Wood flooring is arguably the most popular flooring type, becoming increasingly so in recent years.
Its natural organic appearance, vast species, colour and grain variations make it a versatile complement to almost any room design.
This ever growing popularity has lead to the rise in new wood flooring types, most notably 'Laminate Flooring'.
Despite some reservations amongst purists, laminate flooring is a cost effective alternative to real wood flooring, and in fact, has a few advantages in comparison to real wood, the most significant of which is durability.
The outer layer consists of cellulose paper bearing a photographic image of wood which has been impregnated with melamine resin; the resultant material is very tough and offers high impact resistance; it is actually more than ten times tougher than natural hardwood.
Laminate floors do not fade or tarnish as they resists ultra violet light, and so, retain a freshly laid appearance.
One notable attraction to this type of flooring is the ease by which it can be fitted.
Typically, laminate flooring systems are glueless and floating (they do not require fixing to the sub floor beneath,) instead, they rely on a system of interlocking tongues and grooves to form a solid mass.
When fitted, a gap is retained around the perimeter of the floor to allow it to expand and contract at its natural rate.
Natural wood floors fall into two main categories: Solid or Engineered.
Solid wood floors are the most natural form of wood floor.
They are machined directly from logged timber as complete, single planks; and fit together using a simple 'tongue and groove' (usually nailed).
Due to the characteristics of natural wood, there are size limitations to the width and thickness of boards in order to maintain their integrity-resisting cupping and splitting.
The main advantage of a solid wood floor is that it can be resurfaced multiple times by sanding down the top layer and refinishing.
These days, more care is taken to insure timber supplies are harvested from sustainable sources so as to be kinder to the environment.
Engineered wood floors are made by layering strips of wood (known as ply) in opposing grain directions (three to five in total) with a top layer of pre-finished veneer-cheaper types sometimes substitute plywood with MDF board.
Depending on the thickness of the surface veneer, engineered floors can be sanded down and refinished to remove scratches; however, much care must be taken to insure sanding does not exceed the depth of the top layer as this will reveal the lesser-grade wood below.
This type of plank construction allows for strong, stable­­--yet thinner flooring, which (like laminate flooring) is usually laid as a floating floor system.
Wood floors do not perform well in locations prone to excessive damp or moisture; therefore, if used in kitchens or bathrooms, care must be taken to avoid spills settling for extended periods of time as this will result in permanent, irreversible damage.
If you are contemplating using wood flooring, take a little time to consider the various options so as to insure your final choice results in a floor that is sufficiently suitable for the location and therefore gives you years of low-maintenance, freshness and beauty.