When it comes to buying oak flooring for your project, there are general guidelines that will help you choose a good quality floor, but there are some specific guidelines that will help you make sure you get the best oak flooring for your needs. Here are some of the things you need to be thinking about:
- Will you buy your oak flooring online or on the high street? When it comes to looking out for the best oak flooring, one of the biggest aspects of getting this right is about choosing the right supplier. Many people shy away from buying online, in the fear that they’ll get ripped off, but there are serious savings to be made if you shop carefully. Looking out for a reputed online seller who offers guarantees is a good start when it comes to finding peace of mind. Otherwise, choosing suppliers like Wood and Beyond who have both a high street and an online presence allow you the luxury of meeting your supplier face to face, as well as touching and feeling the oak flooring before ordering online at a reduced price.
- Will solid or engineered oak flooring work out best for your project? When choosing whether you need engineered or solid oak flooring, it’s a simple case of asking yourself two questions. The first is whether or not the room you’re putting the oak flooring in is likely to have fluctuations in temperature and moisture and second, whether or not you have under floor heating? If the answer to either of these questions is ‘yes’, then you need to opt for engineered oak flooring. Otherwise, you will be able to choose between engineered or solid.
- If engineered oak flooring is best, what thickness of board is best for you? The thickness of engineered board you choose will depend on a few factors. If you have under floor heating, then, generally speaking, you shouldn’t install anything thicker than a 14/3 thick board. This structure of engineered wood flooring has a total thickness of 14mm, which includes a 3mm thick solid oak lamella or top layer. Considered appropriate for installation over under floor heating, 14/3 thick, engineered wood flooring should withstand an average of 4 sandings during its life span. If you don’t have underfloor heating, then any thickness of oak engineered flooring should work for you. Basically, the thicker the top layer, the more often you’ll be able to sand the floor, which means it will last longer.
- Which grade of oak can you afford/will be most suitable? When oak is lumbered, it is graded according to its look. The more uniform the colour; the fewer and the smaller the knots, and the less sap in the wood, the higher the grade. There are four grades of wood, which reduce in price and increase in imperfections as you move down this list: prime, select, natural and rustic. Which you choose will depend on your budget and the look you’re trying to create.
- What finish might be best for your oak flooring? If you anticipate heavy footfall on your oak flooring, then a lacquered finish is probably best. However, if traffic isn’t a major problem for you and you like a natural look, brushed and oiled oak flooring will work best. Thereafter, you’ll need to decide if you want an aged, distressed floor or if you want something sleek and smooth.
- What width of oak board might suit? There’s an ongoing debate about board widths, whereby radicals are throwing the rulebook away and are putting wide boards in small rooms and narrow boards in big rooms. This forward thinking is enabling them to create some great looks. You can get some ideas about board widths here.
- What guarantees come with the oak flooring you’ve chosen? When it comes to seeking out the right oak flooring for you, it’s important that you’re confident that the look you get at the start is made to last. One great way of doing this is by making sure that your flooring comes with an appropriate and enforceable guarantee or warranty.
- Can you get your hands on free samples to check the quality? Touching and feeling anything is better than seeing a picture of it when it comes to making sure you’ve made the right decision. From this point of view, it’s important to establish, if you choose an online supplier, that they offer free samples so you can see the oak close up before ordering.
- What sort of track record does the company you’ve chosen to supply your oak flooring have? This may sound like an odd question to ask, but generally speaking there is safety in numbers when it comes to choosing your oak flooring. If your supplier has hundreds and hundreds of happy customers, it’s fair to assume they’re probably quite good at what they do. If they don’t offer this information, ask!
- Does the oak used to make your flooring come from a responsibly managed source? While price might be at the top of your list when you’re looking for your wood flooring, it’s also important to make sure that the oak you’ve chosen comes from a responsibly managed forest. One of the main symbols to look out for here is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation. This mark will reassure you that your floor has been sourced in a forest that is well managed, both now and with an eye on the future.
And when it comes to specifics, the big question is whether or not it’s important to you that your oak flooring is European? European oak is recognised by people in this neck of the woods as being superior and more desirable than American oak. While there is no right or wrong answer as to which option is “best”, there’s no getting away from the fact that a European oak option is likely to have a somewhat lighter carbon footprint than American oak!