Walnut is a wood that is less frequently used for flooring, but it is perhaps undervalued. Walnut offers great character and in some situations there is no better choice.
You can buy both solid and engineered walnut flooring. Solid boards are more robust and can be refinished many times. However, they are not suitable if you have a concrete beneath. Solid boards should be fixed to beams. If you have concrete beneath, you will need to get engineered walnut flooring, which will be made of several layers of wood with a walnut veneer. This can be a ‘floating’ floor, in that it will be fitted together, but not fixed to anything beneath.
There are also different species of walnut that can be used. Asian, American and Brazilian are perhaps the three most common. Each has a slightly different grain and some are harder than others. Perhaps your main consideration, however, will be the appearance. Go for a wood you like the look of and you won’t go far wrong. Walnut will add style to your home and will continue to look good for many years to come.
