. All trims were colour-matched to the floor where possible.
The Result
The engineered flooring installation completely revitalised the space. Each plank was carefully placed, ensuring a smooth and uniform appearance that improved the room's warmth and feel underfoot. The engineered wood provides a durable, practical foundation that suits everyday life while still looking good.
The doors and frames were trimmed to align perfectly with the new flooring height, creating clean transitions between rooms. Beading was installed along the edges, covering expansion gaps with a neat finish. Thresholds at room boundaries completed the job, giving a consistent and well-finished result throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does engineered floor installation take in a typical Camden Town flat?
A two-to-three bedroom flat typically takes two to three days: one day for subfloor preparation and one to two days for fitting, depending on the complexity of the layout and how many doorways, alcoves, or obstacles need working around.
Do door frames always need trimming when fitting new flooring?
Almost always, yes. Adding a new floor raises the height by the thickness of the board plus underlay, usually around 12 to 15mm. Without trimming the frames, you either leave an ugly gap at the doorway or the board cannot slide under and you lose the expansion gap. Undercutting the frames is standard practice and a clean way to handle it.
What does engineered floor fitting cost in Camden Town?
Fitting rates in North London typically run between £35 and £55 per square metre for labour only, not including materials. That covers subfloor preparation, laying, door trimming, beading, and thresholds. The board itself is a separate cost and varies widely by product.