Spotlight | Real Wood Flooring

Get To Grips With Solid Wood Flooring With Our Comprehensive Guide

Here at Flooring365, we have a wide range of real wood flooring to choose from. Whether you’re wanting a new floor for your living room, dining room, or hallway, we are confident that you will find the perfect real wood floor for you.

Sometimes though, too much choice can be overwhelming. With such a wide range of finishes, thicknesses, colours, and styles, it can sometimes be difficult to come to a final decision.

Don’t worry, this blog includes everything that you need to know about real wood floors, so you can make the right decision.

What is Real Wood Flooring?

Real 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’s usually fitted with a tongue and groove method which requires minimal gluing and is available in many different species, lengths, widths, and finishes.

What’s The Difference Between Real Wood and Engineered 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 more stable than solid wood flooring, so it can cope with high temperatures and moisture. Whereas solid wood flooring will expand and warp if there’s a significant change in temperature and/or humidity. With this in mind, engineered wood is a better fit for rooms that change in temperature and humidity frequently such as kitchens (Although some attention to spillages is a must!).

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.

Which Rooms Can Solid Wood Flooring Be Used In?

If you’re thinking of investing in a real wood floor, then it is important to consider where you’re wanting to fit it.

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.

Real 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 flooring range.

Are you wanting a solid wood floor but have a busy household? Then don’t worry! Solid wood flooring can be sanded down repeatedly which means that dents and scratches can be removed with relative ease. This makes solid wood flooring a great choice for high-traffic areas or busy, family homes.

Maintenance

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 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 refinish it and sand it down.

With the correct maintenance, your solid wood floor can last decades and look better and better as time goes on.

Style: Colour, Finish, Species

Real wood flooring comes in many different colours, species, and finishes, which will suit any home, it all comes down to your personal preference and of course, what’s in style at the moment. For example, grey wood flooring has become very popular over the past few years. So, if you’re a fan of the neutral colour palette then we would suggest looking at our range of grey solid wood floors.

Our real wood floors come in many different finishes for you to choose from and again, which finish you choose depends entirely on you and your project requirements. If you’re unsure about which finish to get on your real wood floor, then here’s a quick guide to each one and why they would be a perfect fit for you and your home.

Real Wood Flooring Finishes Explained

Brushed & Lacquered

A brushed and lacquered real wood floor has been lightly brushed using steel wire wool during production which removes the upper layer of wood grain. This exposes the natural qualities and charm of the wood without causing any damage. The wood is then protected with a lacquer.

Brushed & Matt Lacquered

Like a brushed and lacquered finish, a brushed and matt lacquered floor has also been lightly brushed, using a steel wire wool, exposing the natural qualities of the wood without causing any damage. The wood is then protected with a matt lacquer.

Brushed & Oiled

Brushed and oiled floors are, again, lightly brushed; this time protected with a matt oil and ready to be used, once installed.

Handscraped

With a handscraped wood floor, the surface of the hardwood has been scraped, by hand, to add extra definition and uniqueness.

Lacquered

Lacquer is a clear or coloured varnish that dries to produce a hard, durable finish. It’s applied to the flooring to reduce damage caused by spillages, effectively creating a thin surface layer that prevents liquids from seeping into wood grains.

A wooden floor with a lacquered finish can be found with either a matt finish or a satin matt finish. The lacquer adds additional strength and protection to the hardwood whilst maintaining its natural character and charm.

Oiled

An oiled finish has many benefits, showcasing the natural characteristics of wood most effectively, as well as being extremely versatile. Oil provides deeper protection than lacquer as the oil seeps into the wood grain which protects the boards. However, as there is no surface layer created, oiled flooring usually requires greater maintenance and care over spillages.

An oiled finish often comes in many different styles of finishes, with matt or satin oils available, as well as coloured oils which can completely change the look of the floor, helping match your décor or theme.

Unfinished

An unfinished wood floor is simply a raw material. The wood has been cut and shaped into planks, but it hasn’t gone through the finishing process of having a stain or protective layer of oil or lacquer applied. However, unfinished solid wood flooring will require treatment or a protective layer after fitting and before use.

The main benefit of unfinished real wood flooring is that it comes in a wider range of styles thanks to the availability of oils, waxes, or stains. Essentially, with ‘aftermarket’ stains or oils, you can achieve any finish, no matter how obscure or ‘out there’.

Installation Methods

What goes underneath

Another important thing to consider is, what is going underneath your real wood floor. If you have underfloor heating, we don’t recommend solid wood flooring as the temperature changes, which causes the planks to move, potentially resulting in a damaged 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.

Tongue & Groove

A traditional method of fitting flooring, Tongue & Groove simplifies the installation process. Its main purpose is to easily fit groove boards and joints together with minimal stress or effort. Tongue and groove flooring usually has a simple profiled edge, where two pieces of flooring simply ‘push together’ and PVA glue is used to hold everything in place.

One of the most popular ways to install solid wood flooring is to bond it directly to the subflooring using a Flexible Adhesive. Whilst it can be slower to fit than other methods, some customers prefer the peace of mind a glued, tongue and groove flooring provides.

Acclimatisation

Solid wood flooring is a natural product so it will need to be acclimatised before installation. Real wood floors need to be acclimatized to the room you are fitting them in so that they can become used to the conditions of your home. We recommend letting your real wood floor acclimatise for a minimum of 7 days.

Fitting

Fitting a real wood floor isn’t an overly complex task so if you’re DIY savvy you can install it yourself. However, if you’re unsure then we recommend hiring a professional fitter so that your floor is fitted correctly and on the plus side, it saves you the stress of fitting it yourself!

Budget

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 floor for an authentic finish, then we definitely recommend our solid wood flooring range.

The price of real wood flooring will vary depending on the size, width, finish, and species of wood. For instance, rarer wood types such as walnut will inevitably cost more than a popular, mainstream oak.

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

Décor what does it work with

One of the main benefits of Solid Wood flooring is that it is extremely versatile. So, if you wish to change the interior of your home then you can choose pretty much any style you want, and your solid wood floor will still fit within your interior décor!

Here’s a quick look at the most popular trending interior décor and how our real wood floors would fit with these trends.

Neutrals

Neutral colour palettes have proven very popular over the past few years and they’re here to stay! Neutral colours are easy to incorporate into most design schemes. With the rise in popularity of nature-inspired décor, more people are stripping back their homes to the basics and letting the neutrals speak for themselves.

Different shades of brown, beige, grey, and cream are being incorporated in hundreds of design schemes, it’s a timeless look, and with the neutral shades, your solid wood floor will complement them beautifully to create a warm and cosy feel to your home. If you’re leaning more towards the neutral colour palette, then we suggest looking at our darker floors such as coffee and smoked.

Nature-Inspired

Nature has a calming effect on us in this otherwise chaotic world. Wellness and nature will continue to flourish with more and more people opting for earthy tones and natural materials. Expect to see a lot more browns and greens incorporated into interior décor, creating peace and harmony within your home.

Since the pandemic and Covid-19 people are trying to find different ways to bring nature into their homes. This has resulted in a rise in the popularity of both real and artificial plants as an easy and affordable way to achieve a nature-inspired look.

People are opting for more organic and natural products for their homes so if you’re wanting to give your home a breath of fresh air then we recommend our unfinished and natural real wood floors to achieve that natural look. 

Vibrant colours and patterns

If you’re not a fan of the neutral, minimalistic look then vibrant colours and patterns may be the interior décor for you! Life is too short to live in a boring home so why not experiment with oranges, reds, and blues to get your creative juices flowing?!

If you’re feeling really adventurous why not try experimenting with different patterns to complement your chosen colour scheme? Many people like to go for stripes, but plaids and checks can also be incorporated into your room décor.

However, not all colours and patterns go together so be careful to choose the right ones! With this type of interior décor, we’d recommend a golden or natural real wood floor so that it compliments your home; without clashing with the colours and/or patterns you choose.

Ultimately, it comes down to your style preference. However, we have a vast range of floors in a variety of different colours and styles so we are confident that you will find the perfect floor for you and your interior décor.

Benefits of Real wood floors

Still unsure? Then take a look at our quick summary of benefits below:

• The most traditional and luxurious type of floor.
• A good quality wooden floor can last for decades. If well maintained and looked after properly your solid wood floor will look better as time goes on.
• Installing a real wood floor can add value to your home. It has been found that homes with real wood floors often sell much quicker than those without.
• Planks come in random lengths and different widths so that you can choose a real wood floor that suits your surroundings.
• You have the choice of either unfinished or pre-finished planks.
• If your floor becomes scratched or scuffed, you have the option to sand and refinish your floor numerous times leaving you with a perfect floor once again.
• You can find real wood flooring in a wide variety of species of wood, ranging from light to dark with different patterns and grains.

Conclusion

Real wood flooring is a beautiful, versatile, and timeless floor that will add value to any home. It takes time to find the right flooring for you, but when you do, you’ll end up with a finish that compliments most décor, lasting years and getting better with age.

We hope our Spotlight has helped you get closer to choosing your new dream floor. If you’re still in the decision stages, why not try some floors in your home before you buy? Our advice is to order as many different free samples as you need, making sure you find the right match for your room style.

Our customers often order samples a few times before committing to a floor, so you’re in good company! Check out our solid wood flooring range to order your free solid wood samples today.

 

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