Flooring comes in all shapes and sizes, materials and designs. Finding the best option for your home can be tricky, so hopefully our handy guide will help you find the perfect flooring solution for you!
Hardwood
Hardwood flooring is one of the more broad range options on the market. Solid and Engineered are the two main types of hardwood. Solid flooring is as it sounds on the tin, it’s a solid plank of wood that has been sanded down to make it suitable for homes. Engineered on the other hand is made up of layers, constructed mostly of core boards and later ad layers of ply, with a layer of solid wood over the top.
Both solid and engineered have their benefits, and arguably are incredibly similar other than their makeup. Due to the nature of its build solid is arguably the more durable of the two, whereas engineered has the advantage of being suitable for underfloor heating, and has a far higher water resistance. Engineered is suited far better in rooms with high moisture. Solid is suitable for rooms with heavy footfall, it can be easily resanded and refinished literally until the wood is too thin to be sanded anymore.
Parquet
The first we’re going to look at is one of the more traditional floorings that is making a comeback in the current market, parquet. The distinctive zig-zag patterns and geometric shapes make parquet stand out from the crowd, and are one of the main reasons it’s shot back onto the market.
Parquet has a number of benefits, aside from its design and versatility, its durability is its strongest feature. It will last you a very long time, and is difficult to cause permanent damage. If you’re looking for a long term solution for your home, then this is certainly a great option. It’s usually best fitted in kitchens and dining rooms, and is always a good idea to have a design in mind before you fit it, as it can be time consuming and if rushed can look a little cluttered and chaotic. Patience will be needed for the installment process, so if you run on a tight schedule it may be an idea to look at other options.
Laminate
Laminate is easily one of the best floorings on the market, like any flooring types it has its setbacks, but it’s easily one of the most versatile and reliable floorings out there, and is also incredibly cost effective.
Laminate can simulate a number of flooring types, with one of the most popular being hardwood. It is constructed of a number of layers, with the core layer made of high density fibreboard (HDF). HDF is a strong and durable material, and makes laminate perfect for areas of heavy footfall. Unlike wood flooring however it won’t cause permanent damage, and scratches won’t show clearly. The installation process is simple due to its click-loc system, which makes it the easiest DIY flooring out there. It doesn’t work well under levels of high moisture, but can be fitted anywhere around the house providing there’s water prevention measures in place.
Choosing flooring for a home can be one of the hardest decisions to make so we hope our guide has helped you!