Engineered oak flooring is increasingly the preferred choice, over solid oak flooring, for a variety of reasons. Firstly, engineered oak flooring provides a more stable floor and secondly it is also suitable for underfloor heating systems. Our engineered oak flooring is made from a top layer of solid European oak veneer bonded to high quality Birch plywood. Hand finished in the UK, using a variety of processes, oils or lacquers, our engineered oak flooring suits a number of décor themes from rustic and reclaimed to sleek, Scandinavian herringbone style.
What is Engineered Wood Flooring
For anyone unfamiliar with engineered wood flooring, here’s a brief summary of the main differences between the construction types: A solid wood floor is made up entirely of a solid piece of timber, be it oak or another species. Engineered wood flooring has a multi-layered construction; our designs have a base layer made from premium-quality birch plywood and a top surface layer of solid European oak. This oak surface layer is hand-finished in the UK, using a variety of different techniques to create a range of styles and finishes.
Engineered flooring isn’t the same as laminate flooring. Laminates are man-made finishes that imitate the natural colours and textures found in real wood. They have a photographic ‘applique’ surface layer above a core of resin and fibreboard materials.
Advantages of Engineered Wood Floors
As well as providing an authentic real wood finish, engineered flooring offers other benefits which can address and overcome some of the limitations associated with solid wood:
All wood species swell in a warm, humid environment and shrink when it’s cool and dry. In a solid construction, this natural movement can cause gaps to occur between boards or for floorboards to become concave or convex. An engineered board is inherently more stable as its individual layers expand and contract as a complete surface. Combined with a quality joint, this eliminates the risk of any gaps or problems associated with humidity from occurring. This can be especially beneficial in areas like kitchen/diners and bathrooms, where humidity is often higher.
Many homeowners are now also looking to invest in underfloor heating. The significant temperature changes created by these systems can cause issues with solid wood floors, whereas the stable construction of an engineered floor is able to accommodate these fluctuations.
Another benefit of a modern, engineered floor is that it only uses slow-growing hardwood in the surface layer, so it’s also more eco-friendly – and it is refurbished in exactly the same way as a solid product – i.e., down to the joint – so it offers the same longevity.
Here some more advantages of engineered wood over real wood for flooring and all important care and maintenance instructions to keep your engineered wood floors in the best shape..
Characterful Hand-finished Designs
Skilled craftsmanship and specialist finishing techniques can transform and showcase the natural beauty of an engineered oak floor to spectacular effect:
A vintage look is a very popular interior design trend and our quality engineered wood designs can be ‘tumbled’ to replicate a mature, aged look, with the small imperfections that an original timber floor slowly acquires over time. Likewise, distressed engineered oak flooring can be hand-finished to introduce elements such as knots, cracks and other naturally occurring blemishes, which add charm to rustic-style floors.
Here is why Scandinavian style engineered wood floors are popular.
Brushing and sanding treatments – and back-scraping to simulate floor timbers cut on a band saw – are other examples of finishing treatments that add character to our oak flooring. In addition, our signature designs have a durable top coat: either a lacquer pre-finish which creates a satin sheen, or a natural oil or hard-wax oil finish, which enhances the natural lustre and oak grain. Some finishes are also coloured, to create a specific tonal shade.
Of course, there’s always the option to choose one of our untreated oak floors, which can either be ‘laid bear’ or treated at a later stage, for a unique custom finish.
So, whatever your interior project, engineered oak flooring provides an incredibly versatile option, that allows you to enjoy the benefits of a modern floor design and still enjoy the beauty and natural appeal of genuine wood.
Choosing Engineered Oak Flooring
Here are the key considerations you should make that can help you get the best engineered wood flooring for you project.
You may be wondering how suitable engineered oak flooring is for pets, if you do own pets, here is why engineered oak flooring can be a great choice.
Patterns to lay your engineered wood flooring in are also important to consider, here are some of the best patterns for wood flooring to help you decide.
