Engineered or Solid Wood Flooring – How Do I Choose?

 

Though we've written a few distinct posts to assist people pick between solid and engineered hardwood floors, this question is still among the very common we get requested. Engineered hardwood floors has long been on the move for quite a while today however, it remains to this very day a highly misunderstood wood floors product. Individuals who have bought engineered timber floors are entirely converted, but people that are delving into the idea for the very first time are still loath to plump with this particular solution, probably due to a lack comprehension about what it is actually.

Thus, if you are facing this problem, we genuinely hope this guide can help you. Within this very long post, we will examine all the various situations where engineered timber flooring is greatest and where you may safely choose good hardwood floors. Hopefully this can allow you to pick, but naturally, we are always here for you in the event that you want more help.

Before we begin about the scenarios where one hardwood floors may out-perform another, let us only re-confirm very briefly what is intended by engineered hardwood floors and solid hardwood floors:

Solid hardwood floors is exactly what its name implies, wood flooring that's created of solid wood. Regardless of what species or caliber of timber you can consider, it's very likely you'll have the ability to down it into a solid wood floor alternative.

Engineered wood flooring on the other hand consists of solidly constructed center boards which are effectively layers and layers of ply that are bonded together. Thereafter those boards are topped off with a lamella or top coating of solid wood, which is exactly what makes engineered wood floors look just like solid wood.

Just so that there's no confusion, do not ever be tempted into the frequent misconception that engineered timber flooring is the same as laminate floors; it is not!

Anyhow, here are a Few of the situations where you May Be in a problem between solid and engineered wood flooring to your job:

You're uncertain about your sub floor

Whenever you are planning a new hardwood flooring, it's really important to measure the moisture levels on your sub floor. Ideally moisture levels shouldn't exceed 2-3% and to be able to be certain about the levels, it is important to bring a significant number of readings throughout your whole floor. If your sub flooring is borderline when it comes to humidity levels, there's no getting away from the fact that you would be safer to opt for engineered wood flooring than solid hardwood. Making this decision, along with a suitable membrane or underlay can help guarantee you about the durability of your floor.

You're flooring a kitchen or bathroom

When you are thinking of installing a hardwood flooring in your house, whether engineered or strong will work best additionally depends on which room you are seeking to re-floor. Because of the substantial fluctuations in humidity levels and temperatures from the likes of kitchens and toilets, there's no doubt that engineered wood floors comes up trumps every time. As a result of the manner that engineered planks are assembled , while they will expand and contract slightly when exposed to rises and drops in temperature and moisture levels, in comparison with solid hardwood the risk of consequent damage is minimal. When solid wood is exposed to significant ecological changes it expands and contracts considerably, which, over a long period can lead to damage to your floor. This will not happen with a fantastic quality, engineered wood flooring.

You have got high or heavy footfall

High footfall means that you expect your floor to experience a lot of visitors on a daily basis. Heavy footfall refers to environment in which there's likely to be a higher effect on the ground thanks to the folks crossing it.

Wherever there's heavy or high footfall, it's reassuring to be in a position to re-sand and re-finish your floor relatively frequently. Though an engineered wood floor with a comparatively thick lamella or top layer can be sanded two or even three times during its life, a good hardwood flooring will take around five or six sandings before risking significant damage. Consequently, if you're floors a room where there is likely to be high or heavy footfall, your sub floor is fine and warm and there are no significant temperature or moisture fluctuations in addition to no under floor heatingsystem, then good hardwood flooring is probably a more practical solution.

You are on a tight budget

Wood floors is a great solution, no matter whether you've got the budget of a King or a Pauper. With a lot of competition in the timber floor market, irrespective of if you shop online or on the High Street, you will find everything from badly cheap to high-ticket rates. With very little difference between solid and engineered wood flooring costs, your budget shouldn't be a massive driving variable on your decision-making procedure because no matter of the amount you must spend, you need to be able to find a solution that ignites all your boxes in either kind.

Wide Oak Planks And Their Effect On Your Interior

 

Wide bamboo boards are highly sought after right now. A really stylish alternative to the more traditional thin boards, we frequently find that our clients are worried about the effect a broad oak board will have on their inside, which is precisely why we've assembled this blog article to assist you.

It is a simple fact that narrow bamboo planks are more correlated with formal preferences, especially in the likes of stately houses and homes, but in fact broad bamboo planks may look as casual or as formal as you need them to. Charming and tasteful interiors can be produced using a clever blend of the traditional and the unexpected, so the secret to getting the best outcome for the interior is to get creative.

With the exception of the strange loft apartment and spacious plan new build, it is safe to state that rooms in the modern houses are becoming smaller. Smaller rooms are always cheaper to heat and it costs significantly less to make a real fashion statement in a little room, but a lot of men and women fear that broad bamboo planks will probably be overkill in a little space. In reality this should not be the situation. With the perfect preparation, broad oak planks in tiny rooms could be a very smart trick to make the room appear larger, especially if they're brightly colored.

If the area you are seeking to re-floor is a significant room and the entire world pretty much is the oyster. Wide or narrow boards will operate equally well in a huge room, however contrary to the visual impact a broad plank will possess in building a small room look larger, they're also able to produce a darkened room look more in ratio. Another clever trick is utilizing broad bamboo planks together with narrow bamboo planks to efficiently bring from the walls of a quite major room.

Narrow and wide rooms tend to be challenging for people when they're considering if a broad or a narrow plank is most suitable. In precisely the same manner that wide planks can make small rooms look larger, they may also be utilized to excellent effect to produce thin rooms seem wider and long rooms seem shorter. Working along similar optical suggestions as striped clothes on people, wide oak planks really can be used anywhere and everywhere to have a really positive impact on your interior -- so the message is"do not be afraid".

Here are some stunning wide bamboo planks that you could consider for your next project:

At a bathroom or a kitchen, all these natural engineered pine jet black brushed and UV lacquered planks are simply stunning. Not only will the UV filter protect your flooring from possibly damaging mild impact, the general look will leave your neighbors green with jealousy. Add to this, the simple fact they are currently offered at nearly half price and you may see why they're flying off the shelves.

In a lounge, these 195mm wide engineered oak boards are a great solution. Not only will it make your room look bigger and brighter, it's also suited for setup over under floor heatingsystem, which means you will have a room which looks and feels amazing. Again offered with a substantial discount at this time, these broad bamboo planks will compliment any interior, contemporary or traditional.

At a dining room or bedroom, this spacious plank, hot, nearly honey-toned select engineered oak UV lacquered wood flooring is a complete steal. With all the charm of the timber apparent for everyone to view, not only will it improve your dining experience, it'll create your boudoir a great deal more appealing too. Mix and match it using formal pieces, shabby chic or cutting-edge modern, the choice really is yours.

So there you have ita round up of the options for broad bamboo planks. The trick isn't to be afraid to experiment, not to be afraid to try things that might at first seem a bit off the wall. The impact in your inside can be stunning if you merely think outside the box. And if you are scared to make such a radical decision by yourself, don't forget that we're here for you. We've got years of experience and have tried and tested pretty much every combination thinkable when it comes to wide oak planks and narrow oak planks, so if you're fighting for ideas, you understand exactly where to come!

HARDWOOD FLOORING MAINTENANCE ADDS BEAUTY & VALUE

 Hardwood Flooring Home Maintenance

Hardwood flooring: Whether it is brand new or generational, it is an investment worth protecting. Not only does this add warmth and beauty to every area where it is set up, but in addition, it adds value to your home. That is as long as your hardwood floors remain in good form.

Say you decideyou need to sell your home -- for whatever reason -- and you're searching for a reasonably quick sale. However, what if your house contains a large amount of hardwood flooring that is in need of refinishing. Any/all interested buyers will, clearly, not offer exactly what you are expecting to get on the high end -- due to the impending cost of employing a flooring contractor to return your hardwood floors to its former shiny glory.

Besides cleaning your hardwood flooring, there are a couple of every-day preventative measures you can employ to extend the beauty and"wellness" of your flooring.

Utilization Furniture Pads

Scratches are a few of the most difficult problems to resolve in hardwood flooring. While some scratching is unavoidable, you can may be proactive consequently preventing extra harm One of the greatest ways to remove any scratching would be to include furniture pads into the bottoms of the chairs, couches, and tables.

Sweep or Dust

Even in the event that you don't let shoe-wearing in house, dust finds a means to live on most of surfaces, hardwood flooring included. And finds it's way to the timber grain and between floor planks. For those who have dogs and cats that drop even a bit, there's a hygiene problem to take into account. So dust or sweep!

Vacuum Once A Week

If this sounds like function, it is. But come on -- it's not hard work! Weekly vacuuming is vital to keeping a clean home, as you'll also pick up crumbs and dirt you missed while crossing your flooring. Not into vacuuming all on your own? Purchase an IRobot Rooma or a different robotic vacuum!

Refinish Every 3-5 Years

"Over time, as soon as your wood flooring starts to lose it's sheen, they can be revived through re-coating. This involves applying a new coat of timber floor finish. How frequently you are going to need to do this depends on the your household's lifestyle.

Crawley Floor Sanding is a family-owned hardwood floor company that's been taking good care homeowners and businesses' flooring needs' for over 25 decades. From installation and sales to repair and refinishing, you'll believe that you and your hardwood floors are in good hands.

Best Wood Flooring: Is There Such a Thing?

If you are in the process of exploring wood flooring, you're almost sure to have guessed,"what's the best wood flooring" at a certain point. Unfortunately, like most things in life, there's no such thing as the very best wood flooring throughout the board (excuse the pun). It is a shame, however, the ideal wood flooring for one client might not suit another and vice versa. All that said, we're eager to help you find the right wood flooring for you and for this reason have ready our Top Ten, which should create your decision-making process slightly simpler:

1. Is the visitors in the room you are planning to re-floor light, heavy or moderate? The level of traffic in the room will, at least in part, decide which type of flooring you ought to choose. Broadly , solid hardwood floors is stronger than engineered, because it allows for more re-sanding and re-finishing in its life. This means is that in high traffic places , you can keep a solid wood floor looking better for longer. Nevertheless, if solid hardwood floors is not appropriate in the area you're re-flooring (eg. In a toilet or a kitchen) however, the space still suffers heavy traffic, then it's really important to choose an engineered wood floor with a thick lamella or surface, which will allow more sandings in the life span of the floor.

2. Are humidity and humidity levels likely to change significantly from the room (eg. At a bathroom or a kitchen)? In any area where moisture and temperature are always on the change, it is essential that you opt for engineered wood floors, which will resist the challenges thrown in it much better than solid wood flooring.

3. How long are you expecting the floor to continue? If you're searching for a fast fix, on a budget, then a low cost solid or engineered wood floor will do just fine. If however, you're taking a look at an investment floor that will last a lifetime, assuming the conditions are right (ie. Not in a room with considerable moisture and temperature changes ), then there's no doubt that a top quality solid hardwood flooring is the ideal way to go.

4. Like anything, you get what you pay for when it comes to hardwood flooring. Although there are some seriously cheap flooring choices on the market, what you want to check out is the quality you are getting in the price you can afford. It's much superior to compromise slightly on appearance and get a better quality option than buy a very low excellent alternative on look alone.

5. What"look" are you expecting to attain? When determining the ideal hardwood flooring for you, one of the most important things on your mind is very likely to be how the end result will appear. It's very important to decide if you would like a light, airy appearance or a clean, dark look and , whether you want a shiny finish or a matt finish. Thereafter, it is a case of getting down to the finer detail like board width together with your chosen supplier.

6. Have you ever noticed the type of flooring you're on the lookout for someplace? A fantastic way to locate the ideal hardwood flooring for you will be to shop around. Anytime you go, whether or not it's stores, restaurants or other people's houses, do not be concerned to ask questions regarding flooring that draw you. You will be impressed at how keen men and women are to talk about their jobs!

7. Are you really going to purchase online or face-to-face? While there are some fantastic deals to be had on line, a lot of men and women are wary of purchasing the likes of timber flooring online and choose to pay more to get a face-to-face touch. Though this is clear, it truly will make sense to look online if it means that you can make fantastic savings and find a better quality floor to the same invest. Keep an eye out for reassurances for example guarantees and warranties in addition to customer reviews . Should you do your due diligence, you might discover that purchasing online isn't as frightening or as insecure as you may have thought.

8. Are you currently planning to match the flooring yourself or is specialist fitting contained on your plan? Whether you are arranging a DIY or a expert match, may impact on what is the best hardwood floor for you. If you are a avid DIY-er, you might well be ready to hazard a top of the stove hardwood flooring, but if you are intending to match a timber floor for your first time, it may be a fantastic idea to begin with something somewhat cheaper. On the flip side, if you have budgeted for the hiring of a specialist fitter, this should not affect your choice.

9. What about guarantees? It is crucial, when deciding the ideal hardwood flooring for you, which you simply pay respect to the guarantees available and do not forget to read the small print!
 
10. What if it goes wrong? If your floors project has been planned from start to finish with a reputable on, or offline flooring provider and it all goes wrong, they will sort out the issues (assuming they have caused them). If your job goes awry on a DIY basis, then you could be left holding the baby, so do make sure you make very careful strategies to receive the very best wood flooring for you.

How To Restore Wood Flooring

One of many fantastic things about hardwood floors is that when it reaches the purpose of looking sad and tired, it is possible to bring it back to life without too much effort. You will find few, if any, other flooring choices that boast this major benefit. So, if your hardwood flooring has had a tough time and is beginning to reveal the symptoms of years of traffic, maybe even some severe staining and remnants of inferior cleaning regimes, it's a simple example of making the choice to roll your sleeves up and restore it. Once you've decided that a restoration is so, it is down to you to choose whether you will handle that recovery on your own, or in the event that you'll employ a professional to do it to you.

The Best Way to restore your Hardwood Floors to a DIY basis

In case you choose to restore your hardwood floors yourself, the very best advice we can give is to organize the work carefully, especially if it's the first time you've restored a hardwood flooring. There are essentially four easy actions to your restoration job. They are:

1. Preparation
2. Sanding
3. Staining (in case you decide you need to employ a blot )
4. Finishing

Before you start, it's crucial that you clear your room completely. It's impossible to achieve a good end result in the event that you still have soft or furnishings furnishings in the room, which means you need to aim for complete clearance of the space. Do remember to take care when you are draining the space to not damage the floor by simply attaching furnishings, and particularly, heavy items. The moment you have the floor fully eliminated, you will have the chance to observe any places that need attention or repair before you start.

Hiring a sander, in most cases, is the best choice when it comes to restoring your floor because it is going to find the job done quickly and will normally offer a better result. The company where you employ your sander can help you with all you need, but the most important thing with sanding would be to operate from rough to fine document to achieve the very best outcome.

Should you decide that you want to stain your floor, you should do it pretty much immediately after sanding. All you have to do beforehand is make certain all traces of dust from the sanding have been eliminated. Thereafter, whichever end you've decided will work best with your preferred look, will require two or three coats, starting at the outside of the room and functioning inwards and towards the doorway. Do not forget to leave your end to dry completely before you walk on it.

The professional Flooring Recovery Alternative

As with almost any professional alternative to DIY choices, you can find any number of businesses that will come in and restore your hardwood flooring for you. Professionals who do that job day-in and day-out will naturally have all the necessary gear and understand how to make sure that your job is completed to a high quality. What's more, it is worth mentioning that although a professional sanding, staining and refinishing alternative may appear expensive in comparison to restoring your hardwood flooring on a DIY basis, you shouldn't forget the time you need to invest in the DIY option and the final result you're likely to achieve. In case you decide to hire a professional company, it's worth investing the time to do a little bit of study, and if possible requesting to speak to a few of their clientele.

Crawley Floor Sanding

Crawley Floor Sanding