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Timber flooring can hit just the right note in any style of house - it looks organic, warm and rustic in a country cottage and, in a contemporary setting, it can add texture and create an organic feel. Furthermore, in both modern and period homes, the various vinyl and laminated variations can be a great and practical choice.

Wooden flooring is under constant technical development; the most recent ranges have tough, long-lasting finishes and so are straightforward to set up. There's no need to be concerned about gaps between boards; the click-and-lock flooring store Augusta GA systems suggest the task could be handled by a skilled DIY-er, although most suppliers will also offer an installation services.

All types of wooden flooring could be laid more than practically any sub-ground, including floorboards, concrete, older tiles or a boarded surface area, so long as the surface area is dry, flat and sound. Reclaimed timber flooring, however, is a somewhat different proposition as it won't be neatly slice to size and it's difficult to guage what it will appear to be once it's been finished. Take information from the supplier about how much to buy and which complete to choose, and always make sure that you've bought plenty of - it will be tiresome to locate similar boards elsewhere. It is also worth experimenting with washing and/or finishes on a spare board before installation.

As it is an integral area of the room and colour pallette, you should choose your timber ground at the start of the redecoration or refurbishment task. Regarding to how light or dark the ground is, it could affect how paint and paper colours appear. Although some timber flooring, such as for example parquet, solid hardwood and reclaimed boards, can be darkened or lightened by sanding down and re-varnishing, it's not a job you are likely to want to do very often.

Types of Timber Flooring

Solid Wood

Created from the named timbers, they are solid completely. Some types are suitable for set up as the structural ground without needing a sub-floor underneath.

Reclaimed Timber

This is often bought as bundles of planks, boards or panels from reclamation and salvage yards, or as whole floors from timber-flooring specialists. Ahead of installation reclaimed timber flooring can look very uninspiring. Once it's laid, however, it could look incredible.

Multi-Layered or Engineered

A plywood or veneered bottom, built up with many layers of criss-crossed hard or softwood boards, and topped with a coating of the named timber. The construction of this flooring gives it strength and stability, so it is a good option to solid-wood flooring.

Laminate

Made by producing a graphic of solid wood on a layer of plastic, which is laminated to a plank backing. Top-quality versions have convincing textured finishes, and so are hardwearing and hard. Inexpensive DIY-store variations may look smooth and lifeless, and the "wood" finish may flake or chip at the edges of the boards.

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring is widely available in timber patterns. High end sheet vinyl can be a great choice in your kitchen or bathroom, and can be considerably cheaper than solid wood. Vinyl plank or block flooring feels harder underfoot but, as each flooring is separately designed, it always needs to be professionally laid.

Suitability

o Timber flooring could be noisy, especially in upstairs rooms; make use of rugs to deaden the sound of footsteps in busy areas, and always use the insulation recommended by the installers.

o Reclaimed timber flooring is generally well-worn and is tough more than enough for most living kitchens, although you ought to avoid bathrooms and areas.

o Solid or engineered solid wood flooring is ideal for living rooms, dining areas, bedrooms and halls.

o Laminates are suitable for living areas and bedrooms but avoid areas with water, seeing that seepage between the joins can cause planks to swell or discolour.

o Vinyl look-alikes are great selections for bathrooms and kitchens, conservatories and utility rooms, aswell as for main living areas.

Styles and Grades

Timber flooring comes while planks (also referred to as boards), each of which may be made up of several strips. A plank with a three-strip style provides three narrow strips operating the distance of the plank. The floor could have a random strip design when laid. Planks may differ in thickness, each depth being even more ideal for certain bases. For instance, the thickest planks, at about 22 mm, could be laid over joists as structural floorboards, while thinner planks, at about 7 mm to 15 mm solid are laid as overlay floors on to an existing smooth, dry sub-floor.

The top finish of timber flooring is also given a grading. Premium or select grades are knot, uniform and smooth-free of charge. Moving down the level, grades known as "organic" or "rustic" are much less uniform more realistic, appealing and in many cases. Only order your flooring when you have seen an example of the specific plank - quality, strip, colour and finish.

Wooden Flooring and the Environment

Timber flooring is generally acknowledged to be ecologically sound, providing it really is produced using timber from sustainable forests. Reputable shops will only cope with manufacturers who make use of wood from certified resources. In the united kingdom, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme is widely recognised and includes a qualified chain that tracks timber through every stage, from forest to retailer. For further details, visit fsc-uk.info or contact (01686) 413916.

Trends

There's presently a move away from pale woods, narrow, towards darker wood and reclaimed flooring. Oak can be a perennial favourite, possibly due to its middle-range colour choices, and the actual fact that it blends with practically any colour scheme or style.

Extra-wide boards and planks (up to 76 cm wide in some instances) are becoming favourites too, many with distressed finishes such as for example "smoked" effects. For laminate flooring, choose styles with V-grooves along the lengthy and short edges of the boards, and with textured areas, which look far more realistic than completely soft surfaces.

Longevity and Upkeep

Solid-hardwood flooring is incredibly hard-wearing, and will last for several years. It could be sanded down and resurfaced every five to seven years. Engineered flooring will normally endure one or two sandings, but only that. Real timber flooring will age gracefully, and the signals of deterioration are a satisfactory feature - as timber furniture ages and picks up the occasional dent or mark, so will timber flooring. Laminate flooring can't be sanded when chipped, damaged or scratched, although the best quality ones are extremely hardwearing and scratch resistant in the first place.

Save timber flooring from getting scratched by grit, dust and dirt simply by regularly sweeping with a soft brush or vacuuming them. Also mop the floor once a week roughly with a well-wrung mop. A detergent can be put into the water, depending on whether the flooring includes a hard (varnished or lacquered) or smooth (waxed or oiled) finish. Hard finishes provide a protective barrier for the hardwood, and offer a higher level of protection, but are more challenging to repair if damaged.

A significant scratch or dent in a lacquered surface finish results in the whole floor needs to be sanded back and relacquered or revarnished. Waxed or oiled finishes are softer, and secure the surface by sinking into the timber itself. They're most effective if you would like to nurture an aged, worn look for your wooden ground. If waxed or oiled woods get damaged, the complete florr will not need to be redone, as it is possible to sand back again and re-wax or re-oil an isolated region.