60-Second Interview: Paul Lynch of PaulsFlooring Ltd.

Quick fire questions with Paul Lynch of PaulsFlooring Limited

Name: Paul Lynch 

Age: 59 

Company: PaulsFlooring Limited 

Job title: Managing Director
  

How did you get into the flooring industry? 

I was a young lad on my paper round, and it was one of my customers, Ron, who offered me a job in learning how to lay flooring. He was particularly creative, doing different bits and pieces for borders, patterns, centre motifs, as well as hand sewing carpet bindings, tufting, those types of things. He inspired me to get involved, and I’ve been a flooring installer for 45 years now.  

What’s been the biggest change in the industry over the years? 

The awareness of damp and moisture; everybody’s got more of a grip on it, and manufacturers are producing products to support with tackling it. 

More manufacturers are also responding to client demands for ‘green products’, for example, bio LVT. We’ve done jobs where there are certain stipulations on the floorcoverings we can use, or restrictions on their disposal meaning they have to be recycled, rather than thrown away. It’s certainly a trend that won’t be going anywhere soon.  

Looking forward, what do you think will be the biggest change in the next ten years? 

I believe there will be a massive knowledge gap. The numbers of young people needed aren’t coming through to replace those who are retiring from the trade. It’s difficult to find people who want to do the work, and speaking to youngsters, it’s not a trade they’re interested in doing.  

Something that I’m hoping for is anhydrite and gypsum-based screeds that act as a DPM at the same time. Many people are wary of being caught out and even if it were a more expensive product than those currently available, people would be willing to pay. That would make the biggest difference to our work.  

What’s the best job you’ve been on?

We’ve been doing some nice jobs for Lego and their retail stores. We recently installed floors at Battersea Power Station, and we did the store at Disneyland Paris. We managed to do the work overnight whilst the store remained open – the stores take tens of thousands in sales every day, so they were pleased we could work this way.  

What’s the worst? 

We did a retail job in Brighton for Thomson Holidays, as it used to be known. The previous contractor hadn’t used enough cement with fibres for the subfloor installation, and it was cracking all over and had been condemned. Blue Circle Cement had been used, and the client was a little upset to say the least, so we had a big job on our hands.  

Do you have a go-to product for certain jobs? 

My favourites are Stopgap 300, Stopgap 1200, and the DPMs. And Stopgap 700 – especially when you’ve got a job over wood floors you want to make sound. I also use all the F. Ball adhesives. 

What do you like best about the job? 

I like a challenge; doing something a bit unusual. We’ve just done a yacht with bespoke fish scale patterns. Stuff like this you can’t buy in the UK.  

What is your least favourite thing?    

Ripping up old floors, and bitumen – I think many floorlayers would agree!