Wood Flooring Guide

When it comes to choosing home or office flooring, wood is a popular choice for many properties. The ability of wood to create a sense of warmth and its ability to fit many interior design styles make it a prize in any room. Been a natural martial wood creates an inviting feeling which is the reason why you will often see wood used in hotel or restaurant reception areas. If you are new to wood flooring, chances are the sheer amount of styles and types of flooring and the differences between each type of wood might seem confusing. Another question which might be on your mind is the link between wood and sustainability.

Can wood flooring be ethically sourced?

Yes it can. The job of ensuring that woods are sourced from sustainable habitats falls on three parties, you as the consumer, responsible sellers and organisations tasked with setting policies for sellers to follow. If you want to ensure that the wood you are about to fit has been ethically sourced, look for sellers carrying the FSC accreditation mark. The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is an international nonprofit organisation formed in 1993 to encourage better forestry practices. Those who are FSC accredited must meet strict policies and prove that their products have been sourced ethically during the entire chain-of-custody.

Making Sense Of Ethical Wood Flooring:

There are three important aspects to understand when sourcing wood flooring products. These are the types of floors available, the different wood species and the coat which seals and protects the floors. Once you understand these you’ll be able to find the right floor for property.

Flooring Types – contrary to what you may know or think, not all wood floors are made from wood alone. In fact, two types of floors are offered and although they look 100% identical, each has its benefits and drawbacks. The first type is called solid wood floor and the second type is called engineered wood floors.

A. Solid wood is made from one piece of timber wood, so the floor is very strong and able to provide further support to a structure. On the other hard, the floor might expand in hot conditions or shrink in cold conditions, which a natural reaction of wood.

B. The alternative therefore is engineered wood floor which is made from wood, but together with Plywood and MDF. This makes the floor immune to temperature changes, but some consider it to be less strong.

Different Woods – as you already know, both types of floors contain wood in their core. Engineered floor contain in most part real wood, and solid floor contains only real wood. The wood species used varies, however the most popular woods are Oak and Walnut and their sub-species. For wood to become suitable for flooring is has to cope with foot traffic, affordable and plentiful. Both Oak and Walnut, a family of trees which contain numerous sub-species tick all the right boxes. If you are looking to achieve the expected 30 years longevity of wood flooring, either of the main species or sub- species of Oak or Walnut will work.

Coating – the 3rd aspect of the floor is the coating which is used, which has two roles. It serves to seal the wood and protect is from the elements, for example a UV coating which can protect the wood from direct sunlight. People sometimes feel limited in their choice of flooring shades as they think that the wood species will determine the colour of the floor. While this is true to some extent, the coating used may also serve to paint the floor to a colour which suits the interior design theme.

Maintain The Floor:

Quality wood flooring may achieve a life span of 30 years. The process of care and maintenance starts by professionally fitting the floor, followed by regular cleaning. Poor fitting may drastically cut down the longevity of the floor so you are always advised to contact a professional wood flooring fitter. To clean the floor, simply use a damp mop on a daily basis and quickly react to spillage. Water and wood do not mix well, so always use a damp mop and keep water or moisture away from the wood. As simple and basic as that!

Enjoy your floor.

Guide contributed by the team at oak flooring seller, Wood and Beyond. An FSC London based vendor of solid wood floors and engineered wood floors.