Wood Flooring Finishes Explained

The finish of the wood flooring which you pick is very important. It can mean the difference between your flooring looking and feeling natural, glossy or even distressed. A wood flooring finish can also marginally change the texture of the surface of the floor.

All hardwood flooring must have a finish added to your surface. This is to safeguard the hardwood from damage and supply additional layers of strength. Most hardwood flooring is already pre-finished. This means that the floor has already had the end added during the manufacture process. As an alternative, you could decide on an unfinished floor. You'll be getting the raw timber and has to apply a coating complete after it has been installed.

Here are a Few of the different flooring finishes available:

Natural Oiled Wood Flooring

Hardwood flooring using an oiled finish means that the natural elegance of these species of timber has been adequately protected using layers of air-dried matt oil. This maintains the character and attractiveness of the wood.This floor is ready to be utilized once the installation process is complete.

UV Oiled Wood Flooring

A UV oiled finish signifies that the oil was treated with a ultra violet light. Thus, more oil can be used, making it a stronger surface finish than natural oil. The charm and character of the wood and grain pattern is maintained, and it may be utilized as soon as it's been installed.

Brushed and Oiled Wood Flooring

A brushed and Engineered hardwood floor is as soon as the surface of the flooring has been gently brushed. This exposes the organic qualities and allure of this wood without causing any damage. The planks of floors are then protected with a matt oil. This flooring is prepared to be used once the installation process is complete.

Lacquered Wood Flooring

A wooden floor with a lacquered finish can be found with a matt finish or a satin matt finish. The lacquer adds additional protection and strength to the hardwood whilst maintaining its natural character and allure. This floor is ready to be utilized once the setup procedure is complete.

Hand Scraped Wood Flooring

With a hand scraped wooden floor, the surface of the hardwood was scraped, by hand, to add extra definition and uniqueness. The surface of the flooring planks are then protected with layers of a matt lacquer. This flooring is ready to be used when the installation process is complete.

Distressed Wood Flooring

A distressed wooden floor has been intentionally aged by giving it a worn and distressed appearance. To try it, slight imperfections are added to the surface of the ground to enhance its appeal and allure. The floor is then protected with layers of oil.This floor is ready to be used when the installation procedure is complete.

Unfinished Wood Flooring

An unfinished hardwood flooring is your raw wood made in boards, with no protective layers of lacquer or oil included. It is actually important that once it has been set up, the top layer of the floor is protected with layers of oil or lacquer until it could be walked . Deciding upon an unfinished floor is ideal if you're looking to create an entirely unique flooring. You have the capability to include your own selection of color protective and stain top layers.
 

HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ENGINEERED AND SOLID WOOD FLOORING

If you are thinking about revamping your flooring and you adore a timber finish, you may be considering the specific advantages of engineered wood and solid wood. Which is the best choice for your property? First of all we will need to learn more about the differences between these materials.

Engineered wood: Engineered wood consists of a layer of wood veneer on top of a plywood base. This consists of laminate flooring that's constructed of plastic with a wood grain image on top.

Solid wood: Solid wood, as the name suggests, is simply a solid piece of wood from top to bottom. 

You may assume that strong wood is a superior substance since it's 100% high excellent wood. However there are a range of elements to think about before you pick the flooring material to your premises.

- When You've Got underfloor heating

- Whether your area is subject to moisture or moist

- Whether your flooring will observe a good deal of visitors (eg. In a commercial real estate )

- Whether the foundation of your floors (your roof ) includes wooden planks, concrete or rock


The Benefits

Engineered Wood Flooring...

• Durability

Engineered wood flooring is valuable if you really do have under-floor heating, moisture or moist, or a lot of traffic. This is because it's very durable and can deal with conditions that may possibly damage a good wood flooring. It is less likely to warp under extreme temperatures and if exposed to a lot of direct sun or moisture.

• Choice


Engineered wood flooring is available in a wider range of finishes and sizes.

• Easily fitted on various surfaces

While it can at times be problematic laying solid wood flooring on some concrete or stone sub-floors, engineered timber can be glued down quite readily, or permitted to float. A floating floor is where the floor boards attach to each other but not to the sub floor beneath.

• Could be sanded


Although engineered flooring has just a veneer of solid wood it's usually 3-7mm thick and may be sanded down to five times. This allows you to cover up any minor damage or marks created.

Solid Wood Flooring...

• Quality timber


An advantage of purchasing solid wood flooring is that you know you've got complete parts of excellent timber. This is quite attractive for many home improvers who want their home to be, well, strong! Wood flooring is usually sanded down to wooden floorboards so in the event that you have a wooden base to operate on you can rest assured it is quite secure. Strong wood floor may also be glued down to either a concrete or wood sub floor. Otherwise, modern solid wood can sometimes be allowed to float on a concrete floor, sometimes with the aid of some underlay.

• Long lasting


We have acknowledged that engineered flooring is extremely durable and able to cope with numerous ailments. But so are lots of good wood flooring. That is evident by the number of historical hardwood flooring that still exist in historical buildings all around the world, from schools to churches, libraries and public buildings. A well maintained solid wood floor can last for decades, or even centuries.

• Can be sanded and repaired more

Solid hardwood flooring can be sanded down to the the groove - this means that they can be sanded usually one or 2 more times than engineered flooring. Sanding takes normally 1 - 2mm off the surface.

Cost and Making your Mind Up

The prices of solid and engineered hardwood floors do not differ very much these days so cost should not be that significant in your choice. Your choice should be based, in part, on your particular property and how it is assembled, in addition to the usage of these rooms in which you are considering installing new floors. However we believe the choice is actually an aesthetic one - solid floors boards are usually narrower and the spans are shorter - this alone generates a very different appearance to the wider longer engineered floors. And like we have mentioned, engineered flooring can be found in a lot more colors and finishes than solid wood floors.


Hopefully this post can allow you to select between engineered or solid flooring, but for more information please get in touch.