Great value wooden flooring can be found online and on the high street, provided you know what to look for. Your searches have likely yielded options ranging from the low £30/m2 price range to upwards of £100/m2 or even more. Is £100/m2 wooden flooring three times better than £30/m2? Not necessarily. As you’ll discover in this guide, finding the best value wooden flooring is straightforward if you know the key factors to consider.
Best Value Wooden Flooring Type
Real wooden flooring comes in two types: solid wood, made from 100% hardwood, and engineered wood, constructed from a solid hardwood top layer with layers of ply, MDF, and softwood beneath. Engineered wood flooring is far more affordable due to the lesser use of natural wood. In fact, it’s about 50% cheaper compared to its solid counterparts. For great value, focus your search on engineered wood and set aside the notion of solid wooden flooring.
Best Value Wooden Flooring Grade
Both solid and engineered wood are made from real wood, albeit in varied amounts. The wood species range from Oak and Walnut to more exotic types. Wood is graded on four scales: Prime, Select, Natural, and Rustic. These grades indicate colour variations between planks, the number of knots, and sapwood content. They don’t, however, reflect quality, which remains consistent across grades. Prime-grade wooden flooring has minimal colour variation, few knots, and little or no sapwood content. Select-grade includes some colour variation and knots, with likely sapwood content. Natural-grade displays apparent colour variation, larger knots, and more sapwood. Finally, Rustic-grade offers significant colour variations, abundant knots, and sapwood content. For great value, narrow your search to Select or Natural grades.
Best Value Wooden Flooring Species
The type of real wood used in wooden flooring, whether solid or engineered, affects the final cost. Common hardwoods like Oak and Walnut are much more affordable than exotic hardwoods such as Iroko or Teak. The more plentiful the hardwood, the lower the price. For the best value, choose Oak, which offers a range of colours and is suitable for various interiors.
Best Value Wooden Flooring Style
Solid and engineered wooden flooring come in three distinct styles: plank, herringbone, and chevron, also known as parquet. The quality remains constant across these styles, but the additional craftsmanship involved in herringbone or chevron designs makes them more expensive. For the best value, opt for plank-style wooden flooring.
Best Value Wooden Flooring Colour
Having determined that Oak (and possibly Walnut) offers the best value for money, the next consideration is colour. Oak’s natural colour palette ranges from light to medium brown, with some reddish hues, and a straight, tight grain pattern. Staining or fuming Oak to achieve black, grey, or white flooring is possible but adds to the cost. For good value, stick to Oak’s natural colour.
Best Value Wooden Flooring Alternatives
Even the best value wooden flooring starts at around £30/m2, which might be beyond some budgets. In such cases, consider fake wood flooring, which mimics the look of real wood without the expense. Options range from budget-friendly laminate to water-resistant vinyl, and even eco-friendly bamboo.
In Conclusion
Finding the best value wooden flooring is achievable if you know what to look for. We recommend engineered wood in Select or Natural grade, made from Oak or Walnut, in their natural colour palette.
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FAQ
What are the different types of real wooden flooring?
There are two main types of real wooden flooring: solid wood and engineered wood. Solid wood is entirely made of hardwood, whereas engineered wood consists of a top layer of solid hardwood supported by layers of ply, MDF, and softwood. Engineered wood is generally more affordable because it uses less natural wood.
How are wooden floors graded?
Wooden floors are graded into four main categories: Prime, Select, Natural, and Rustic. These grades are determined based on colour variations between planks, the number of knots, and the sapwood content. However, these grades don’t indicate the quality, which remains uniform across all grades. For good value, consider focusing on Select or Natural grades.
Which wood species are affordable for flooring?
Common hardwoods such as Oak and Walnut are more affordable options for wooden flooring compared to exotic hardwoods like Iroko or Teak. For the best value, Oak is often recommended as it is widely available and versatile in terms of colour and style.
What styles of wooden flooring are available?
Three main styles are available for both solid and engineered wooden flooring: plank, herringbone, and chevron (also known as parquet). While the quality is consistent across these styles, herringbone and chevron require more craftsmanship and are thus more expensive. For the best value, plank style is usually recommended.
Are there alternatives to real wooden flooring?
Yes, if real wooden flooring exceeds your budget, there are alternatives such as wood-effect flooring. This can mimic the appearance of real wood and is generally less expensive. Options include budget-friendly laminate, water-resistant vinyl, and eco-friendly bamboo.