From time to time, prospective clients enquire how they can identify the type of flooring they currently possess. This information is crucial if you’ve moved into a property and wish to ensure the appropriate cleaning regime is followed, or if you are planning to refloor another area and aim to maintain consistency. Additionally, it’s important for providing an accurate property description when contemplating selling the property. Here are our tips, drawn from years of experience in fitting flooring in both residential and commercial settings.
The Visual Test
With natural wood flooring, you’ll notice variations such as knots, streaks, sapwood, and grain patterns across different boards, due to the natural characteristics of wood. In contrast, laminate and vinyl flooring achieve these patterns through a printed layer, which is often mass-produced, leading to a more uniform appearance. By inspecting the boards, if you observe repeated patterns of knots, streaks, sapwood, and grains, it’s likely you have laminate or vinyl flooring.
Inspecting the Floor Profile
Flooring often includes elements like vents, pipe coverings, thresholds, and transition strips. Carefully and safely remove these to reveal the floor’s profile. Natural wood flooring consists entirely of wood in the case of solid wood, or features a 2mm to 5mm layer of natural wood in engineered wood flooring. Laminate and vinyl, however, contain no natural wood and present a multi-layered profile, typically over 8mm for laminate and ranging from 2mm to 10mm for vinyl. A 4mm multi-layered profile suggests vinyl flooring.
Examining Stains and Dents
Laminate and vinyl floors are generally more resilient to stains and dents due to their protective transparent wear layer. The presence of numerous stains and dents may indicate natural wood flooring.
Considering the Flooring Area
Natural wood flooring, being water-sensitive, is unsuitable for wet areas such as bathrooms and, in most cases, kitchens (although some engineered wood flooring types are exceptions). Laminate is also not water-resistant because of its wood fibre composition. Flooring in such wet areas is likely to be vinyl, most probably SPC vinyl flooring.
Determining the Plank Width
Laminate and vinyl planks typically measure between 150mm and 180mm in width. Wider planks are usually natural wood, often engineered wood flooring.
Looking for Nails and Staples
Natural wood flooring might be installed using nails and staples, unlike laminate and vinyl floors, which are typically fitted using click, floating, or glue-down methods. The presence of nails and staples suggests solid wood flooring.
By employing these methods, you should gain a thorough understanding of your current flooring. Moreover, it’s advisable to thoroughly search your home for any leftover materials from the initial installation. It’s common to purchase extra flooring, and the original planks could be hidden somewhere in your home.
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FAQ
How can I tell if my flooring is natural wood, laminate, or vinyl?
To distinguish between natural wood, laminate, and vinyl flooring, observe the pattern repetition on the boards. Natural wood will have unique variations like knots and grain patterns, while laminate and vinyl will show repeated, uniform patterns due to their mass-produced printed layers.
What should I look for to identify vinyl flooring specifically?
Vinyl flooring can often be identified by examining the floor’s profile. Vinyl typically has a multi-layered profile ranging from 2mm to 10mm thick. A 4mm thick multi-layered profile is a strong indicator that the flooring is vinyl.
Can the presence of stains and dents indicate the type of flooring I have?
Yes, natural wood flooring is more prone to showing stains and dents due to its lack of a protective layer. In contrast, laminate and vinyl floors have a transparent wear layer that makes them more resilient to such damage.
How does the width of the flooring planks affect their identification?
The width of the flooring planks can be a clue; laminate and vinyl planks are generally between 150mm and 180mm wide. Wider planks are likely to be natural wood, especially if they are engineered wood flooring.
Are nails and staples used in all types of flooring installation?
No, nails and staples are typically used only in the installation of natural wood flooring. Laminate and vinyl floors are usually installed using click, floating, or glue-down methods, without the need for nails and staples.