Whilst below is intended to help you, please do not hesitate to call us on 020 8675 2431 for further assistance and professional advice.

Why give your property wood floors?
Since you are reading this, you probably do not need to be reminded how beautiful wood is - its warm colours, richness of grain, healthy sheen. But wood floors are not only gorgeous; they are healthy, hard-wearing and warm (wood is a natural insulator.) A wood floor can make a room seem bigger, lighter and more impressive - all factors that can give a house character and, according to estate agents, make it more saleable.
Why are wood floors healthier?
Wood is a natural material and wood oils often have a strongly anti-bacterial action. Wood floors, unlike carpets, do not trap and accumulate concentrations of harmful chemicals and fumes, nor do they become homes for unpleasant parasites.
Greenpeace and other environmental bodies recommend that in the interests of family health, consumers should seriously consider switching from carpet to wood floors.
All carpets harbour microscopic dust-mites, whose dung when breathed in has been shown to exacerbate asthma and to trigger allergies. Estimates place the number of dust mites in one square metre of typical British household carpet at between 10,000 to 100,000. Carpets also contain pet allergens, faeces and urine, flea and lice eggs, traces of excreta trodden in from the garden, and high concentrations of toxic dust.
The New Scientist reported recently: "A typical sample of household carpet dust sent to an environmental lab would ring alarm bells for high concentrations of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides and polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs)," according to tests carried out by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, (Source: New Scientist, 28 June 2001).
A house with wooden floors and rugs will contain only a tenth as much dust as a carpeted house.
How long will my wood floor last?
Correctly fitted and maintained a solid wood floor will last a lifetime, but correct fitting is crucial.
Which rooms in the house should have wooden floors?
Wooden floors are suitable for every room in the house except the bathroom.
Are hardwood floors ecologically sound?
The vast majority of wood floors sold in Britain are made from European and American hardwoods, which are sustainable harvested. If you prefer a tropical hardwood, please check that the manufacturer of the floor you are considering has sourced their timber from an official sustainable-managed forest.
How do I go about choosing a wooden floor?
The choice can be bewildering. There are dozens of different timbers in different grades, colours and patterns. There are also different types of floor construction and finishes. Prices vary according to species and quality. Ideally, you won't choose simply by looking at a picture, come to the showroom and see large samples, this will give you the best chance of properly judging the character of the wood.
Which woods should I choose from?
The choice is vast and there are subtle variations of colour and texture even within the same species. A short list of woods that you should ideally consider before making your choice would include: Ash, Beech, Cherry, Kempas, Maple, Merbau, Oak, and Walnut.
Colours go from palest blonde (maple) to near black (wenge). As a rule of thumb, remember that the available colours approximate to the full range of human hair shades.
You should also look at different finishes. For example, if you choose oak, you could go for Smoked Oak, Brushed & Stained oak, White Oiled Oak, etc.
What are the different types of floor construction?
The choice is between Solid floors, which are timber through and through, and realwood laminate floors, which have a top layer of hardwood mounted on crosslaid softwood or on plywood.
What different patterns of floor can I have?
Both these types of floor are available in the form of Planks (long wide sections, like floorboards), Strip (shorter lengths running in the same direction) or patterns such as herringbone and basket weave. Special effects are created by combining patterns and woods. You can also have a one-off specially designed floor. Most floors can be offered with a decorative border, either of a pattern or in a contrasting colour or wood. Go to a showroom to see these floors rather than judge from pictures.
Are 'laminated' floors made of real wood?
Most floors calling themselves 'laminated' are just photographs of wood grain on plastic, mounted on MDF. Confusion can sometimes arise with Real wood laminate floors, which have a top layer of real hardwood - a method of construction sometimes called laminate because it is in layers. If you want a real wood floor, be careful that you're not just buying a photograph of one. The difference isn't always obvious, but it can be a costly mistake.
But aren't laminated floor cheaper than real wood?
Laminate floors may cost less initially than real wood floors, but they will not last and are easily damaged. A laminate floor has a top layer not of real wood, but of plastic imprinted with a photographic image of wood grain. It will fade in the light and whereas it has a strong scratch resistance, it is non-repairable if a scratch does happen. A real wood floor, whether solid or real wood laminate, can be sanded and sealed.
Plastic laminates are mounted on MDF and/or HDF board made of compressed wood fibres. No glue is applied. If exposed to humidity, fibreboard will expand and will not revert to its original flatness once it dries out (which a wood floor will do). Also, please bear in mind that buying a real hardwood floor may cost you as little as 20-25% more than a laminate floor.
What are the different grades of wood floor?
Three grades relate to the floors visual appearance only and not to quality. Select is the highest grade. It is knot-free, giving floors with uniform colour and texture. These floors command the highest prices, but some people find them monotonous. The cheapest grade is Rustic, where there may be small knots and colour variations in the wood. This can make for a lively, interesting floor full of character and in no ways impairs the quality. It depends what effect you want. Please make sure you go to the showroom and look for yourself before deciding.
What are oiled, oiled-and-waxed and lacquer finishes? Which should I choose?
Most wood floors sold in Britain have a lacquer finish (in most cases an acrylic lacquer or varnish). Lacquer gives the floor a sheen. It is smooth, hard-wearing and easy to keep clean -- it's a quick wipe with a dampened mop. Oiled and oiled-and-waxed floors are quite new in the UK, but are proving popular. They are sealed with a mixture of wood-oil and wax. With an oiled floor the oil is impregnated into the top-layer. An oiled-and-waxed finish is an oiled floor on top of which is a wax finish for added protection. The effect is a subtler sheen than the high gloss of lacquer-varnished floors.
Is an oiled floor harder work than a lacquered floor?
A little. Although oiled and oiled-and-waxed floors will not attract dirt and are easy to clean in the same way as a lacquered floor, with a damp mop, they will need to be oiled occasionally, and a waxed floor will need to be waxed. This however does not take long and need not be done more than once in four months. Buy your floor from a supplier who can offer you a non-chemical oil to maintain it.
The big advantage with oiled floors is it can look like a new floor forever. If you have a scratch you can sand it away with a small piece of sandpaper and apply new oil. With a lacquered floor you wold need to sand and lacquer the whole floor.
Which timbers are best for halls and areas getting a lot of wear?
Choose a hard hardwood. Of the most popular timbers maple is hardest, with ash, beech, oak following respectively. Do not use softwoods like pine or spruce. If your hall leads to entrance door, we recommend you install a matt well to remove any grit from under your shoes.
What types of wood floors are best for kitchens, bathrooms and conservatories?
Humidity is the big enemy of wood floors. Do not install a wood floor in a wet bathroom, i.e. where a lot of showering and bathing takes place. In rooms where there is a risk of some humidity, or where the temperature can fluctuate a lot, choose a real wood laminate floor.
If you want a wood floor in a conservatory we recommend you to keep the conservatory heated during the winter to avoid humidity building up. Never turn the heating up suddenly from low to full blast. Instead, gradually increase the temperature over 2-3 days to allow the floor acclimatize in order to avoid movements in the floor.
Are wood floors noisy in upstairs rooms?
Wood floors can be installed with various qualities of sound-reducing underlay, which will reduce noise transmission.
What about stairs?
Staircases are no problem  with  treads and risers available to  match your floor. The same noise-reduction principles apply to stairs as to upstairs rooms.
How do I make my rooms look larger?
A wood floor will always make a room look larger. Strip patterns are recommended for smaller rooms. Plank and Herringbone or Basket weave patterns give a room scale and can be very impressive as the floor becomes like a work of art in itself.
Which is the most popular timber?
It depends on the property. With contemporary houses the most popular species is oak followed by beech and maple. However more and more demand seems to be developing for species like walnut, Merbau  and cherry.
Will my wood floor change colour after it is laid?
Most woods will darken as they age; becoming deeper and richer as they react to daylight. There may also be contrasting reverse-blushes of lighter wood due to naturally occurring white minerals. The effect can be very lovely. The extent of the contrast will be determined by the grade of floor chosen, with rustic floors developing the greatest contrast.
Can I still have under floor heating with a wood floor?
The answer is yes, but if a room has under floor heating, it is doubly important that it be properly installed to allow for expansion and contraction. We are able to supply manufacturers' technical specifications regarding underfloor heating.
How do I maintain my wood floor?
With all wood floors it's just a simple question of running a damp mop over them as part of your normal house cleaning routine.
We sell non solvent based cleaners and polishes to maintain your lacquered floor.
What about oiled floors?
Oiled floors will need to be oiled, about approx twice a year, depending on the wear it recieves.
To oil a floor, you just wipe it lightly with the oil supplied. As mentioned earlier, please make sure this is a non-chemical oil. Natural wood oils are healthier for the floor and for you. Many wood oils have a natural antibacterial action, as well as smelling nice.
When will my lacquered floor need attention?
It depends on the amount of wear it gets. With normal wear a laquered floor floor should maintain its brilliant gloss for several years. All hardwood floors, including veneered floors, have sufficient thickness of real wood to permit re-sanding and re-lacquering several times in the lifetime of the floor. It will probably outlast you.
How do I repair a scratch?
With an oiled floor, just take a bit of sandpaper and gently rub away the scratch until it has disappeared. Then apply oil and allow it to sink in. Buff it gently. That's all.
A lacquered floor will need to be completely sanded and relacquered as it cannot be done in small patches.
Laminate floors are not real wood floors, but plastic printed with an image of wood. Once scratched they cannot be repaired.

Back to Top