There is a wide array of wood flooring types available today but of them all, oak is the one that really stands out. Oak wooden flooring amounts to 80% of the combined sales of wood flooring, and you will find that because of its popularity, flooring retailers have more oak-based choices than other types. We also know that because of its popularity, the majority of homes have opted for solid oak floors, perhaps as much for the aesthetic qualities as for the great properties of it.

The Many Qualities of Oak Wood Flooring

•    Oak wood flooring is incredibly resilient which makes it ideal for flooring- it is not susceptible to wear and tear as some other woods can be, and has been known for its strong properties for centuries. The wood does not mark easily and will last for decades if looked after well. Any marking that does occur can easily be sanded, re-finished or re-coated numerous times to keep it looking new and fresh.

•    Oak wood flooring is still perceived by some as an upper class commodity so a certain kudos can be gained by having it in your home. Maybe this goes some way to explaining why oak flooring has been, and continues to be so popular.

•    Oak wood can be obtained from China, Russia, France, Hong Kong and England; the majority is available from sustainable forests, so you can rest assured that your new floor will not put the environment at a disadvantage.

The Aesthetic Qualities of Oak Wood Flooring

When people think of oak floors, they tend to think of the sandy coloured floorboards that can be seen in older houses. This doesn’t fit in that well with many homes, however, which does tend to put people off. But thanks to lacquering and varnishing, oak floors can come in a variety of warm, rich colours and hues, including red and brown as well as the traditional sandy colour. The choice means that oak can fit into any room of your house creating a sense of space, depth and light, and help you achieve the effect you are looking for. Oak also has naturally occurring knots and burrs that give it character. Quality oak flooring will bring out this character to its best effect.

Oak flooring is usually nailed to the sub floor for stability, although ‘floating flooring systems’ can be bought if you are not quite ready for permanent flooring. Most boards have bevelled edges or differing widths, to fit easily in your home. Oak flooring comes in a wide range of qualities and prices so you can easily choose the one that best suits your home, budget and requirements. It is no longer ridiculously expensive; oak is now at an affordable price. Whatever you want and need, it can be found Factory Direct Flooring.

Wood flooring is a highly desirable commodity in any home these days. It can help you to make your home more attractive to potential buyers if you are planning to sell. It can give any room a wonderful lightness by attracting sunlight and make the room appear to be larger and more spacious than it actually is. However, it can only accomplish all of the above if it is fitted properly and looks the art. This is where acclimatisation of wood flooring becomes useful.

Although many people do not know about the acclimatisation of wood flooring, it is essential if your brand new wood floor is to settle properly. It is a well known fact that wood expands and contracts when the temperature fluctuates, as can be seen in any tree that is outside and exposed to the elements. It swells when hot and contracts when cold, and wood that is used for your flooring is no different. This could cause serious problems when it comes to laying wooden flooring because it will also expand and contract unless acclimatisation of wood flooring is allowed.

Acclimatisation of wood flooring requires you to place the wood in the room in which it is to go for at least 14 days before it is actually laid. During that period of time, the wood will become used to the temperature and humidity of the room and this will prevent any cracking and splitting when it is laid. The ideal way to acclimatise the wood flooring is to stack it piles with bearers in between the layers to allow the air to circulate around the wood naturally. It is as simple as that!

It is easy to think that a wood floor for a smaller room does not need acclimatisation but that is most definitely not the case. If you are laying a wood floor in any room, from the basement to the lounge to the attic, you need to acclimatise the wood first. Any wood floor can crack or even become uneven, which would ultimately make it look extremely ugly and also make it dangerous and prone to wear and tear. You do not have to do anything other than allow it to sit in the room so for very little effort, you can reap the rewards of having a beautiful and acclimatised wood floor in a fortnight’s time!

Why should you choose a Wood Floor instread of a carpet?

Well here’s what Factory Direct Flooring think as we definately beleive Wood Flooring is the best option…..

For a start Wood Flooring is more environmentally friendly that Carpet as most wood flooring comes from trees that are planted where as carpets tend to end up in landfills.  The life of a wood floor is also considerably longer when compared with carpets which also means then it is more cost effective in the long term.

Also Wood Flooring has a wider variety of usage in that it make better flooring than carpet for say a room where the moisture is higher i.e. basement or bathroom.

There are many, many more advantages of Wood Flooring so call Factory Direct Flooring to find out more……..

What is Solid Wood Flooring? 

Like our last article on What is Engineered Wood Flooring, we at Factory Direct Flooring are often asked What is Solid Wood Flooring?  Again we would like to answer it, in as simple a way as possible……

Solid Wood Flooring are individual boards of floor which are made from one continuous plank of wood whereas engineered woods have the solid wood veneer coated on top od a ply base.

We at Factory Flooring offer Solid Wood Flooring at prices that cannot be matched…….