If you’re at the stage that you’ve decided engineered wood flooring is the best solution for your project, you’ll no doubt be in the process of planning your attack on how to choose which company to buy from, as well as which product to choose.
Engineered wood flooring is a great alternative to solid wood flooring and is particularly effective in areas of the home where temperature and moisture levels are likely to fluctuate. Its clever construction means that it doesn’t expand and contract to the same extent as solid wood and what’s more it can even be fitted over under floor heating. So what should you look out for when it comes time to compare engineered wood flooring?
Here are our top 3 tips:
1. Make sure you choose a supplier with a good track record of supplying quality engineered flooring at a price you’re prepared to pay. There’s little point in choosing a bargain basement flooring supplier, only to discover that either the quality of the flooring or the after sales service lets you down. If you’re in any doubt about a supplier, walk away.
If you have chosen a couple of suppliers and you’re struggling to make a final decision between them, don’t be shy in asking to speak to some of their past customers. Also make sure that if you’re buying online, that deliver costs are either non-existent or negligible.
2. Spend time making sure you’re comparing like with like. While engineered wood flooring options might look similar, there are huge differences between good quality and poor quality engineered wood flooring. Things like the wood that has been used to create the lamella or top layer of the engineered wood floor and the finish, as well as the thickness of that lamella will not only affect the look of the floor, but could potentially determine the floor’s life expectancy and durability.
A. When choosing the wood that has been used on the lamella, much will be down to personal preference. It may well be that you’ve decided to plump for a light, ash colouration or perhaps you’re going with recent trends and are seeking out a dark, walnut finish. Irrespective of which you choose, when you’re comparing one engineered wood flooring provider with another, make sure the wood lamella is the same.
B. The thickness of the lamella on your engineered flooring will determine how often your floor can be sanded during its lifetime. Being able to resand a floor means that you can bring a tired and damaged floor back to life by effectively removing the top layer and refinishing the floor to make it look like new. It is reasonable to expect that an engineered wood floor with a thick lamella or top layer will comfortably deal with two or three good sandings in its lifetime, allowing you to bring your floor back to life when it’s looking tired.
C. When you choose your finish, you might want something particularly hard wearing, like a varnished finish or you might want to opt for something more natural looking like a brushed and oiled finish. Again, although this is personal preference, it’s important when choosing your flooring supplier that you compare like with like price wise when it comes to your finish.
3. When compiling your wood floor supplier shortlist you should take care to look deeper than just price. You should look for a supplier who:
A. Offers a comprehensive warranty;
B. Provides you with some sort of satisfaction guarantee;
C. Will happily show or send you samples of the flooring you’re interested in buying;
D. Delivers beginning to end service eg. if you decide that you want to have your floor professionally fitted, make sure that this service can be provided by your supplier, using experts in the installation of engineered flooring.