A guide to solid wood flooring

A guide to solid wood flooring

This entry was posted on October 5, 2015 by Chris Elliott

What is solid wood flooring?

Solid wood flooring is exactly as it sounds; a plank of flooring made from a solid piece of wood.

 

How is solid wood flooring made?

A piece of solid wood is extracted from a tree trunk and then cut, shaped and sanded into planks of flooring.  It is available in a wide variety of different wood species that differ in colour, pattern, grain, strength and cost.  It can also be sealed with an oil or lacquer or left unfinished so that you can add the finishing stains and protective layers after installation.

What are the differences between wood flooring types - solid wood flooring

What size are solid wood flooring planks?

Solid wood flooring is available in a variety of different plank sizes, usually with random lengths and thickness ranging from 15mm to 22mm, and widths of between 60mm and 300mm.

 

What fitting system does solid wood flooring have?

Solid wood flooring is usually found with the traditional tongue and groove fitting system.

 

Where can solid wood flooring be used?

Solid wood flooring can be installed in any room in your property except rooms that have excess water (bathrooms and utility rooms) or fluctuations in humidity and temperature (conservatories or kitchens).

 

Can I use solid wood flooring with underfloor heating?

No, solid wood flooring cannot be used with underfloor heating systems.  If you have underfloor heating, then you should use engineered wood flooring as it can withstand the fluctuations in temperature.

 

How should I install solid wood flooring?

Solid wood flooring planks are extremely strong but not dimensionally stable, so the planks of flooring must be fixed into position during installation.  

This should be done by either gluing the flooring down directly to the subfloor, or by secret nailing or secret screwing.  Solid wood flooring should not be floated over an underlay. The dos and donts of hardwood flooring

What are the benefits of solid wood flooring?

• It is a solid piece of hardwood

• Can be sanded and re-finished a number of times

• Long life expectancy

• Available in a huge variety of species

• Available in random lengths

• Available in different widths

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