Recently I’ve been thinking about flooring options for our family room. Currently we have varnished floorboards, but they are looking pretty shabby – you can see where the surface has worn off in areas of high traffic. I find floorboards hard to keep clean, too, with all those gaps between the planks. I would much prefer a more finished and ‘grown up’ look in the room, with a smart new floor top of my wishlist.
So I’ve been perusing the website of Woodpecker Flooring (after noticing them on social media) – a family business with a passion for wood, quality and sustainability – and finding myself dreaming about which design I’d actually choose.
As we know, a beautiful floor can totally transform a space, giving a wonderful finish that exudes style, class and a sense of luxury. So if you feel your living areas need elevating from the ordinary, then a stunning wood floor is the feature that’s going to do that. You might assume that there’s nothing better than solid wood for a statement floor, but in actual fact many people opt for engineered wood as it has many benefits, which I’ll tell you about shortly – but first, what is an engineered wood floor?
Engineered Wood Flooring possesses three layers: the top layer is a surface of natural solid wood, so it’s just as good-looking and stylish as the real thing (it can even be sanded and refinished just as with solid wood). The middle core comprises bonded sheets of high density fibreboard (HDF), softwood or plywood and this is designed to lend stability to the construction. The base layer provides a solid backboard which gives a really secure foundation. Now, take a look at this stunning Berkeley Natural floor; would you even know that it isn’t solid wood? I think not!
So let’s look at the finer qualities of this kind of flooring:
1. A Choice of Finish
As mentioned above, an engineered wood floor looks every bit as good as solid wood, because it’s top layer is in fact natural. There’s a great variety of finishes available from Woodpecker, whether you like a smooth planed look with bevelled edges, or perhaps a limed, waxed or oiled surface. Or alternatively, a top layer that provides a more rustic and grainy finish, to give your floor an aged appearance, infused with character.
2. Durability
The durability you get with engineered wood of this quality is excellent. As underfloor heating becomes ever more popular, it’s an ideal choice for the modern home, outperforming solid wood which tends to dry out more easily. Engineered wood copes better with humidity changes in general and is therefore less likely to swell and shrink. Because natural wood absorbs moisture more readily, engineered boards are popular in rooms where there’s a tendency to dampness, so conservatories or cellars as there’s less chance of warping.
The construction also means that movement is limited which improves stability and this flooring is totally hard wearing, with only approximately 1mm of wear in 100 years – wow!
3. Wide Choice of Styles & Colours
Engineered board is available in such a lovely range of wood types, colours and thicknesses, you could be spoilt for choice. It makes sense to think about what sort of home interior look you prefer. Scandinavian lovers will probably want to opt for clean white or gentle grey finishes, whereas a bohemian living room would suit deeper shades and warm tones. Something like an aged oak with visible knots and a lovely unique, raw quality would ideally suit an industrial space, whereas elegant parquet is perfect for a vintage style or period home. And if your space is more contemporary, how about a twist on traditional parquet, with wider planks in gorgeous espresso tones as above?
With such a wide range of options, interior design lovers need not fear, you will find a colour and style to suit!
4. No Nonsense Fitting
Woodpecker Flooring recommend you have your engineered wood floor laid by a fitter with specialist knowledge and expertise to give you the very best finish. They work with a network of retailers who can provide this fitting service at your convenience. With glueless ‘loc and clic’ solutions, the planks can be floated over an underlay, without requiring any nails or adhesive which is a great time saver compared to the fitting different types of flooring.
5. Low Maintenance
It’s really easy to look after an engineered wood floor. Just remember to sweep regularly with a soft brush and you can of course vacuum it too! Be careful not to get the floor overly wet, so keep your mop well wrung out, as too much water can damage a hardwood floor and its important to dry excess spills as soon as possible. There are specialist cleaning kits available from Woodpecker and when the time comes you can even re-oil or lacquer your engineered floor, keeping it beautiful for years to come!
Disclaimer: Post written in collaboration with Woodpecker Flooring, however all words & opinions are my own and I only write about the companies and products I really like and think readers will too!
© Copyright 2017 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife
It is my absolute DREAM to have parquet flooring (someday, someday…) and Woodpecker have a lovely range. I never really thought about engineered flooring as an option but I think you’ve sold me on the benefits – it makes complete sense 🙂 xx