Natural hardwood flooring is a classic choice for a timeless, luxurious, and authentic look that matures and develops with time, especially in high-traffic areas like corridors, kitchens, and lounges. Real solid timber is the only real hardwood flooring material that rivals its strength, durability, and warmth. Oak is particularly popular for a reason; it’s hard, clean, and smooth.
This post will highlight the advantages of investing in a beautiful oak hardwood floor, which will increase the value of your property and make it more appealing for future generations. If you want to compare these concepts to actual visual examples, our wide range of hardwoods comes in a variety of finishes, including processed and machined for optimum solid wood flooring techniques.
Resistant to damage
Solid hardwood’s durability ensures the long-term value of wooden flooring and is its most important appeal. Hardwood, unlike other flooring materials, has the ability to improve with age. A properly installed hardwood floor may endure for several generations; the color and character will not fade, and well-maintained tiles will not bend or splinter.
Oak is very sturdy, secure, and well-fit in its end-use environment. It also has excellent impact resistance, though we don’t recommend trying it with stiletto heels!
Pine timber is pleasantly warm and looks amazing, but it has one big disadvantage – it is soft. On the contrary, Douglas Fir is a rich and amber-colored variety that is extremely long-lasting and ideal for flooring applications. However, as oak experts, we can claim that few materials compare to oak in durability, hardness, and elegance.
Today’s floor seals resist scratches and reduce wear and tear very well. Hard wax oils and water-based polyurethanes blend the flooring style with the property’s atmosphere.
If you already have a hardwood floor and want to update it, consider having it refinished rather than replaced. This might transform the color and texture of your flooring while also providing a fresh new appearance without removing anything or breaking the budget. Today’s sanding and sealing techniques are not as difficult as they used to be!
Improved hygiene
Natural hardwood floors are derived from organic materials and, as a result, are considerably more sanitary than other floorings. Unlike carpet, which collects dust, noxious smells, and germs, the smooth surface prevents them from accumulating on the floor surface. It also withstands chipping better than laminate or broken ceramic since it has a harder surface that doesn’t peel.
The porous nature of hardwood provides a significant respiratory health benefit as well. Apart from keeping asthma and allergy-triggered parasites at bay, wood absorbs carbon, thus maintaining a healthy air balance in busy places while remaining carbon neutral.
Hardwood flooring’s health benefits and non-toxic and sanitizing qualities make them perfect for families with babies, young children, or pets who spend a lot of time on the floor.
Unique and stylish
Timeless, warm, and genuine. Hardwood flooring comes in a variety of colors, finishes, and species to complement the look you want, and there are many options available. Given the qualities of oak hardwood, each plank has swirls, tones, and grain characteristics that are distinct to your property.
The possibilities for interior design with timber flooring are almost limitless. Even with a cool-toned hardwood floor, a kitchen floor surface will look deeper and warmer than one with solid ceramic or concealed concrete. The warmth is subtle, yet it can provide a wonderful counterpoint to an all-white kitchen.
Long-term investment
According to a recent study, hardwood flooring has an excellent long-term return on investment. The cost of cleaning and repairing hardwood floors over time will be lower as a result of their increased durability and simplicity of upkeep.
Carpet is the last thing that prospective house owners want. They particularly despise carpets from someone else’s home. In real estate, features like oak wood flooring and underfloor heating are highly sought-after and can significantly improve the speed of your property’s sale.
Underfloor heating option
The most efficient method to heat your home is underfloor heating, which is becoming increasingly popular for house upgrades. Furthermore, you may install underfloor heating without the need for unsightly radiators or piping.
Wood is hygroscopic, and the swelling and shrinking of a timber floor may influence the response of a floor heater. The performance of the system can be affected by the thickness and density of timber flooring, so the minimum thickness should be 19 mm unless for overlay work.
Easy to clean
Cleaning hardwood floors is simple. All you have to do to keep hardwood floors clean is sweep dust off with a dry cloth. The wood surface is about ten times more stain-resistant than carpets.
High-quality timber flooring, on the other hand, is entirely quarter-sawn to minimize warping and bowing. But just in case remember to mop up and dry any spilled liquid as soon as possible, and then use a proven floor cleaner to restore the floor luster.
Scratches may be quickly repaired using a professional wax product, and bespoke replacement pieces are simple to create with the aid of a contractor that specializes in bespoke woodwork.
Reduced noises
Hardwood flooring, like underfloor heating, may have a variety of characteristics that are preferable out of sight. Insulation and noise-canceling foam (also known as acoustic or thermal underlay) are great for engineered wood flooring. Meanwhile, hardwood floors can serve as a good and durable noise barrier to block out surrounding noise from neighboring homes or traffic, eliminating hollow tones and vibrations that are common with low-quality or thin flooring.
Don’t believe us? While centuries-old wooden flooring might crack and groan loud enough to wake the entire family, this isn’t the case with new timber floors. Next time, pay attention when you go through dance and music studios: they’re almost all outfitted with close-fitting, noise-reducing hardwood floors, usually oak or beech.
Wood Flooring Accentuates Design Features
Installing tongue and groove hardwood flooring is a complex task that needs special care and professional installation.
Doors, skirting, and architraves are generally not a problem for flooring experts since they can be undercut to match the new floor; however, when choosing timber floor alternatives, think about which type of subfloor you have. Before making a choice, research this to ensure that it will not interfere with the possibility of features like insulation or underfloor heating.
Chipboard and plywood sub-bases are adaptable and ideal for hardwood flooring. These are generally the most popular bases among installers.
To simply glue an underlay and the hardwood planks on top, concrete must be dry and level. If necessary, verification will have to be carried out before installation. Screeds must be more or less 3 mm in 3.00 m permanently dry and hard, and acrylic underlayments may need testing before installation.
Most floor joists are exposed to dampness and require the use of a specialized tool to install each hardwood plank. For each hardwood plank, they should be inserted within a range of 400/450mm center to center. This makes them fit and install quickly. The perimeter of any hardwood floor needs an expansion gap, which is generally concealed by the skirting or a bead profile.
Wood options
You can have your contractors provide you with pre-finished planks of a specific size, hue, or wood type. Some of them can construct treads and risers for matching staircases. You may either keep it natural or have it treated, stained, or refinished as you see fit with the wood material.
There are many different types of wood, each with its own set of features and drawbacks. Oak, bamboo, elm, ash, maple, walnut, and pine are several examples of popular woods with their own sets of characteristics and drawbacks. We recommend requesting a quotation or obtaining expert advice if you’re not sure how to narrow down your choices.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that ceramic tiles, concrete, or engineered wood flooring are available to consumers, hardwood floors continue to be popular for a reason; it’s difficult to make a mistake with them. Not sure if it is the best choice in your case? Contact us to discuss the possibility to make your interior design practical and classy!
