Solid Wood Flooring | 5 Things To Consider

5 Things You Should Always Consider Before Committing To Solid Wood Flooring

We're pretty sure Solid Wood Flooring is an ideal choice for most homes and styles. That said, it's always important to consider the fundamentals, otherwise, you could be left with a floor that's not right for you or a project that's a none starter!

Our latest guide looks at the things you need to keep in mind when purchasing and fitting your new wood floor. First though, let's cover the basics...

What is Solid Wood Flooring?

Solid wood flooring is the closest thing to a natural product that you could choose for your home. It is made entirely out of a single species of wood which is cut, shaped, and sanded to size. It is usually fitted with a tongue and groove method which requires gluing and is available in a number of wood species, lengths, widths, and finishes.

Purchasing a solid wood floor is a lifetime investment so you will want to make sure that you are choosing the right one for you and your home.

What’s the difference between Solid Wood & Engineered Wood Flooring?

Engineered wood is designed specifically to look authentic, replicating the look of solid wood flooring perfectly. Looks wise there’s hardly a difference however, the two styles of flooring act and react very differently to one another.

Engineered wood flooring is, generally, more stable than solid wood flooring, so it can cope with higher temperatures and moisture. Whereas solid wood flooring will expand and warp if there’s a change in temperature and/or humidity. So engineered wood would be a better fit for rooms where the temperature and humidity levels can often fluctuate such as kitchens.

Both floors must be acclimatised to your home before installation. However, the time varies for each floor. Engineered wood should be acclimatised for up to 48 hours whereas solid wood should be acclimatised for up to 7 days.

Our top 10 Solid Wood Floors (At A Glance)

Our solid wood floors come in a variety of different styles and finishes.

 Here are our top 10 best-selling solid wood floors:

• Edmonton Elite Solid Golden Oak Hand scraped
• Twickenham Solid Golden Oak Lacquered & Hand scraped
• Twickenham Solid Natural Oak Lacquered
• Twickenham Solid Natural Oak Brushed and Oiled
• Milano Solid Coffee Oak Hand scraped
• Twickenham Solid Coffee Oak Hand scraped
• Milano Solid Unfinished Oak
• Milano Solid Smoked Oak Brushed & Lacquered
• Milano Solid Smoked Grey Oak Brushed and Oiled
• Edmonton Solid Natural Oak Lacquered Wood

5 things to consider when choosing Solid Wood Flooring

Is it right for your home?

As solid wood is a natural product made up of real wood, it does require a bit more maintenance than other flooring types, such as laminate wood flooring or vinyl. It will need regular polishing and treatments to keep it in perfect condition.

Spillages need to be cleaned up quickly as water left on the surface for long periods of time can cause damage to the floor. It is also susceptible to scuffs and marks from heavy foot traffic however, if your floor does get damaged this way, you can sand it down and refinish it.

With the correct maintenance, your solid wood floor can last decades and look better and better as time goes on. So, if you’re looking for a traditional, long-lasting floor then our range of solid wood flooring will be perfect for you and your home.

Which room are you using it in?

There are some limitations when it comes to Solid wood flooring and choosing the best room to put it in. Two things to consider are:

Conditions

While it’s perfect for living areas such as living rooms and dining areas, solid wood flooring isn’t suitable for high-humidity rooms such as the bathroom or kitchen.

Solid wood flooring is a lot less stable which means that changes in temperature and humidity can cause the floor to expand and warp. So, in rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens where the temperature and humidity changes frequently then solid wood flooring will not be the best choice.

If you’re looking for a wood finish floor that is suitable for kitchens, then our wide range of engineered wood floors will be the better fit. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a suitable floor for your bathroom then we suggest looking at our LVT range.

Traffic

Solid wood flooring can be sanded down repeatedly which means that dents and scratches can be removed. This makes solid wood flooring a great choice for high-traffic areas.

What sort of style are you looking for?

Solid wood flooring comes in a number of different species, styles, and finishes, which will suit any home, it all comes down to your personal preference. Here at Flooring365, we have a wide range of solid wood flooring to choose from so we’re confident that you will find the perfect floor for your home.

What sort of budget do you have?

Solid wood flooring is slightly more expensive when compared to its alternatives. So, if you’re working with a smaller budget then we recommend taking a look at our engineered wood flooring range. However, if you have a higher budget or planning to invest a bit of money into your floors then we recommend our solid wood flooring range.

We also offer a range of clearance and sale solid wood flooring, which gives great savings on RRP.

What’s going underneath?

Another important thing to consider is, what is going underneath your solid wood floor. If you have underfloor heating, we don’t recommend solid wood flooring as the temperature changes, which can cause serious damage to your floor.

The type of subfloor you have can sometimes determine which type of wooden flooring you will need. Usually, you can install any type of floor over most subfloors.

If you have an uneven subfloor, then we recommend buying an underlay. The underlay will even out imperfections in your subfloor and make it easier to install your solid wood floor.

Conclusion

Solid wood flooring continues to be one of the most popular floors on the market and with good reason! It comes in a number of different styles, it’s a good investment and will add value to your home.

If you’re considering investing in a solid wood floor, then we hope our 5 things to consider guide will help you make your choice. Still a little unsure? No problem, give our team a call, request a call back, or leave a comment below and a member of our team will be able to help you!

 

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