Natural Solid Wood Flooring

Solid or engineered natural oak?

Solid: oak through the full thickness, sanded many times; the traditional choice over joists and timber subfloors in period homes. It moves more with humidity, so it is usually nailed or glued, and it is not usually recommended over underfloor heating. Engineered: a natural oak top layer on a stable core, for concrete, kitchens and heating where approved. Neither belongs in a bathroom.

How to choose natural solid oak

Grade

Prime: few knots, even colour, refined. Natural: some knots and variation, the most popular. Rustic: bold knots and character, the most forgiving.

Finish

Clear oil or hardwax oil: warm, matt, easy to spot-repair. Matt lacquer: sealed and low maintenance. Raw-look: keeps oak pale and fresh, slowing yellowing.

Width and thickness

Standard widths move less than wide boards. 18mm and 20mm boards are common, and many can be fixed to joists.

How natural solid oak ages

Oak warms and deepens gently with light, developing a rich patina over the years. A natural solid floor that has been lived on for decades has a depth of colour that a new floor cannot match, and a sand and refinish brings back fresh wood whenever you want it.

Natural solid oak room by room

Living and dining rooms: the classic home of a solid oak floor. Bedrooms over joists: replaces old floorboards neatly. Hallways: a rustic grade, a durable finish and a good door mat. Kitchens and heated rooms: choose engineered. Bathrooms: never real wood.

Designing with natural solid oak

• Period homes: natural oak with original fireplaces, cornicing and panelled doors.
• Scandi and Japandi: pale natural oak with white walls and linen.
• Colour: green, navy, terracotta and pink look warm against honey oak.
• Furniture: keep undertones similar and let the floor be a shade lighter or darker than oak furniture.

Fitting natural solid wood

Solid boards are secret-nailed to joists or a timber subfloor, or glued to a dry, flat subfloor with a solid wood flooring adhesive. Acclimatise the boards, check moisture in boards and subfloor, and leave an expansion gap. Mix boards from several packs. Most people use an experienced fitter. Our installation guides explain the methods.

Replacing old floorboards

In many period homes, the old pine floorboards are lifted and new natural solid oak boards are nailed straight to the same joists. Check the joists are sound, level and at a spacing the new boards allow; pack or plane uneven joists, and add noggins where needed. On ground floors over a void, keep the void ventilated and consider insulation between the joists. This is skilled work, so most homeowners use an experienced fitter, and the result is a natural oak floor that will last for generations.

Comparing samples at home

Order free samples of two or three options and put them on the floor of the room where they will be laid. Look at them in daylight and in the evening under your own lamps, next to the walls, skirting, units and furniture they will sit with. Colours and textures look different in every room and on every screen, so a few minutes with real samples is the best way to avoid a costly mistake. Stand back as well as looking close up: a floor is mostly seen from standing height and from the doorway.

Looking after natural solid wood

Vacuum regularly, use door mats and felt pads, clean with a pH-neutral wood floor cleaner and refresh oiled floors with maintenance oil. Keep indoor humidity steady to limit seasonal gaps.

Common mistakes

• Solid oak over underfloor heating.
• Skipping acclimatisation and moisture checks.
• A glossy lacquer that ambers more than you wanted.