Wood floors are a timeless choice for interiors, suiting both modern and contemporary aesthetics thanks to the variety of wood species and installation patterns available. If you are considering installing wooden floors in your home, you probably have a lot of queries you’ll want answers to before committing to a purchase. We’ve listed some of the most common questions we get asked here at Just Wood, along with the answers, to shed some light on what you need to know before purchasing a wood floor.

HOW CAN I PREVENT SCRATCHES ON MY WOODEN FLOOR?
While you’re never going to keep your wood floors completely scratch-free throughout their long life, there are steps you can take to minimise the number of scratches that your floor suffers. Large rugs are the easiest way to protect wooden floors in areas with high foot traffic, and you should avoid wearing high heels as these cause scratches and dents in the floorboards. If you have pets, you should keep their nails neatly trimmed to avoid them leaving scratching the finish on your wooden floor.

WHERE CAN I INSTALL WOOD FLOORING?
Although with proper care and maintenance hardwood flooring can be installed in most parts of the home – including the kitchen – most people tend to safe hardwood flooring for rooms that aren’t likely to experience humidity, spills, or frequent temperature fluctuation. You should, however, be mindful of the surface you will be laying your wood flooring on. For hardwood flooring, it’s not recommended to lay it over an existing floor or to float it on top of unlevelled concrete slabs – hardwood floors should preferably be fully bonded to subfloor where possible.

HOW DO I MAINTAIN MY HARDWOOD FLOOR?
Hardwood flooring aftercare is one of the most frequent subjects that pops up when it comes to wood flooring questions. The three crucial parts of maintaining your hardwood floor are: wiping up moisture immediately, sweeping it regularly, and adding felt floor protectors to heavy furniture. You’ll quickly realise that maintaining hardwood flooring is a straightforward process which requires little time or effort.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENGINEERED AND SOLID HARDWOOD FLOORING?
When it comes to wood flooring, you need to be aware that there are two different types – engineered hardwood and solid hardwood – and there is a very big difference between the two. Solid hardwood flooring, as the name implies, is made from solid wood planks. Engineered hardwood flooring, on the other hands, is made using manufactured planks covered in a veneer of real hardwood, varying from 2 to 6mm wear layer. (6mm has the same amount of usable hardwood as a solid 20mm board, due to the location of the tongue and grooves)

HOW OFTEN WILL WOOD FLOORS NEED RE-SANDING?
Both engineered and solid hardwood flooring shouldn’t need to be re-sanded and refinished for the first 10 to 15 years or so after it has been installed. After this period of time has passed, you should re-sand your floor at around 10-year intervals. Bear in mind that unlike solid hardwood flooring, 2 to 4mm wear layer engineered wood planks can only be refinished a couple of times due to the thickness of the wood veneer, whereas 6mm wear layer engineered can be resanded as many times as solid planks at around 4 times.

CAN I INSTALL HARDWOOD FLOORING MYSELF?
At first glance, installing hardwood flooring looks simple enough, which leads many people to wonder whether they really have to pay for a professional to do, or if it’s a project they can take on themselves. Of course, what most people don’t consider is the additional costs that come along with installing hardwood flooring, such as renting all the necessary equipment. Additionally, considering the cost of hardwood planks, do you really want to take a chance on you being able to do a better job of installing it than a professional? In the long run, using a hardwood flooring specialist will actually save you money as professionals can do the installation expertly and efficiently.

Here at Just Wood, we pride ourselves on our year of expertise. If you would like to discuss a hardwood floor installation or request a quote, contact us today.