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Engineered wood flooring is a great choice for adding a timeless ‘wood look’ into any room. This cost-effective solution is relatively easy to install producing a beautifully stable platform, which will bring warmth to your home. Engineered wood provides enhanced performance, it is long lived, quiet, durable, easy to maintain and is a good insulator. What more could you want from your floor!
Engineered wood flooring is created by bonding together a number of thin wood layers below a beautiful top layer of the wood of your choice… but not all engineered wood planks are created the same and it is important that you consider the intrinsic differences between them and find the best quality engineered flooring for your indoor spaces. The thickness of the real wood layer and the core can vary drastically from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Here are a few things to bear in mind when you are shopping for engineered wood flooring. It is recommended that any backing layer, known as the ‘core’ of the plank is at least 5 laminated layers thick and made of good quality wood to ensure stability of the product. Each ply layer should be laid with the grain at a 90 degree angle to the one above it to provide maximum strength. The top real wood layer should be at least 3 millimetres thick to allow for wear and refinishing when the time comes. The overall plank should be at least 14mm to 21mm thick. These are the details that will play the biggest role in how your floor looks and how long it will last. Don’t forget to check with the sales consultant that your flooring will all come from the same batch, as colour and finish and even the plank widths can vary somewhat from batch to batch.
Shopping Tip: Lighting can dramatically change the colour of the flooring that you see in the store and the product you choose can look quite different when installed in your home. In the Woodpecker Flooring ‘Tree House’ at the Peter Green showrooms, you will be able to change the lighting conditions to match those of your own home so that there will be no nasty surprises on fitting day. Samples also are a valuable tool during the selection process, so you can compare the thickness and widths of boards and the colours at home. In our brand new Woodpecker studio we have lots of free samples for you to take with you.
Design and functionality are catered for in equal measure with engineered wood flooring options. You can choose from a wide range of board styles, real wood layers, finishes and patterns to create just the look you are aiming for and to match the style of your space… and yes, just in case you were wondering you can sand and refinish your floor to extend its life and to add beauty at a later date if you need to.
Engineered wood is robust but still retains the natural beauty of solid wood. Perhaps the biggest strength of this composite timber is that it is far less susceptible to expansion and contraction caused by temperature and moisture fluctuations, making it an easy choice for underfloor heating, centrally heated rooms, kitchens or conservatories. The stability and versatility of this type of flooring makes it a practical choice for any modern home.
Visit our massive brand new Woodpecker Studio and Tree House and see for yourself how beautiful engineered wood flooring can be.
Peter Green is now a Diamond Partner with Woodpecker Flooring UK
- 31st January 2022