Wood flooring is a hugely popular choice and it’s easy to see why. An affordable, hygienic, long lasting and truly stylish option, when you choose a quality wood floor for your home, you really can’t go wrong. With decisions to make, such as whether you plump for a solid or an engineered wood floor, as well as what species and grade of wood would work best for your unique situation, you’ll have a number of decisions to make, but one of the most exciting is the surface you choose for your floor.
When it comes to wood flooring surfaces, there really is a vast array of possibilities, so you really owe it to yourself to make sure you’ve explored them all. In this, our Ultimate Guide to Wood Flooring Surfaces, we’ll give you the Wood and Beyond lowdown on why you might prefer one over another.
Brushed
Brushed wood flooring, as the name suggests is wood flooring that has been brushed to open up the grain. A surface that is commonly combined with oiling, the great thing about a brushed surface is that it truly brings out the natural beauty of the wood. In effect, the brushing that normally takes place uses a wire brush, so it very lightly scratches the surface to exaggerate the grain. A brushed surface floor works in pretty much any sort of interior but is the surface of choice by people who want a really natural looking finish.
Hand scraped
Hand scraped wood flooring has its origins way back in history. An ancient treatment that followed the cutting of wood and the preparation of planks, at its origins, hand scraped wood in fact created a more regular surface than wood that had been left untreated. In today’s world of machines and precision, hand scraped wood gives a surface that makes the wood look aged and irregular, random and hand-crafted. A great surface to choose as a backdrop to either modern or traditional interiors and furnishings, where this works best is where you have an eclectic mix of modern and older pieces.
Distressed
Distressing wood flooring is a relatively new trick. Joining the bands of distressed products such as jeans and leather wear, distressed surface wood flooring gives you all the look and charm of a truly old floor, but with all the convenience of a new one. Hardwood floors are typically either distressed by hand or by machine. Hand distressing might include such acts as hitting the wood with sharp objects, whereas machine distressing most commonly takes place in a big machine that effectively tumbles the boards together with chains, hammers and other damaging objects to create a convincingly old looking surface. Again, this solution is really adaptable and works in both ultra modern and classic settings. Big open spaces such as lofts or open plan homes are particularly well suited to distressed flooring surfaces because they reinforce the almost industrial look.
Stained
Staining the surface of a wood floor changes its colour. Today there are stains of pretty much every colour imaginable, so no matter what your colour choice, you’re almost sure to be able to track it down. One thing to be aware of when you choose a stained surface for your floor is that if you go a bit crazy on your colour option, it mightn’t be all that easy to undo it. So, before you choose to stain the surface of your wood floor, test the colours and make sure you’re as sure as you can be that you’ll be happy with the result in the long run.
Smoked
Sometimes also called fumed flooring, smoked surface wood flooring has been treated to alter its natural colour. Most typically carried out in an atmosphere filled with ammonia, the smoking process causes the tannins in the wood to be brought to the surface which results in a darker colouration. Because of this process, you can expect the surface of a smoked floor to be a rich brown colour and in some cases almost black. Smoked floors are an interesting addition to any interior but work particularly well in modern settings where colour schemes are monochrome with occasional bright aspects here and there.
Reclaimed
Reclaimed wood flooring as its name suggests is wood flooring that has been artificially made to look as if it is old and has been rescued from an old building before it was demolished. If your desire is to have a wood floor that has a surface that looks as if it has survived years of wear and tear, then a reclaimed wood floor is the right choice for you. In recent years the techniques used for making all sorts of articles look old has improved significantly and the surface of wood floors that have been given a man-made old look are so convincing that even the sharpest eye would struggle to differentiate them from the real thing.
Painted
Painted wood flooring again has a big clue in its name. A floor that has had a coat (or two) of paint applied to its surface, painting a wood floor can either be done to quickly make it look more appealing or painstakingly done to create a really authentic and super looking effect. Either way, before applying paint to the surface of a wood floor, it’s worth making sure that you really want to do so because it can be a real pain to remove if you change your mind.
So there you have it, a whole host of wood flooring surfaces to choose from. We hope you find the surface you’re looking for on our website, but if you’d like any help whatsoever in making your choice, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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FAQ
What is a brushed wood flooring surface?
A brushed wood flooring surface is one that has been brushed to open up the grain of the wood. This is usually done with a wire brush, lightly scratching the surface to exaggerate the grain. This gives the floor a natural looking finish.
What does hand scraped mean in terms of wood flooring?
Hand scraped wood flooring originates from an ancient treatment where the wood was manually scraped to create a more regular surface than untreated wood. Nowadays, this process gives the wood an aged, irregular, and hand-crafted appearance, making it a great choice for both modern and traditional interiors.
Can you explain what distressed wood flooring is?
Distressed wood flooring is a technique to make new wood floors look old and worn. This can be done by hand or machine, using various objects to create damage and irregularities on the surface. This type of flooring works particularly well in big open spaces like lofts or open plan homes.
What is smoked surface wood flooring?
Smoked or fumed wood flooring is a type of flooring where the wood has been treated in an ammonia-filled atmosphere to alter its natural color. This process brings the tannins in the wood to the surface, resulting in a darker, rich brown or even black coloration.
How does painted wood flooring look like?
Painted wood flooring is a type of flooring where the surface of the wood has been painted, either to quickly enhance its appeal or meticulously done to create an authentic and unique effect. Before applying paint to the surface of a wood floor, it’s worth considering the commitment as paint removal can be difficult.