The durability and service life of wood flooring often depends on the decisions you made prior to fitting the floor. It is essential to research well and find suitable flooring combination that matches your particular home or commercial property.
Here are five tips that will help you match the right type of wood flooring to your individual circumstances.
Understand wood flooring constructions – There are two types of wood flooring that vary in their construction type. One is called solid wood flooring and one is called engineered wood flooring. Solid is made from complete wood such as Oak, Walnut and other common species. Engineered is made from wood as well, however only as a layer of 1mm to 6mm. The rest of the plank is made from Plywood, MDF and Softwood, hence the descriptive name ‘engineered’.
Solid wood flooring suitability – Solid can fit most properties. Its complete construction makes the planks extremely strong which is an important feature in commercial properties as owners expect high levels of foot traffic. With the correct process of cleaning and maintaining the planks, solid can last for 100 years.
Engineered wood flooring suitability – Engineered can fit ANY property. Its varied construction makes the planks suitable above under-floor heating and in areas that experience damp conditions such as the bathroom. Solid will not last long in such difficult conditions and engineered wooden flooring is really the only sensible choice in such cases.
Fitting considerations – There are four common methods to fit wood flooring and your choice of one over the other will directly influence the total cost of the project. Of the four, three methods carry a similar cost. These are nail-down, glue-down and staple-down. An alternative is floating installation in which the wood planks use their own weight to support the complete floor. Only engineered wood flooring due to their lightness can be fitted in such manner. Solid planks are simply too heavy and require further support to stay in place.
Grade considerations – The level of solid wood, which is used in the construction of the floor, will vary depending on the grade and often offers a fantastic opportunity to save a bit on costs. The higher the grade is, the more refine the wood is meaning that the planks will likely match one another and include minimal (if any) knots and sapwood. The highest grade is prime and in between you will find select, natural and finally rustic grade. Grade will not impact the service life of the wood, merely a visual aspect.
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