Flooring is an important part of your home’s style and there are many different options to choose from. A flooring type that’s always popular and will fit with most decorative schemes is wood. But what’s the best type of wood floor to choose?
Types of Flooring
In the past, wood flooring has generally been made of solid planks and this type is still widely available, however it can be expensive and is subject to expansion and contraction in different temperatures.
Many modern solutions use an engineered, laminate flooring. This is made up of a number of layers with a hardwood surface on the top. This has a number of advantages, primarily that it helps prevent movement caused by expansion and contraction. It can also be laid directly on top of concrete floors or over a soundproofing layer. Engineered flooring is suitable for with underfloor heating systems too.
When selecting laminates it’s worth going for one that has a thicker top layer. This allows it to be sanded and refinished in future should it get marked or damaged, but if the flooring only has a thin top layer damage may mean replacement.
Colour and Finishing
When selecting a wood floor you need to think carefully about the type of wood and the finished colour. Lighter planks can help to make a small room look larger and on the other hand give it a warmer, cosier feel, so you need to consider the effect you want to achieve.
In order to ensure it has a long life your wood floor needs to be properly finished. You can buy flooring with an untreated surface that needs to be sanded and treated with a sealant or varnish on site. Alternatively, you can buy pre-finished boards that are ready to walk on as soon as they’re laid.
Whilst pre-finished flooring are an attractive option that reduce the amount of work involved in getting a good finish, untreated boards have advantages too. By carrying out treatment after the boards are laid you have more opportunity to fine tune the finish. You can adjust the colour to your liking and choose how glossy you want the finished floor to look. Add a cosy fire and a Metal Log Holder from https://www.themetaltree.co.uk/ and its done.
It’s worth taking your time choosing wood flooring, as if done right the finished result can last a lifetime.
