Sisal Carpet Installation in Kings Park, Hackney, London

Project Overview

• Location: Kings Park, Hackney, London

• Customer: Tom

• Areas: Loft room, home office, landing and staircase

• Total area: 20m²

• Carpet: Alternative Flooring Sisal Malay Tigers Eye

• Carpet type: Woven sisal

• Installation system: Double-stick

• Underlay: Double-stick down underlay

• Gripper: Short-pin gripper

• Stair system: Power Stairs

• Special requirements: Sisal edges concealed beneath skirting and reverse-wrapped around the stair and winder edges

• Project duration: 2 days

Choosing Sisal Carpet for a Loft Room and Home Office

Tom was redesigning his home and had created a new loft room and home office as part of the renovation. Once the wider building work had been completed, he wanted a natural sisal carpet to provide the finished flooring for these areas as well as the landing and staircase.

Before the installation, Tom contacted EXEN Flooring to discuss the practical requirements of sisal carpet installation in Hackney. We explained how sisal differs from conventional carpet and, in particular, why careful consideration needs to be given to the carpet edges. Different options were discussed for finishing the sisal around skirting, the landing and the stairs.

Tom ultimately chose Alternative Flooring Sisal Malay Tigers Eye and wanted the carpet edges to be concealed wherever possible rather than left visibly exposed.

You can view the Alternative Flooring Sisal Malay Tigers Eye carpet and the Sisal Tigers Eye carpet available from EXEN Flooring for further product information. Alternative Flooring specifies the Tigers Eye product as part of its Sisal Malay range, with 100% sisal yarn, latex backing, woven construction and a double-stick installation method.

Concealing Sisal Carpet Edges Beneath Skirting

One of the main requirements for the loft room and office was to make sure the sisal edges could not be seen around the perimeter.

Tom chose a skirting-under installation, meaning that the sisal would be left slightly longer than a conventional perimeter cut. The additional material would then extend underneath the approximately 2cm skirting, concealing the carpet edge from view.

This detail needed to be planned before the carpet was cut. With sisal, an edge that is cut too short can be extremely difficult to correct, so sufficient material needs to be allowed for the chosen finishing method. The carpet was therefore measured and positioned with the skirting detail in mind from the beginning.

The result is a much more concealed perimeter, with the sisal edge hidden underneath the skirting rather than remaining visible against the wall.

Installing Sisal Carpet in the Loft Room and Office

The loft room and office formed approximately 20m² of the project. The installation was carried out using a double-stick down underlay system, with the underlay installed before the sisal carpet was fitted.

The short-pin gripper and Power Stairs were also used as part of the installation system. Particular attention was paid to the positioning of the carpet before the final fitting, as the woven construction and directional appearance of the flooring require careful handling.

Where the carpet meets the perimeter, the additional allowance required for the skirting-under finish was maintained so that the sisal could be taken underneath the skirting rather than cut flush and left exposed.

Sisal Carpet Installation on the Landing and Stairs

The landing and staircase required a different finishing solution.

Tom wanted the sisal edges around the steps and winders to be completely concealed. Rather than using gripper directly along the step and winder edges, the agreed approach was a reverse-wrap finish.

The sisal was allowed to turn approximately 4cm inward around the stair and winder edges. This meant that the carpet edge could be folded back into the stair detail rather than remaining visible at the side of the step.

This required careful measuring and cutting because every part of the staircase needed to accommodate the additional material required for the reverse-wrap detail.

Why Sisal Carpet Edge Finishing Requires Precision

The carpet edges are one of the most important considerations when installing sisal.

Unlike many conventional carpets, woven sisal requires careful planning around the perimeter and should not simply be treated as a standard stretch-fitted carpet. Once an edge has been cut too short, there may not be enough material available to achieve the intended finish.

For Tom's project, this was addressed before installation by deciding exactly how each area would be finished. The loft room and office used the skirting-under method, while the landing and stairs used the reverse-wrap detail.

Planning these details in advance allowed the installation team to leave the correct amount of material at each edge and avoid unnecessary exposed sisal ends.

Double-Stick Installation of Alternative Flooring Sisal Malay Tigers Eye

Alternative Flooring specifies double-stick installation for Sisal Malay Tigers Eye. The EXEN Flooring installation therefore used a double-stick down underlay system as part of the flooring build-up.

Once the underlay and carpet were ready, the sisal was positioned carefully before the final installation was completed. The team worked through the loft room, office, landing and staircase while maintaining the edge details agreed with Tom.

The combination of double-stick installation, concealed perimeter edges and reverse-wrapped stair edges made this a more detailed project than a straightforward room carpet installation.

Completing the 20m² Sisal Carpet Project in Kings Park

Although Tom's requested finish involved several different installation details, the project was successfully completed in two days.

The loft room and home office were finished with the sisal edges concealed beneath the skirting, while the landing and staircase were completed using the reverse-wrap method to keep the carpet edges hidden.

The finished installation gave the newly renovated areas a consistent sisal floor covering while following Tom's specific requirements for concealed edges throughout the project.

Sisal Carpet Installation in Kings Park, Hackney

This project demonstrates the importance of planning the installation method before fitting natural woven sisal carpet. The carpet itself is only one part of the finished result; perimeter details, skirting, stair construction, winders and the chosen underlay system all need to be considered.

For homeowners looking for sisal carpet installation in Kings Park, Hackney or across London, discussing the proposed edge finish before the carpet is cut can help determine the most suitable installation approach for each area.

EXEN Flooring can provide advice on sisal carpet installation and work with customers to plan details such as concealed carpet edges, skirting-under finishes and specialist stair installation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sisal Carpet Installation

What sisal carpet was used in this Kings Park project?

The project used Alternative Flooring Sisal Malay Tigers Eye, a woven sisal carpet in the Tigers Eye colourway. Alternative Flooring identifies the product as code 2504 within its Sisal Malay range.

How much carpet was installed?

The project covered approximately 20m² across the loft room and home office, with the landing and staircase also included in the wider installation.

Where was this sisal carpet installed?

The project was completed in Kings Park, Hackney, London, across a loft room, home office, landing and staircase.

How were the sisal edges concealed beneath the skirting?

The sisal was intentionally left slightly longer around the perimeter so that the carpet edges could extend underneath the approximately 2cm skirting. This concealed the edges rather than leaving them visible.

What is a reverse-wrap sisal carpet installation?

For this project, the reverse-wrap method involved turning the sisal approximately 4cm inward around the stair and winder edges so that the carpet ends could be concealed.

Was gripper used on the stairs?

The reverse-wrap detail meant that gripper was not used directly on the step and winder edges. Instead, the sisal was turned inward to conceal the edges.

What underlay was used?

A double-stick down underlay was used as part of the installation system. Alternative Flooring also specifies a double-stick installation method for Sisal Malay Tigers Eye.

Why does sisal carpet require careful edge cutting?

Because the intended finishing method may require additional material at the perimeter, cutting the sisal too short can make it difficult to achieve the required finish. Accurate measuring and careful cutting are therefore important.

Can sisal carpet be installed on stairs and winders?

Yes. Sisal can be fitted to stairs and winders, but the installation needs to account for the shape of the staircase and the desired edge finish. This project used a reverse-wrap detail to conceal the sisal edges.

How long did this project take?

The Kings Park sisal carpet installation was completed in two days.

Is Sisal Malay Tigers Eye available from EXEN Flooring?

Yes. EXEN Flooring has a dedicated product page for Sisal Tigers Eye Carpet, with multiple colour options.