How to Select a New Floor
>> Oct 9, 2018
Deciding on a new floor can be a
very stressful process with a variety of materials available from carpet to
wood flooring. Today we are focussing on wood flooring and helping you on how
to purchase a real wood floor. The benefits of a real wood floor are endless;
however, the main advantage is it looks stunning and feels amazing underfoot,
which adds character that is irreplaceable. Laminate flooring is becoming a
strong contender to replace real wood, however if you want the real feel
underfoot you will unfortunately have to spend that little extra.
There are two main types of real
wood flooring, there is solid wood flooring which is essentially a full block
of wood, and engineered wood flooring which is constructed out of layers of
plywood or high-density fibreboard which is topped with a lamella of real wood.
Between the two the appearance does not change, however they both offer their
own benefits.
As solid wood flooring is totally
constructed out of one plank of wood, you are able to sand the board all the
way down till the point of the joining mechanism. Traditionally solid wood
flooring is more expensive; however, it does add value to your house if you
were ever wanting to place it onto the housing market.
Many individuals are surprised,
however engineered flooring is actually more stable than solid wood flooring as the
multiple layer construction allows the boards to expand and contract. This
means that engineered floors are suitable to be installed in areas of
fluctuating temperatures or on top of underfloor heating such as a kitchen.
Therefore, the first decision to make when purchasing real wood flooring is
whether you would like a solid or engineered board.
The second decision you need to make
is the finish of the boards. There are multiple finishes, however they can be
broken down into the 3 most popular types of finishes which are unfinished,
oiled and lacquered. The most basic finish is unfinished, which is
self-explanatory as the boards are plain and have no finish. The other two
finishes are a lot more popular. An oiled finish is where a plain or stained
oil is applied to the surface of the board and it will naturally seep into the
boards leaving a beautiful tone with added protection. A lacquered finish is
applied in the same manner; however, it sits on top of the surface and creates
a shinier finish. You are able to change the finish at any point by sanding the
top 1mm of the board and refinishing the product with any finish of your
choice.
The final decision to make is
whether you would prefer a fixed or random length product. A fixed length
product will add a uniformed appearance, with a starter plank included which
allows you to still stagger the board. A
random length product is a bit trickier to install as it is recommended that you
should dry lay the floor first to ensure the lengths of the boards vary
throughout the room.
0 komentar:
Post a Comment