Wood flooring is a great way to bring nature into your home and create a warm, natural environment. The first choice you’ll have to make is whether you want ‘the real thing’ in the form of solid or engineered hardwood flooring; or laminate flooring which imitates real wood. The experts at 1926 Wood Flooring have listed the pros and cons for each type to help you on your way.
Solid wood flooring
Made from one piece of hardwood timber, solid wood flooring is as authentic as you can get when it comes to wood flooring and comes in a variety of thicknesses and widths, pre-finished or unfinished for you to varnish.
This flooring comes with tongue and groove edges and is usually glued or nailed onto the sub-floor. Solid wood flooring will create a natural and warm ambience and is very long-lasting as it can be sanded and refinished many times over. The downside of it is that it reacts to moisture changes that naturally occur during the change of seasons. This causes the floor to contract and expand throughout the year, which means it needs to be installed with margins between planks to allow for this movement. Only a fitter with a high level of skill in this type of flooring should be used for this work, which will have an effect on cost.
Solid wood flooring is best for those with a larger budget looking for a very long-lasting floor and a customised finish. It can also add considerable value to a home and can be seen as an investment. As such, a solid wood floor is usually used in period properties where the seasonal changes in the floor complement the property.
Most suitable for…
…long term investment. As long as solid wood flooring is installed by a professional it is the best type of flooring for anyone investing in their property. Long lasting and with a customised finish it can add considerable value to a home.
Guide prices
Solid Oak cheap Chinese import is between £35-£47/m² from a good quality European manufacture £60-£150/m².
What about installation?
Solid wood flooring is the most complex type of flooring to lay (it has a greater tendency to warp / bow over time) - use a qualified and experienced fitter.
What about responsible sourcing – how do I know where the wood has come from?
With solid wood and engineered wood flooring, always look for the FSC label. This ensures that:
- Trees that are harvested are replaced or allowed to regenerate naturally;
- Parts of the forest are protected entirely, in order to protect rare animals and plants;
- Indigenous people have the right to use the forest. If they have sacred sites in the forest these are exempt from felling;
- The forest owner must use local workers to run the forest, and provide training, safety equipment and a reasonable salary.
Engineered wood flooring
Using a more modern approach to wood flooring, engineered flooring uses a layered construction made up of one to three layers of hardwood on top of a soft wood core. This layered construction controls the natural movement of a wood floor. Although it is not made up of 100% hardwood, engineered flooring is more resistant to moisture and is therefore more stable. It normally comes pre-finished with tongue and groove edges and depending on the manufacturer can be installed as a fully glued down floor, or on top of a suitable underlay as a floated floor. Some types have edges that click together, such as Kahrs flooring with Woodloc joints.
These are unique glue-less floor joints which means that gaps never appear between the boards, despite climatic changes in the home and they make the floor much easier to lay. Engineered floors can usually only be sanded and finished one to five times, depending on the thickness of the hardwood veneer. As they usually come pre-finished, the choice of styles and finishes is much greater than with solid floors. Engineered flooring can be just as realistic as solid wood flooring and is best for those looking for a combination of quality and easy of use.
Most suitable for…
…a compromise of quality and value. Good quality engineered wood flooring can be sanded and finished up to five times and can last over a century.
Guide prices
Expect to pay £20-£55/m² .
What about installation?
Some types of engineered wood flooring such as the Kahrs brand have edges that click together with “Woodloc” joints – making them easier to install for more experienced DIYers.
Laminate flooring
Also using a layered construction, laminate flooring does not contain any real wood but imitates the material with the help of a printed pattern set within a resin or plastic layer, mounted on top of MDF or HDF with a balancing backing underneath.
The main advantage of this flooring is cost - you get what you pay for here. These floors are simply clicked into place over a layer of foam, making them very easy to lay. They are easy to maintain and highly durable, although lower grade laminates may only last 5 - 15 years before heading to the landfill.
Laminate floors are also colder to the touch than hardwood floors and although they are becoming more and more authentic-looking, they will still often fall short of the warm, natural feel of hardwood flooring. That said, laminate flooring is a great option for those on a budget looking for a classy and modern alternative to carpets.
Are you still stuck for a starting point? Set yourself a budget and then see what you can afford from there - it will help to narrow your choice.
Most suitable for…
…anyone on a budget. Laminate flooring is one of the cheapest wood flooring options, although you get what you pay for - cheaper lower grade laminates may only last 5 - 15 years as opposed to good quality solid or engineered wood floors which can last up to 120 years.
…bathrooms. Most types of wood will warm in humid / wet conditions. Laminate flooring often represents the best long term solution for bathrooms, particularly those with poor ventilation.
Guide prices
Good laminate flooring ranges from £12-25/m²
What about installation?
Laminate is probably the easiest to lay, just clicking into place over a layer of foam - confident DIYers could cut out the cost of paying a fitter.
Anything else I need to factor in?
Don’t forget to factor in underlay - for laminate underlay, expect to pay a few pounds per square metre and slightly more for solid wood underlay. Also think about sound proofing - if you live in an upstairs flat, think about a thicker (and more expensive) to reduce the sound from footfall.
Contributors:
- 1926 Wood Flooring: www.1926woodflooring.co.uk
- Homes & Bargains: www.homesandbargains.co.uk
