OakFloorsOnline.co.uk - Apr 30th 2024 03:24
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This Oak Flooring Tip Is Almost Too Easy
Oak Flooring is an element which is certain to add certain uniqueness to your house, both in terms of looks and durability. Natural forest products are the best in terms of quality as there is no dilution which usually accompanies any form of artificial manufacture. Oak wood is known universally for its natural hardiness and its longevity. Not only that, it is available in a variety of warm shades and colors, which lend a very pleasant feel. This aesthetic value is another USP of oak flooring. As a result, even today connoisseurs swear by the genuineness of oak flooring.
Surprisingly, in spite of the obvious advantages of oak flooring people still compromise and invest money in cheaper and artificial alternatives like laminate, tiles and carpets. All the latter options are therefore extremely popular today. This just reveals a lamentable lack of foresight. These materials are easily eroded with the lapse of time. So what with the repeated replacements required, people fail to comprehend that the total cost of oak flooring is more than covered by these regular changing of artificial flooring.
Other than durability, the other advantages of oak flooring are numerous. It is healthier and warmer because of the natural insulating properties of hard wood. It gives the interiors a warm and pleasant sheen. Also, if you consider your house to be a long-term investment, then oak flooring presents itself as the most practical option to you. Oak floors make your rooms look much wider and subsequently, more spacious. Your house gets a lighter feel, and therefore lends it more character. These sale able factors can drastically increase the property worth of your house. Estate agents will automatically assign more worth to a house that has such a sophisticated and classy feel to it.
The two types of oak floors are-solid oak floors and engineered oak floors. Solid oak is a natural product and such floors are ideally 18mm thick, which ensures good stability after it has been installed. However, it is often affected by heat and humidity. Engineered oak floors are layered with plywood, which allows for secret nailing. The plywood strengthens the engineered board thus making it suitable for under floor heating. Due to the additional cost of the plywood, engineered oak floors are more costly than solid oak boards.
Oak flooring can be given different looks, as tailored to the needs of customers. Different textures like Hand Scraped Walnut Finish, Hand Scraped Antique, and Brushed & White Oiled are also available. But then these extra features need a longer delivery time. It does not end here. There are other variations of oak board, which are available as well. These are Smoked, Aged and Distressed varieties.
Who Else Wants to More About Oak Flooring?
Consumers who are inexperienced in matters of buying wood are usually shocked at the fact that engineered oak flooring costs more than solid oak boards. But that is not surprising at all. The only difference between engineered wood and solid oak is the fact that solid oak is made from a single plank of oak wood while engineered oak wood has an extra soft plywood base in addition to the solid oak.
The layers of wood are placed consequentially in a cross grained arrangement following which the layers are joined together in conditions of controlled heat and pressure. Because of this method of manufacture, Engineered Oak flooring rarely affected by transitions in conditions of humidity. It can be installed in any part of the house, with the help of proper procedure.
Engineered Oak Flooring is Micro-bevelled through all the 4 sides. It is also commercially available in a repertoire of finishes. However, the most popular varieties are usually Lacquered, Oiled, and Unfinished. Engineered oak is usually made in 3 layers, comprising a Solid Oak face or wear layer of between 3mm - 6mm, with a plywood backing that forms the T&G, and another layer below which helps in creating and maintaining balance.
This way, Engineered Oak Flooring is responds favorably even in harsh conditions of differing intensities of heat, humidity, and moisture, as compared to solid oak. Thus you can install the floor in the form of a floating one, providing the conditions are suitable, whether it is on concrete and timber floors.
Engineered Oak is also ideal for under floor heating, if you follow the rules faithfully and adhere to the requisite levels of heat, humidity and moisture, as specified. Engineered oak has certain reasons for its popularity. Firstly, it gives extra stability over Solid Oak and allows it to be used in conditions where the latter cannot be used. Also, there is a drastic cut down of installation costs as engineered oak floors can be installed by laymen as long as they follow all the specified rules as specified. It thus is so much more economical to fit than Solid Oak because it can be 'edge-glued' and floated. Also, engineered Oak can be installed as wider boards and not need the face fixing. Also, usually the boards are clearer than a solid board. From a single oak board, three times as many engineered oak boards can be obtained as compared to a solid board of the same measurement.
This is also available in a variety of finishes, unlike solid oak; it also helps in maintaining a cleaner and dust free atmosphere in the house. Thus it is environmentally sound as well. As of now, the only disadvantage is that it is a little more expensive and, might put off potential buyers who are inexperienced in the business. However, once the advantageous characteristics are explained, things become clearer. Thus engineered oak floors are a way to a stable house.