Wooden flooring

Wooden flooring

introductionWooden flooring is any product manufactured from timber that is designed for use as flooring either structural or aesthetic.Wood is a common choice as a flooring material due to its environmental profile durability and restorability, thus it provides value many home owners such are extensively available in many styles, colours, cuts and species

typesLaminated wooden flooringEngineering wooden flooringSolid wooden flooring

Laminated wooden flooringLaminated wooden flooring is a compressed fibre board planks covered by a photographic image of wood, stone or tile with a protective overlayIt laid in living areas, studies and play rooms. Some products includes a water proof core which manufactures claim are suitable for bathroom and kitchens

ADVANTAGES It is cheapResistance to abrasionDouble moisture protection Easy and fast to layPerfectly interlocked using clip systemEco-friendly and health friendlyDISADVANTAGESIt is easily swollen by moisture and damage can be preparedThe joints wear over time, and once the surface is damaged it is had to fix

Engineering wooden flooringEngineering wooden flooring is composed of two or more layers of wood in the form of a plank. The top layers is the wood that is visible and the flooring is installed and is adhered to the coreEngineer wood is the most common type of wood flooring used globallyEach floor board consist of three or four layers of wood, glued together at right angle to create a plank around 40mm thickIt laid in anywhere, it wont be exposed to water or humid atmosphere it is time consuming, fiddly and noisy to lay wood on stairs and in some placesIt is hard to achieve a good finish for instance, around toilet planks and pedestals and it is mostly used in chemical laboratories

ADVANTAGES It is more attractive than laminate floor and cheaper than solid planksIt is more stableDISADVANTAGESExpensiveTongue and groove is harder to install than clicklock

Solid wooden flooringEach board is made from a single piece of wood typically 18 to 20mm thickIt is usually fitted using tongue and grooveAll types of wood have a hardness score which indicates how easily they can be damagedIt is laid anywhere with a relatively constant atmosphere particularly in hallways and living areas where you can show if off

ADVANTAGESIt looks fabulous and provided its installed correctly, is an appealing feature if you decide to sell or let your homeDISADVANTAGESSells in damp conditions and shrinks in dry once Highest price for entry level productsIt toughest to install

Other types of wooden flooringsBAMBOO FLOORING Bamboo is 100% natural plant that fully matured and harden within 7 yearsBamboo has been used as an alternative for flooring because of its physical similarities to true hard woodUsed in shopping mall, restaurant, house, schools and office apartments

SPORTS FLOORAvailable in different thickness and layers for regular use and sports use.They are tough, durable, flexible, easy to install clean and maintain and stain resistanceIt help to fast ball speed and accurate ball bounce

Comparison of solid wood with engineering woodIt is difficult to compare solid wood flooring and engineering wooden flooring due to the wide range of quantity in both product categories, particularly in engineered Solid wood is more frequently site finished is always in a plank formatSolid is generally thicker than engineered wood and usually installed by nailingEngineering wood is more frequently prefinished, as bevelled edges is rarely site finished and is installed with glue or as a floating installationEngineering wood flooring has other benefits beyond dimension of stability and universal useEngineering wood also allows for a floating installation where the planks are not adhered to the sub floor or to each other, further increasing ease of repairing and reducing installation time

installation

Installation of solid wood flooring

Installation of floating wood flooring

Installation systemsTongue and groove Click or wood lock systems Floor connection systemsGlue down method Floating installation

Tongue and groove One side and one end of the plank have a groove the other side and end have a tongue. The tongue and groove fit roughly together thus joining or aligning the planks and are not visible. Tongue and groove flooring can be installed by glue down, floating or nail down.

Click or wood lock systems There are a number of patented click system that now exist this click systems are either unilin or fiboloc. A click floor is similar to tongue and groove but instead of fitting directly into the groove, the board must be angled or tapped into make the curved or barbed tongue fit into the modified groove. No adhesive is used when installing a click floor, making board replacement easier. This system not only exist for engineer wood floors.

Floor connection systemsThere are a wide range of connection systems as most of them are mill-specific manufacturing techniques. The general principle is to how grooves all for sides of the plank with a separate, unconnected, piece that is inserted into the grooves of two planks to join them. The piece used for the connection can be made from wood rubber or plastic.

Glue down methodWooden flooring can be installed utilizing the glue down method. This is an especially popular method for solid parquet flooring installations on concrete sub floors. additionally, engineered wood flooring may use the glue down method as well. A layer of mastic is placed ion to the subfloor using a trowel similar to those used in laying ceramic tile. The wood pieces are the laid on top of them. Glue and hammered into place using a rubber mallet

Floating InstallationA floating installation is where the flooring is laid down in glue less manner on top of a layer of underlay. The individual planks are locked together using a wood lock system, and they are not glued nailed down to the sub floor. By doing this the floor is floating above the underlay, and can be laid on top of existing tile or marble, without the risk of damaging the subfloor

Manufacturing techniqueSolid hard wood is manufactured from single piece of wood, the most common thickness of solid hardwood plank is inch the most widely used profile is tongue and groove.Engineered hardwood consist of two or more layers the top layer is wood veneer. The lower layer consist either tongue and groove or use a click-locking technology

maintenanceWith todays advance in wood flooring stains and finishes cleaning your wood floors has never been easier. Regular maintenance requires little more than sweeping with a soft bristle broom, and vacuuming with a soft floor attachment if your wood floor includes a bevelled edge that could collect debris or oil soap should not be used to clean the floors. The best suggestion is to use the manufactures recommended cleaning products. Excessive grief and foot traffic may affect appearance. The properly finished and maintained wood floor does not accumulate hidden soil or odours, compounds. You also should clean your floor periodically with a professional wood floor cleaning product recommended by wood flooring professional.