As any regular reader of this blog will know, wood flooring boards come in three main edge styles: bevel, micro bevel and square. In a nutshell, beveled edge wood floor boards are floor boards that have a pronounced ‘v’ shape on each edge of the board; a micro beveled floor board has a significantly less pronounced ‘v’ and a square edge board has a perfectly perpendicular (at 90-degrees) edge.
On a board that is beveled, it may be that the edges are sculpted or defined using a hand scraped effect to make the board look aged or worn, or the definition might be created uniformly by machine. Either way, this type of edge is highly visible throughout the floor and is ideally suited to a shabby chic or relaxed look. Micro beveled edges or eased, kissed or micro-v edged boards as they’re also known, have a much less obvious beginning and end to them, but are still somewhat visible across the floor. Square edge boards however fit snugly together without any real of definition from one board to the next.
When it comes to fitting your new wood floor, there is no getting away from the fact that beveled or micro beveled wood flooring is much more tolerant to error and less likely to get accidentally damaged than a square edge board. With the best will in the world it’s all too easy to slightly damage wood flooring when removing it from the packaging or while fitting it, and square edge wood flooring shows damage to edges much more clearly than beveled or micro beveled edge wood flooring. This is why many people avoid square edge wood flooring but we think that’s a real shame and here’s why:
- It creates a really clean and sleek finish. One of the greatest things about square edge wood flooring is that the finished look is exceptionally uniform and great to look at. Lending itself particularly to a modern or more formal room setting, you won’t normally be able to immediately see the edges of each board when you choose this option.
- It’s the perfect way to offset quality, designer pieces or create a quality, designer look in its own right. Because square edge wood flooring is much less common than beveled or micro beveled wood flooring, it has a really exclusive look and feel to it. When laid perfectly it acts as a seamless backdrop to expensive, designer pieces or can add real class and charm to a room that is simply furnished, but with pieces that are selected with taste.
- It means you’ll avoid harbours of dust and grit. Although not a major issue with any wood flooring, there’s no getting away from the fact that the v’s in either beveled or micro beveled wood floors can sometimes trap dust and grime. This isn’t an issue in any way with square edge wood flooring because there simply is nowhere for the dust and grime to go. All this sort of floor needs to keep it looking great is a quick vacuum and a light mopping with a moist mop.
Available in both engineered and solid wood flooring options, square edge wood flooring comes in a whole range of wood species, wood grades and finishes, so no matter which room in the home you’re looking to floor or re-floor, if you want to create a really high end, classy finish, this is the perfect option.
If you’re planning to floor or re-floor a room in your home and would like some straight talking advice, why not get in touch? At Wood and Beyond, we’re completely hooked on everything wood flooring related and will work with you to find the very best solution for the look you’re hoping to create as well as your budget.
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FAQ
What are the main edge styles of wood flooring boards?
Wood flooring boards come in three main edge styles: bevel, micro bevel, and square. Beveled edge wood floor boards have a pronounced ‘v’ shape on each edge of the board, micro beveled floor boards have a significantly less pronounced ‘v’, and square edge boards have a perfectly perpendicular (at 90-degrees) edge.
How does the fitting process differ for different edge styles?
Beveled or micro beveled wood flooring is much more tolerant to error and less likely to get accidentally damaged during the fitting process than a square edge board. Square edge wood flooring shows damage to edges much more clearly than beveled or micro beveled edge wood flooring.
What is the aesthetic appeal of square edge wood flooring?
Square edge wood flooring creates a really clean and sleek finish. The finished look is exceptionally uniform, lending itself particularly to a modern or more formal room setting. It can act as a seamless backdrop to expensive, designer pieces or can add real class and charm to a simply furnished room.
Does square edge wood flooring require more maintenance?
No, square edge wood flooring doesn’t require more maintenance. In fact, square edge flooring has the advantage of not having the crevices that can sometimes trap dust and grime in beveled or micro beveled wood floors. It just needs a quick vacuum and a light mopping with a moist mop to keep it looking great.
What types of square edge wood flooring are available?
Square edge wood flooring is available in both engineered and solid wood flooring options. It comes in a whole range of wood species, wood grades and finishes.