| Solid wood flooring | | | | be sanded / re-finished the same number of times. |
| Solid wood floors are mostly plain sawn or quarter | | | | 14mm products normally have 3-4mm wear layer, |
| sawn timber ranging from 14 to 22mm thick, | | | | therefore can be sanded / re-finished half the |
| dependent on the width of the board. The planks are | | | | number of times compared to an 18mm solid. |
| normally random lengths and as the grain runs in the | | | | The best way to fit an engineered floor os to float |
| same direction throughout, are sensitive to | | | | install, however in addition to this 22 / 21mm as a |
| environmental changes - expanding in the summer | | | | structural floor has the advantage of being able to |
| and contracting in the winter. | | | | glue, secret nail or even secure the flooring direct to |
| The best way to fit solid wood is to either glue or | | | | joist. |
| nail it to the subfloor to prevent excessive expansion | | | | The advantages of engineered flooring are:o Easy to |
| / contraction with changes in humidity. Controlling the | | | | install (DIY friendly)o Suitable for conservatories / |
| environment with a humidifier during the heating | | | | water underfloor heating systemso Dimensionally |
| months may help to reduce the amount of gapping in | | | | stableo Hygienico Easy to cleano Can be used in |
| solid wood floors. If this is a concern - consider | | | | conjunction with noise reduction underlays |
| engineered wood floors or laminate as they are much | | | | Laminate flooring |
| more dimensionally stable than solid wood floors and | | | | Laminate flooring replicates natural wood with added |
| will show little or no gaps between planks. | | | | advantages and advancements in technology meaning |
| Engineered flooring | | | | some laminate flooring is almost indistinguishable from |
| Engineered flooring otherwise known as 'semi-solid' is | | | | solid wood. Laminate flooring is made up of three |
| a product made up of a core, either 'multi-ply or 3 | | | | layers - the heart of the laminate is the HDF core |
| layer' and a top level of hardwood veneer '3 to 6mm' | | | | board (High Density Fibre Board) then covered with a |
| that is glued to the surface. The product thus has all | | | | design layer (high resolution photo paper replicating |
| the natural characteristics of solid wood 'as that is | | | | wood). |
| exactly what it is' with added advantages. The grain | | | | A very hardwearing transparent overlay is then |
| on each layer throughout the 'engineered' flooring | | | | applied to the surface to guard against wear and tear |
| reverses resulting in a design to provide greater | | | | and in some instances this is corundum which is a |
| stability particularly where moisture or heat pose | | | | mineral almost as hard as a diamond. The back of the |
| problems for solid hardwood floors such as underfloor | | | | laminate then has a moisture resistant balancing board |
| heating and conservatories. | | | | applied which helps protect the HDF core against |
| Engineered wood flooring can be re-finished - 22 / | | | | moisture ingression and prevents the board from |
| 21mm products normally have the same wear layer | | | | deforming. |
| as a 18mm thick solid timber '6mm' and therefore can | | | | |