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Wood Flooring Questions and Answers
Q: Can I sand an engineered wooden floor?
A: Yes - the amount of times you can sand an engineered wooden floor will depend on the thickness of the veneer. (typically 2 times)
Q: Can I install an engineered floor over under floor heating?
A: Normally yes - however we would recommend that specific Engineered Wood products are checked in advance and manufacturers’ guidelines are strictly adhered to (please also refer to our ‘Wooden Floors over under floor heating’ section in our ‘Help me’ page)
Q: Can I install an engineered floor over joists?
A: Only if the engineered wood floor is of 18mm thickness and above, and the joists are spaced at the correctly specified widths.
Q: Do I need to glue the joints on my engineered Wood floor?
A: Not normally - most modern click-type systems are designed to be used without glue. (however some of the thicker 20mm engineered wood products will have a traditional T&G Joint and will require Glueing)
Q: Will my oiled Wooden floor require regular maintenance?
A: Yes - the amount of maintenance will depend of the usage. The use of an oil refresher or maintenance oil will enhance the appearance and protect the surface of your new real wood flooring .
Q: What is the difference between an oiled and lacquered floor?
A: In simple terms, an oiled finish penetrates into the wood flooring and is absorbed by the timber, giving a flat, gloss-free, natural looking finish. An oiledwooden floor also gives the opportunity to refinish isolated areas.
With a lacquered floor, the finish is applied to and seals the surface of the wood. Lacquered wooden floors will normally be available in satin, silk matt or matt finish.
The matt lacquer finish will give an appearance similar to an oiled floor without the maintenance requirements.
Q: Is a solid wood floor better than an engineered floor?
A: Not necessarily - an engineered wooden floor will offer greater stability and can be used for more types of installation. An engineered wood system also allows for the introduction of a 3wood flooring underlay with thermal and sound reducing properties and vapour barriers. A solid wood floor, however, if secret nailed or fully adhered will give a more solid feel underfoot.
Q: Can I install a solid wood floor over under floor heating?
A: No - we would not recommend the use of solid wood floors with Under Floor Heating.
Q: Can I install a solid wood floor as a floating-type installation?
A: No - a solid wood floor is not as stable as an engineered wood board and cannot be installed in this fashion. It would need to be either secret nailed or fully adhered with a suitable adhesive.
Q: How do I install my solid wood floor or real Oak Flooring over a concrete base?
A: Providing the floor complies with temperature and moisture requirements and is level, solid, smooth and even, the floor will need to be fully adhered with a suitable recommended adhesive. Specific manufacturers’ instructions must be adhered to, and we would recommend the installation is completed by an experienced tradesman.
Q: How do I install my solid wood flooring over a wooden base?
A: Providing the floor complies with temperature and moisture requirements and is level, solid, smooth and even, the floor would normally be secret nailed with a Porta Nailer or similar type tool. Specific manufacturers’ instructions must be adhered to, and we would recommend the installation is completed by an experienced tradesman or floorlayer.
Q: How much wastage do I need to allow when ordering my wooden flooring?
A: We would typically recommend 5% but it will depend on the complexity of the layout, the amount of angled / curved cutting, and the skill of the installer. If in any doubt, consult an experienced installer or our sales team for more detailed advice.
Q: What accessories will I need for my new Timber Floor?
A: Engineered Timber floors will normally require a suitable underlay incorporating a vapour barrier (if being installed as a floating floor). You will need threshold strips of a suitable type for doorways and consideration should also be given to perimeter expansion details.
Q: How do I cover my perimeter expansion gap?
A: If you are able, the installation will always look better if the skirtings are removed and replaced on top of the new wooden floor, allowing for the manufacturers’ specified expansion gap. However this is not always an option. Where this is not possible, a scotia moulding in white or a matching hardwood would normally be used (see our accessories section).
Q: How do I finish around radiator pipes?
A: You finish around pipes with our pre-finished, hardwood dowelled ferrules. (or you can cut a neat hole allowing adequate expansion with a hole saw)
Q: Is my floor suitable for Kitchens and Bathrooms?
A: Both engineered and solid wood floors will be suitable for use in Kitchen / Dining room areas. We would not recommend the use of either engineered wood flooring or solid wood flooring in Bathroom areas or areas subjected to high levels of humidity and a wide range of temperature change.
Q: Which species of wood flooring is the hardest?
A: Real Oak Flooring is hard, dense, and extremely strong which makes it suitable for flooring use. Please see below for hardness comparisons, using Oak as a reference for comparison:
Ash 10% harder than Oak; Hard Maple 30% harder than Oak; Beech same as oak; Cherry 3% softer than Oak; Walnut 10% softer than Oak; Jarrah 25% harder than Oak
Q: Square or Bevelled edges?
A: The majority of ‘prefinished’ solid wood floors and thicker engineered Flooring (18mm thick plus) will have a bevelled edge. Standard 14mm or 15mm engineered wood flooring will often be available with and without a bevel. Unfinished solid wood floors will normally not have a bevelled edge. Having a square or bevelled will not affect the performance of any floor; it is simply a matter of personal preference.
Q: Is a wooden floor cold?
A: This will be subject to site conditions; normally both engineered and solid wood floors are warm to the touch.
Q: What is the difference between a laminate floor and an engineered wood floor?
A: In summary, a laminate floor would typically have mdf or hdf core with a photographic simulation of a real wood surface with a clear-coat wearing layer over the top.
An engineered wood floor will be of a better quality and will have a real wood wearing layer, varying in thickness from 3.5mm-6mm.
Q: What is the difference between a solid wood floor and an engineered wooden floor?
A: In summary, a solid wood floor (as the name suggests) is one complete layer of solid wood from the underside of the board to the top surface, with no cross-laminating or multiple layer-type construction.
An engineered floor will typically consist of a real softwood or multi-layer, ply-type core, with a real wood top layer. An engineered wood floor will have greater stability and will be suitable for use over a wider range of areas.