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Quality ProductsSolid Wood Flooring
What is Solid Wood?
Solid wood flooring, as the name suggests, is made from a solid piece of wood rather than layers of wood. This means there is a simpler manufacturing process, whereby raw material logs or tree trunks are cut down to different lengths, widths and thicknesses. Solid wood flooring is usually finished using an oil or lacquer to protect the surface of the wood and enhance the durability.
Solid wood floors are incredibly popular due to the simplicity of the material and how practical they are – they offer a timeless finish that works with a range of décor styles. What’s more, they can be sanded and refinished on numerous occasions to maintain their appearance over time. Compared to engineered wood flooring, solid wood can be more expensive, but it offers fantastic strength and durability, as well as an elegant finish. What’s more, real wood flooring attracts less dust, allergens and mould spores than alternatives, so it’s ideal for hygiene too.
Nothing feels quite like solid flooring underfoot – this type of flooring maintains its value and is ideally suited to high traffic areas as it’s typically thicker than engineered wood flooring. If cared for properly and well-maintained, solid wood flooring can last decades without deteriorating in quality, making it a great investment.
Durability of Solid Wood Flooring
Solid wood flooring is incredibly hardwearing and relatively scratch-resistant, so it can last many years. Its durable nature makes it a popular choice of flooring that can truly last a lifetime and retains its beauty year after year. There are also plenty of solid woods to choose from to suit different styles, each with its own character and unique graining. While laminate flooring and luxury vinyl tile are more durable and scratch-resistant than most types of flooring, it can show signs of wear and tear which are not easy to fix. Solid wood, however, can be sanded to remove scratches and dents, and then refinished with oils or lacquers to preserve the appearance and durability of the wood, so it’s a better long-term choice.
Variety of Solid Wood Flooring
One of the benefits of solid wood flooring is the wide variety of wood species you can choose from, offering a range of colours, grain patterns and strengths. We have a broad product range with different wood species, from natural oak solid wood, beech and maple, as well as different types of solid wood flooring such as parquet and tongue and groove systems. You can also choose to have your flooring unfinished for a raw and rustic texture, or polished and lacquered to protect the surface of the wood and add shine.
Installation
Solid wood flooring has an unmistakable character and feel, but another benefit besides its great appearance is that it’s easy to install. However, it does require a little care and attention throughout the installation process to ensure a secure fit. Wood expands and contracts as the temperature and moisture levels in the room change, so you need to ensure that the planks have plenty of room to move to avoid them bending and warping. A sufficient gap is typically between 10 and 12mm and includes the perimeter of the floor and any pipes or door frames.
It’s also a good idea to store the planks in the room they will be installed in for several days beforehand so they can acclimatise to the temperature. Store them sealed and stacked no more than three packs high to allow plenty of air to circulate.
Solid Wood Flooring Samples
An easy way to check if the style or colour you’ve chosen will work well in your space is to order a sample. Direct Flooring Online can send you up to 3 samples via Royal Mail, which will arrive within 2-4 days. We then recommend using the online images on our site along with the samples to gain a clearer picture of how the final result will look.