Standard Oak

Standard oak flooring has not been coloured, stained distressed or aged in any way.  It is machined straight from the log into various widths, thicknesses and profiles and it is then kiln dried and in some cases prefinished with a hard-wax oil or lacquer.

Reclaimed Oak

Reclaimed Oak as the name suggests is timber reclaimed from old buildings, railway carriages etc, either from the UK or France. It is the genuine article and is beautiful to look at having developed lovely hues which in truth can only come from time itself.

The downside is availability, it is getting harder to get, although we can source it from a couple of suppliers we know, the price is hefty; at least double what one pays for the distressed oak above. So if you have the budget it is well worth it, but if not the artificially distressed oak is an exceptionally good alternative.

Distressed Oak

This style of oak is processed from the Standard oak above but has been through an additional manufacturing process to give it an antique or aged appearance.

Generally it is placed in a large drum and tumbled with nuts and bolts and bits of metal to beat it up a little. The process is very effective and floors like this can look almost the same as the much more expensive reclaimed flooring.

More often than not a stain is then added to give it that extra aged look… but this is optional.  Once fitted professionally it will look as though your floor has been there for hundreds of years.

Coloured Oak

Coloured oak is when Standard oak is changed from its natural colour to one of a variety of different shades. This can be done either by applying a coloured wax or stain or by a process known as smoking, this is where ammonia is used to react with the tanins in the wood and turns it a darker shade of brown. If this process is repeated it is known as double smoked and it produces a very dark brown in colour, not achievable by applying a stain.

Other colour ranges that we supply are white oiled, walnut/ebony, and a cognac brown. The cognac is almost identical to the single smoked colour and is cheaper.

Coloured oak can be bought prefinished meaning the colour is applied at the factory alternatively the colour can be applied on site by us once the floor has been fitted. In some cases this is preferable when you are trying to achieve an exact look. In the latter you are also able to choose from the multitude of widths and grades that are available in the standard oak. 

Parquet flooring is a beautiful decorative form of flooring made from blocks of woods woven into a mosaic of geometric patterns. These patterns that make up parquet can range from simple geometric shapes, like squares through to highly intricate decorative designs. Some names given to these patterns are checkerboard, herring bone, double herring bone and basket weave.

In olden times, particularly during 1625-1714 or what is known as the Baroque Period in France, parquet flooring was seen in the most elegant palaces and affluent homes. It was during this time when the most complex patterns were being experimented upon.

10 Reasons why people choose Parquet Flooring

Parquet Wooden Flooring has been around for many centuries. Judging by it timeless beauty and versatility this is of no surprise. Please read these reasons why people choose a Parquet Wooden Floor.

1. Parquet’s unique and stunning appearance sets it apart from all other forms of flooring, including other wooden floors. It also has a sense of grandeur.

2. It can be laid in many different patterns and styles giving it enormous variety and appeal.

3. Good quality parquet floors last for decades – Whereas many people find themselves replacing carpet every 5 years, due to stains, holes, or shabbiness from everyday wear and tear.  You will find that a parquet wooden floor with a minimal maintenance program actually look better as the years go by.

4. Parquet wooden floors are easier to clean than carpets. The reasons for this are fairly obvious. A simple brush or light vacuum keeps your floors looking great. If dogs or children have dragged mud through the house a damp mop removes this muck with ease. Carpet owners at this stage would be screaming.

5. Parquet wooden floors are more hygienic than carpets. There are some fairly horrifying reports out there detailing the parasites that carpets can harbor. If you were to read these reports you would not go anywhere near a carpet. These allergen producing, dust mites, fleas or dust play havoc with allergy sufferers, a wooden floor eliminates this saving you money and extreme discomfort. This is particularly relevant to owner’s dogs and cats.

6. Not only are wooden floors more hygienic, but carpets also trap in unpleasant odours from animals or things that have been spilt. The aroma of a polished wooden floor is a delight and will make your home more inviting.

7. If after a few years your parquet floor has been scratched or is a bit damaged due to heavy wear and tear. A simple sand and seal will bring it back to new again. This is a lot less costly than refitting a new carpet. I would just like to point out that sanding does remove about 1mm of the woods surface.

8. Due to the small size of each block and that bocks are laid in opposing directions. Parquet flooring is very stable and is therefore suitable for many hard wearing and unstable situations such as Kitchens, gyms, halls and hallways

9. Stone and tile floors although as hygienic and easy to maintain as wood, don’t have the same warmth and feel that a parquet wooden floors has.

10. Estate agents state that houses with wooden floors sell twice as easily compared to houses with other floor finishes. Parquet’s reputation of sophistication and grandeur amplifies this statement.

Engineered Boards come in a wide range of styles and designs, from rustic grains to tranquil floors with uniform patterning and everything in between!  These boards can be laid on either a wood sub-floor or on cement screed. A special high quality foam underlay, with built in moisture barrier is used to reduce creaking, movement and sound transmission.

20mm thick Engineered Oak looks exactly the same as a solid wood floor.  Engineered Wooden Flooring is the type of flooring in which the hardwood (surface layer) is first processed into wood slices (veneers) these vary in thickness from 2 to 6mm.  These veneers are then bonded to a backing board of cross ply materials (for stability), these cross ply boards range from 8 to 15mm. The combined total thickness of backing board and veneer therefore ranges from 10 to 21mm.

Availibility and Uses of Engineered Flooring

Engineered boards are available in a wide range of widths and lengths, but the variety is not as vast as that of solid wood flooring. This is because engineered boards have gone through an extra manufacturing process and it is the size of the backing boards that actually reduces the range. 

The cross ply structure of Engineered Flooring gives strength and stability which is a unique advantage over solid wood flooring.

This essentially means that it expands, contracts and warps a lot less. One advantage of this is that you can now lay this floor on top of its sub base without having to fix it to the sub base.

This is called floating a floor. This is a huge advantage in places where the concrete floor is uneven, as you no longer have to spend time and money creating a perfectly level surface.   

This superior structure and stability also means that it is suitable for kitchens and bathrooms where moisture levels vary considerably. Previously when only solid wood was available, floor fitters were very wary of fitting a solid floor in these areas.

Nonetheless, like any other wood, engineered wood flooring should not be exposed to excessive moisture.

Some Advantages of Engineered Flooring Over Solid Wood flooring

• Engineered boards are very stable
• Engineered boards are suitable for areas with moisture content like kitchens and bathrooms
• Engineered boards are suitable for under floor heating
• Engineered boards can be floated on surfaces that are not perfectly level.
• Engineered boards are floated and are easier to fit than gluing or nailing
  

Three important factors to note with engineered flooring are:

1) Veneer thickness – This determines the longevity of your floor by how many times it can be re sanded. Each sanding will remove about 2mm of wood

2) Quality of cross ply backing boards (hard or softwood) – Quality affects the price, but an inferior and cheap cross ply will not last.

3) How the veneer is bonded to the backing board (hot or cold pressed) – Not so easy to find out but cold pressed is a slower process and the bonding last longer than hot press. The last thing you want is delamination of the surface layer from its backing board.

Engineered flooring is now available in almost any wood type and colour, pre finished or unfinished. 

Good quality Engineered flooring (often determined by price) is really an excellent choice for most situations and depending on the type, can look absolutely no different to a real solid wood floor. 

Out of all the wood flooring choices available today, oak seems to be at the top of everyone’s list. If you are considering investing in a wooden floor, take a look at some of the specific benefits that oak offers:

1. Oak is a hardwood and is extremely hard wearing.

2. Oak actually improves with age like a good red wine.

3. Oak provides a very attractive grain that is ideal for flooring.

4. Because of its popularity and abundance Oak has been made available in an astonishing array of styles grades and dimensions.

5. Above all other woods Oak takes very well to staining and colouring.

6. Oak is remarkably resistant to fungal and insect attacks.

7. Oak has been used as a sign of opulence in the past due to its attractiveness and still has a prestigious flair due to this distinction.

All in all, if your priority is getting a high-quality wood with a timeless look and feel, then oak will exceed your wildest expectations. It is the filet mignon of wood flooring, which is why it is in such high demand.

Oak is categorised into different grades of wood. The quality of the grade affects the price but not the longevity or durability of the floor. Prime as the name suggests is the most expensive.

Companies have different terminology to specify these grades, but generally they are as follows: 

1. Prime or select –very clean almost no knots and colour variation

2. Natural or medium – Some knots and some colour variations

3. Character or rustic – Large knots and plenty of colour variations

Oak is manufactured into different thicknesses; this again impacts the price but in this instance it can affect the longevity of the floor.

An advantage of engineered wood floors is the top ply can be a wide variety of wood species without driving the manufacturing costs out of sight. Thus, engineered hardwood floors are offered in a variety of American hardwoods, as well as many exotic hardwood species. If you a looking for some of the more unusual, or exotic wood species than you should definitely take a look at manufacturers offering engineered hardwood floors.

Most engineered floors can be installed several methods, including: nailed-down, stapled-down, glued-down, or floated over a wide variety of subfloors, including some types of existing floors. Caution should be used when attempting to go over an existing floori to be sure the existing flooring is well adhered and that your installation application meets the manufacturer's installation recommendations.

Real wood skirtings and architraves are a perfect complement to your floor. The skirtings come in sizes from 95mm upwards however the architrave can also be used as skirting when a small skirting is required. Likewise the skirting can be used when you need a larger architrave than the standard size supplied. You would need to check that the skirting is not reversible if using it for architrave otherwise the reverse side will be visible.

Solid wood is suitable for any room except the bathroom. You must also consider whether the floor will be on, above or below-grade (in general terms this is the floor level. Above grade is above ground, below grade is below ground - ie. In a basement). Due to potential moisture problems, solid hardwood is not suitable in basements but are fine for on or above grade rooms.

Other than the walls, the floor represents the largest expanse of colour or pattern in a room. It should complement the surroundings already present in the room.

So long as the tubes do not touch the wood this should be okay. A laminated underlay vapour barrier should be used between the concrete and the floor.

An increase in demand for hard wood floors has seen prices slowly fall as more and more companies are realising their benefits. When looking at the lifespan of solid wood floors they are excellent value for money as they never have to be replaced and are easily re-finished to suit décor changes. Solid wood floors truly are "beauty that lasts a lifetime".