Choosing the correct wood flooring for your home can be a huge decision. It can form the basis for your entire interior design and home décor and getting it right is a key element for any renovation or refurbishment.
With so many options now available on the market, from carpet to vinyl tiles, you may be spoilt for choice, but there is one type of flooring that will never go out of style and that is wood. Full of character and warmth, real wood flooring is an excellent choice for any home. The feeling of real wood in your home is something that cannot easily be mistaken. It is ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, dining areas, and hallways.
Wood flooring can be purchased in either solid wood or engineered wood, both are great choices for your home, but how do you choose the right one? At Direct Wood Flooring, we want to ensure you make the right decision, so we have created this guide with advice on the advantages of both solid wood and engineered wood, to help you choose the right flooring for you and your lifestyle, so you can enjoy it for years to come.
Solid wood vs Engineered Wood Flooring
Despite the popularity of hardwood or solid wood flooring, engineered wood is fast becoming the go-to choice for interior designers and homeowners due to the advantages it has over solid wood flooring.
Engineered wood is made up of layers of timber with a solid hardwood veneer and is designed to allow the wood to expand and contract without shifting, so it is ideal if you are also planning to install underfloor heating.
Engineered flooring also has the advantage of being able to be attached by adhesive to concrete and other materials, opposed to solid wood flooring which needs an under layer and can often raise the height of a floor.
However, some engineered wood planks have a solid wood layer that can be thin, which if damage occurs such as a scratch, doesn’t leave a lot of room to be sanded and refinished without hitting the planks underneath. So always ask about the thickness when considering purchasing engineered wood.
Solid wood flooring has the advantage of being quieter underfoot and many people will still prefer the feel of solid hardwood. So, choosing between solid and engineered wood flooring will come down to individual style and personal budget.
Types of Wood
What type of wood you choose will be based upon your own aesthetic choices and requirements. Many companies now offer a wide range of choices in wood from around the world. Oak is a particularly popular choice here in the UK thanks to its availability and colour variations.
If you are looking for a darker wood then a popular hardwood choice is teak or mahogany, with rich warm tones that add an elegance and sophistication to any room.
If you are looking for something more contemporary, then ash is a great choice, lighter in colour, it is ideal for smaller rooms to help give the illusion of space.
Types of Finish
Prefinished wood flooring is ideal for those who want to decorate their room to match the floor as you can choose exactly how your floor is going to look. However, with a variety of finishes available, what should you consider?
- Brushed - many companies will offer “brushed” options, which means that wooden flooring boards are brushed to remove any smaller fibres, letting the natural texture and the grain of the wood stand out. This can be then either oiled or lacquered.
- Oiled - Oil has a very natural, matte look but doesn’t provide the protection of some other types of finishes such as a lacquer.
- Lacquered – This type of finish is ideal if you have a busy household as it protects the wood flooring whilst leaving it with a glossy, high sheen.
- Unfinished – Leaving your wood planks unfinished can give a room a rustic feel thanks to the obvious grain and character.
Plank Width
Plank width is an important decision to make. They usually come in narrow, standard, or wide although the actual sizes may vary with manufacturer.
The width of your planks can alter the space of a room quite dramatically. Narrower planks are the traditional choice but for larger rooms, this can often make the floor feel too busy.
Wider planks are a current trend in interior design as they can be used to make smaller spaces appear larger and less confined, so if you want a more modern looking wood floor, then go for a wider plank.
Need more help?
If you are still uncertain about what wood flooring you should choose, here at Direct Wood Flooring we offer a wide range of choice in a variety of colours, finishes and styles, so no matter what you choose you are guaranteed a luxurious and authentic wood finish. We pride ourselves on building exclusive relationships with premier wood suppliers across the world to find the best in high quality wood and then delivering it to you with unbeatable prices.
We also offer a free sampling service to our customers, which allows a selection of up to four samples from our product ranges. Samples are a great way of helping you choose the right floor for you, not just to make sure that whatever style you select looks great, but to also ensure that your floor can fit your individual requirements for use.
We stock solid wood and engineered wood flooring as well as laminate flooring, parquet flooring, LVT luxury vinyl tiles and wood floor tiles, so you are sure to find a product that works for you.
If you need any help or advice on any of our wood flooring, then please get in touch with us today to discuss your next project, get a quote, or order your free samples.
Use our contact form on the website or call us on 03308 182 500.
