Oak Flooring

How to choose oak flooring

Solid or engineered oak?

Both have a real oak surface and look the same once laid. Engineered oak has an oak top layer bonded to a cross-laid core, so it moves far less with heat and humidity: it is the one to choose for underfloor heating, concrete floors, kitchens, conservatories and wide planks. A wear layer of 3mm or more can typically be sanded one to two times. Solid oak is one piece of oak, best over timber joists in living rooms, bedrooms and hallways, and can be sanded many times over its life.

Grade

Grade describes how the oak looks, not how strong it is. Prime oak has few, small knots and an even colour for a calm, modern floor. Natural or select grade allows some knots and colour variation. Rustic oak shows larger knots, filled splits and plenty of character, and it hides wear well, which suits busy family homes and cottages.

Colour

Natural oak is honey-toned and warms up gently with light over time. Light and white-washed oaks keep rooms bright and Scandinavian. Grey oaks suit modern schemes. Smoked oak is darkened by a treatment that reacts with the oak’s natural tannins, giving a rich colour that goes deeper than a stain, and dark oak adds drama to large, bright rooms.

Finish

Lacquered oak has a protective film and is the easiest to clean; oiled oak has a natural, matt look and can be touched up locally; brushed oak has its grain opened for texture that hides scratches; unfinished oak is finished on site to the exact colour you want.

Plank or pattern

Wide oak planks suit open-plan rooms and show off the grain; narrower boards suit smaller rooms and period homes. Oak herringbone and chevron turn the floor into a feature.

Where oak flooring works

Oak suits living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, hallways and stairs, and engineered oak also suits kitchens and conservatories. It is not suitable for bathrooms, where we recommend wood-effect luxury vinyl. Over underfloor heating, choose engineered oak and keep the floor surface below 27°C.

Fitting oak flooring

Engineered oak can be floated (click boards over an underlay), glued down with a wood floor adhesive or secret nailed; solid oak is usually nailed to joists or glued to a dry screed. Let the packs acclimatise, leave an expansion gap of about 10 to 15mm at the walls and cover it with oak skirting or oak beading. Our installation guides and measuring guide help you plan.

Looking after an oak floor

Vacuum or sweep to remove grit, clean with a well-wrung microfibre mop and a pH-neutral wood floor cleaner, use felt pads under furniture and mats at outside doors. Oiled oak benefits from an occasional coat of maintenance oil.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing solid oak for a room with underfloor heating or a damp subfloor; engineered oak is the safer choice.
• Judging colour from a screen: order samples and look at them in daylight and lamplight.

Oak and other woods

Walnut is darker and a little softer than oak; ash is pale with a bolder grain; maple is very light and smooth. Oak sits in the middle: hard enough for busy homes, with a grain that suits every style, which is why most of our wood floors are oak.