Wood flooring Darlington local experts in wooden flooring from engineered wooden flooring to solid hardwood floor boards we have it and can lay it.
Colour and structure of the wood is not the only thing that determines the look of your floor. Patterns have a great influence on looks and can integrate the shape of the room. The three key patterns are: narrow strips, wide planks, and parquet squares. Narrow strips are the most common one to find in wood flooring and as some patterns such as a specific parquet square do not come in all wood type perhaps this should have been the beginning point of your selection.
When deciding on the finish for your floor the very first thing you would have to decide is how shining do you want it to be then you need to know just how much abuse your floor is going to get and after that you need to pick how often you are prepared to preserve the finish.
As with any wooden material you want to make sure it is sourced sustainable so studying the label and checking what the label actually says is a good routine to get into, not just for flooring. This counts especially when it comes to hardwood as still sizeable bits of hardwood are still unlabelled because they are not grown sustainable or even worse they just have some label stuck on it without any meaning.
While you check the label it might also be a good thing to ask for the variations in the warranty per wooden floor supplier . Warranties usually only cover manufacturing errors and then you will notice. there is not much to fail with solid flooring. Engineered wood flooring on the other hand is a complex gluing process where manufacturing mistakes can be made by simple things like lack of pressure during the bonding process or with less expensive floors not pressurized long enough.
Moisture movement is another thing to check when selecting your floor. And with moisture I imply moisture in the air. Oak is a wood that extends a great deal when the air is moister . and when using an oak floor it should have sufficient space to extend (called an expansion gap) or else the wood will be twisting and creating a very ugly and uneven surface. Every wood has moisture movement you just need to know just how much . and ensure your fitters know what they are doing. And if your climate has a large temperature and moisture difference you might want to pick a wood type that expands much less .
The standard choices go from Lacquer, Natural Oil to UV oil. Lacquer is the most durable of all finishes and with that also requires the least amount of upkeep even though scratches can still appear . Natural Oil is a little bit . less sturdy but has the convenient option that repairs can be made promptly which can fill in most scratches. UV Oil is a bit in between both. Lacquer, even matt once, do leave a clear indication that the wood floor has got a finish. The oils are far greater in concealing their presence as they get soaked up by the wood making it the favoured option if you want it to look like it is not treated.
You also want to consider to what environment the floor will be exposed. Is it a high traffic area , like that of a work floor , or will it be in subjected to water such as the bathroom or kitchen . Yes there are floors suited for quite wet areas you just need to opt for a floor that can handle it and make sure it is installed by a professional .
The finest grade for wood is the classic grade it has the lightest colour variation , the straightest grains and the least number of knots. Character grade wood has more variance in colour and in texture , a wilder grain and some surface checks. Knots are up to 30mm in diameter and in hardwood. version they are generally filled . Rustic Grade wood has even more articulated . features then Character graded wood and can incorporate cracks and black knots. All rustic graded features are filled in prior to sealing but usually could use a bit more sanding.
When planning to put in wood flooring the very first thing you want to check is the condition of the under surface as a more uneven surface could force you towards certain engineered flooring as an alternative to solid wood flooring. Or if it is truly crappy you would need to use some type of underlay. This would also be a good thing to use if you are living in a flat and want to minimize sound disturbance to the neighbours below.
Wood is separated in a couple of grades to help to set apart the aesthetic difference between each piece of wood. The main three grades are: Classic, Character and Rustic. Timbers with a large colour difference will have the colour added to its grade. For instance Classic Olive Ash .
When it concerns choosing your wooden floor there are lots of matters to look into in addition to which provider should place it . As the information of a wood floor fitter may be biased to what solution presents the greatest profit . Here is a guide to wooden floors.