Engineered Advice

Plank Effect

Single Plank:

A majority of our engineered floor coverings are designed in a single plank form, which resembles individual pieces of timber that are then manufactured into hardwood flooring boards. This precise engineering offers stunning natural appearances, showing off both the grains and knots of real wood, as well as making your room appear larger.

Multi Strip:

Multi strip effect flooring is manufactured using several strips of wood, that vary in shade and pattern, which are then combined together to form a single plank. This often makes it a cheaper alternative to the traditional one-piece planks. We suggest the use of Multi-strip planks in smaller areas, since they can appear to make rooms feel bigger.

Herringbone:

Herringbone, like parquet has a distinctive zigzag pattern, which is repeated across the entire floor. It comes in a variety of shades and styles, making it the perfect choice if you are looking for something that will make a statement. This pattern is achieved using a very specific fitting style and therefore can be tricky to fit, so it is probably one that should be left to the professionals.

Chevron:

This particular type of floor can be installed both in parallel and diagonally to the walls, forming a ‘V’ shape pattern. Chevron patterns can make rooms appear more spacious, and like herringbone, has an unusual appearance that stands out from your average design.

Board Dimensions

Thickness:

When shopping around for your Engineered floor, it is very important to consider the thickness of the boards, which is normally measured in millimeters (mm). Our Engineered flooring ranges from 10mm, all the way to 20mm thick. During production, similar manufacturing excellence is applied to all thicknesses. However, there is a slight variance in the level of construction and the layers of plywood used, as well as the Solid Oak ‘veneer’ on top. Generally speaking, thicker floors are known to be more stable and in some cases easier to install.

When it comes to real wood flooring, thicker floors can simply be sanded down and re-treated for a fresh, new look a number of times throughout its life. Therefore, thicker boards are known to last longer, but sometimes a thinner floor may be more practical for a variety of different reasons, e.g. budget or the height between your floor and door. However, since our engineered flooring range starts off from considerably thick boards (10mm), durability and quality are assured.

Width:

Our Engineered flooring comes in a variety of widths to complement any style or design that you may have in mind. There is no right or wrong when choosing narrow or wide planks, it’s all down to personal preference. Some people prefer smaller planks, as they can make a room feel bigger, and some prefer wider planks due to their more simple and modern appearance.

Engineered flooring is usually found in varying widths of 70mm – 300mm.

Wood Species:

Oak:

This is the most popular species of wood that customers tend to go for, as there are various shades, grades, textures and finishes, all available in a large range of dimensions. Oak is renowned for its straight, flat, natural grains and knots that give every plank a unique appearance with great character. Natural oak tends to establish a darker shade when exposed to direct sunlight over time, but we think this just adds to the character.

Walnut:

A rich, luxurious dark wood renowned for its incredible knots, unique colour and distinctive pattern. These one-off graining patterns can be either straight or irregular, creating a diverse appearance across every plank. Walnut is a hardwood with dense structure, making it a reliable and durable choice. When exposed to direct sunlight, Walnut floors can lighten over time.

Ash:

A creamy and light flooring, Ash has a slightly grey effect which can look super stylish in any room. Ash is known for its dense construction, which makes it highly durable and therefore ideal for areas with high foot traffic. The grains in Ash wood often form a variety of bold patterns, making each plank unique. When exposed to direct sunlight, Ash wood can become darker over time.

Beech:

With its distinctive and warm yellow, and sometimes pink tones, Beech wood is often a popular choice. Constantly evolving, Beech wood will develop a rich character over time as the wood matures. Slightly speckled with a straight and fairly regular grain, it is relatively resistant to knocks and marks. Direct sunlight can cause this flooring to darken over time.

Cherry:

As the name suggests, Cherry wood has sweet and opulent red and brown tones. Better for areas with low foot traffic, it can add warmth and luxury to any area where you are planning to relax. Cherry wood has a fairly regular pattern, meaning little variation across planks. Over time, sunlight can cause cherry wood to darken.

Grade:

Prime:

Prime wood is the highest quality wood grade on the market. Prime grade boards have a clean and smooth appearance, due to the fact that they have been taken from the very middle of the log. This is where the wood has the least sap and only very small knots. This means that you will have a floor with a uniform appearance and little colour variation.

Distressed:

Unlike what the name suggests, distressed wood hasn’t had a tough life – it has been specially treated to look authentic and antique. The aim of this treatment is to provide an aged look, which gives the effect of original floor boards from a period property. Distressed wood can come in a variety of colours and finishes. It is a great choice for areas with high foot traffic, as any knocks or marks will only just add to the character.

Rustic / Natural:

Rustic grade wood has a natural appearance. It has larger knots and higher variation than prime boards, which can sometimes be treated with a little filler to smooth out any cracks. This is probably the most popular grade of flooring on the market, as you can have an abundance of natural, solid wood appearance at a reasonable price.

Classic:

Also known as ‘Select’ grade, this flooring offers a selection of both prime boards and natural boards, which combined provide a varied finish. This means that you will have some smooth, clean boards, mixed with some character filled knots and sap patterns.

Finish:

Brushed & Lacquered:

With its shined finish, brushed and lacquered floors are both easy to clean and great if you have a high level of foot traffic. The brushing process allows for the rings, knots and grains of the wood to become exposed, providing a more natural finish. The lacquer provides a protective, shiny layer, which gives a distinctive look and can prologue the life of your floor. However, due to the shined finish, scratches can sometimes be more visible. (Also see, ‘Lacquered’)

Brushed & Oiled:

Brushed and oiled floors have a whole lot of character and are probably the most natural looking of all the engineered floors. The brushing process allows for the rings, knots and grains of the wood to become exposed, and this is then oiled to treat the wood. The oil acts as a barrier to protect the wood from foot traffic. Brushed and oiled floors can also be re-oiled several times in order to prologue the life of the floor, meaning your floor will look as good as new time and time again. Due to the matt appearance, knocks and scratches are often less noticeable and can even add to the character of your floor. (Also see, ‘Oiled’)

Lacquered:

A lacquered finish provides a glossy and smooth appearance to your floor. The lacquer provides a protective layer on top of the wood, which reflects sunlight, is super easy to clean and is also fairly water resistant – although we recommend any spills be cleared up as soon as possible. Lacquered floors do have a tendency to show scratches more than the oiled variety. However, they can also be sanded and re-lacquered years down the line if they start to show signs of wear and tear. (Also see, ‘Brushed & Lacquered’)

Oiled:

Oiled floors are increasingly popular, due to their highly natural appearance. The oil used seeps deep into the layer of wood on each plank, treating it and protecting it throughout. Although scratches are often less visible on oiled floors, any affected areas can easily be sanded and treated with a little oil, without the hassle of re-finishing the whole room. (Also see, ‘Brushed & Oiled’)

Hand Scraped:

With its distinctive rippled appearance, hand scraped floors have a luxurious and authentic appearance. Each plank varies significantly, each having a different texture and a variety of markings.

Unfinished:

If you can’t find exactly what you want, then unfinished may be the way to go. Unfinished floors have not been treated in any way, meaning that you can finish it exactly the way you like and create your own bespoke floor.

Construction:

Multi-ply:

This is the strongest construction of engineered wood on the market and can be placed on any type of subfloor, as well as underfloor heating. As the name suggests, it is made using multiple layers of ply wood, which are tightly fused together and then topped with a layer of real wood veneer.

Three-ply:

As the same suggests, three-ply consists of 3 layers of plywood, tightly fused together and then topped with a layer of real wood veneer. Because it contains fewer layers than the multi-ply, it is a slightly cheaper option. However, it still provides great strength and can also be laid on any type of sub floor.

HDF:

HDF or High Density Fibreboard, is a very hardy material and is the core layer used in this particular type of engineered flooring. As with all engineered flooring, it is topped with a layer of real wood veneer. The HDF core makes for a very robust floor, which can withstand heavy foot traffic. Although this type of engineered can be laid on any type of sub floor, HDF can act like a sponge if it is repeatedly exposed to moisture. Therefore it is not a good option if you are renovating a room with high levels of moisture.