Is engineered wood flooring right for your home?

Bringing the calmness of nature indoors throughout the seasons, real wood floors are an ideal way of introducing warmth, pattern and character—in a sustainable way. Not all wood flooring is suitable for every room in the home. Solid flooring, for example, has historically been the primary choice for interiors, but is not suitable for environments with high humidity and can’t be used with underfloor heating. 

Engineered boards, on the other hand, can be fitted in most rooms in the house. Giving any room of the home an instant lift as the spring season comes around, engineered wood flooring creates a high-end finish that is surprisingly simple to care for and extremely durable.

An engineered board has up to 11 layers of hardwood backing, with each layer glued at a 90-degree angle to the adjoining layer. The surface layer of a precious hardwood is then glued on top, resulting in a much more stable floor with a robust construction, which can be used with underfloor heating too, so your real wood floor is as warm to walk on as it is to look at.

This is all good news in terms of installation, and for aesthetics too, with engineered wood flooring being available in a wide choice of colours and with a whole host of patterning options.  

When it comes to choosing flooring for your home, it’s important to go with a style that doesn’t just suit your space in terms of function, but also style. One of the many good things about real wood flooring is the variety available in pattern options. From straight boards to parquet, there is an option to suit any setting.  

Engineered wood flooring © Matt Clayton

Injecting personality and character into large and small spaces alike, the trend for real wood flooring means parquet has never been so popular, bringing a timeless elegance to any area of the home. Creating a sophisticated look, the combination of colour, wood detailing and pattern that is possible with parquet make this a real statement floor, whether your home is traditional or contemporary in style. 

Away from patterns, extra-long and extra-wide boards are now in vogue too. This look is beneficial in small and large spaces, creating a streamlined impression with fewer seams for a clean and cohesive look.  

Just as when choosing a colour for your walls, choosing the right shade of wood flooring should be based on how large the room is, how much natural light it enjoys and on the overall décor. Smaller rooms benefit from lighter woods, while larger spaces can more comfortably accommodate darker tones such as walnut. 

Once laid, keeping engineered wood flooring looking as good as new is straightforward too; a combination of dry cleaning to remove dirt and dust particles, and damp cleaning to protect it against scratches is all that is needed for a lacquered or oiled floors. With just a little care, real wood is a flooring choice that is difficult not to love. 

For more details on choosing real wood flooring for your home visit naturalwoodfloor.co.uk

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