Antique Oak flooring is often associated with reclaimed timber. This comes with a connotation of a product that has perhaps aged through years of us. As this naturally aged and distressed timber becomes rarer, the prices are soaring.  We’ve developed a range of engineered oak flooring that has been hand distressed to recreate the look of reclaimed timber. This is a sustainable and cost effective method of having a classic antique floor.

There are other wood floor manufacturers that produce ‘antiqued’ floors; however, a lot of the time machines are used to distress the wood to replicate the surface texture of reclaimed Oak. This mechanical method of aging the timber often creates a manufactured, false, repetitive feel or design to the surface of the floor.  Our hand distressing methods create a far more genuine randomised pattern of aging helping further increase the reclaimed timber effect. 

Click here to see hand distressed antique oak flooring from The Solid Wood Flooring Company.

Our antique oak has been used in the world famous Spitbank Fort, to see more on this project visit our Inspiration Gallery

A Simple Guide to Applying Blanchon Hard Waxoils and Oils (WOCA below)

As our engineered wooden flooring boards are sanded to 120 grit then only a light quick sand will be required before applying the oils, in certain circumstances you will not need to sand at all. To get the unfinished look on any of our unfinished oak flooring you should use the wood flooring environment which is unique in the market and it is also non yellowing.

Brandon Hire are a national company that keep in stock Numatica machines with a 14-18” rotating disc that they hire out for £15 per day plus V.A.T. You can use this to buff the floor and also use it with WOCA Patina Discs. Contact number is 0870 514 3391, follow the prompts and they put you through to the local depot

Blanchon coloured Hard Waxoils are popular due to the drying times, great colours and ease of application.

  • More durable than standard oil, they can be used on any internal joinery, 1 coat on any area not taking foot traffic, 2 coats on flooring. 
  • All in one staining and protection makes for a quick, cost effective and easy solution. 

 In detail, the advantages of our hard waxoils are as follows;

  • Quicker drying than most other hard waxoils, harder wearing and more depth of colour than standard floor oils.
  • Sufficiently liquid to work into the grain well and emphasise the natural beauty of the wood.
  • Simple two coat system whatever the colour to create limed, old english, smoked or other effects.
  • A wide range of 12 natural colours – whites, greys and oaks through to walnut & black.
  • All colours are as easy to apply as the clear, and mixable for colour matching.
  • Conforms to the European Toy Safety Standard EN 71.3, a genuine durable finish with a rich depth of colour.
  • Handy 250ml sample pots for colour testing.

Wood Floor Oil Environment
This is a water based oil which leaves the wood looking unfinished, and dries in 1 hour per coat, 3 coats.  It also carries the Ecolabel, the only pan European certification for genuinely environmentally friendly finishes.

Wood Ageing Agent

Blanchon Wood Ageing Agent is a unique product that reverses the grain and artificially ages flooring and internal joinery, producing a distressed look in an exciting range of 11 colours.  These colours range from silver, ash grey and platinum through to old english, wenge and distressed oak, giving the opportunity to create finely matched interior schemes. 

Once applied, you will see the Ageing Agent react within 10-15 minutes, instantly producing a characterful appearance.  Once dry, you can protect with clear Blanchon hard waxoil natural, or with any of the 15 colours of Blanchon hard waxoil to create stunning multi toned looks, with the contrasting hard waxoil colours providing colour relief in the grain.  The possibilities are endless, by combining lighter coloured hard waxoils oils with any of the ageing agents, or by combining the dark ageing agents with dark coloured hard waxoils for a deep warm colour finish.

This is a water based agent. similar to a lye, but in a range of 12 colours from silvers to distressed oaks.  You can overcoat with a hard waxoil, either to create a contrast in colours or just clear oil.  This is a unique product on the market, totally up to the minute in terms of distressed and grey floor fashions.  Leave to dry for 3-4 hours and see it reverse the grain and create an instant aged look.  Try any colour with a clear hard waxoil on top, or distressed oak plus white grey hard waxoil or rough timber hard waxoil. For a fumed look, try ash grey plus clear hard waxoil, always 2 coats of Hard Waxoil on top of the Wood Ageing Agent.

Applications and Options
To clarify the product range, you have a number of options, bearing in mind the Blanchon Hard Waxoils provide both colour and protection in one product, whereas the Blanchon Wood Ageing Agent provides just colour.  So the options are as follows;

  • Two coats of Blanchon Hard Waxoils, either of the same colour or use one colour as a base and another on top.
  • One coat (or more if necessary) of Blanchon Wood Ageing Agent followed by two coats of Blanchon Hard Waxoil Natural.
  • One coat of Blanchon Wood Ageing Agent followed by any light colour Blanchon Hard Waxoil, then two coats of natural, to product a two tone effect. 

Good examples of combinations include Wenge Wood Ageing Agent + Walnut Hard Waxoil, Silver + White Grey, Distressed Oak + Old White. The key for option three is to apply the contrasting Hard Waxoil colour (say white grey) thinly, then re-dilute with Hard Waxoil clear immediately or after half an hour, this is because the light oil will look messy and the re-dilution with Hard Waxoil Natural will leave the light colour only in the grain, thus creating the contrast.  Options 1 & 2 are easier to do.

In fact the options are infinite and we can achieve exactly what you want with experimentation on our unfinished flooring.

A Simple Guide to Applying WOCA oils to unfinished Oak floors 
The unfinished wooden floor you have purchased from us is factory sanded to 120/150 grit abrasion, and if the floor is glued and laid as a floating floor ensure the installer glues the bottom of the tongue only to eliminate glue marks on the surface. It is always best to glue the floor directly to concrete screeds. You should ensure that the fitter is professional and works cleanly. If you are gluing the floor directly to concrete with one of our recommended adhesives then you should have no problems, as you do not need to glue the tongue and grooves together.

IMPORTANT NOTE: WOCA oxidising oils is a penetrating system and penetrates the wood surface to approximately 1 mm depth, and if glue is present on the surface the open wood pores will be sealed by the glue and the oil will not be able to penetrate the glue spots and will leave untreated areas with a different colour. Download further information from WOCA on applying oils
 
The application of the WOCA oils can be applied either with a hand Roller/ Brush or lint free cotton cloth, or by a buffing machine (15-18inch diameter).
 
APPLICATION BY HAND: Inspect the floor to ensure that it is free from marks or glue on the surface, if necessary use a 120 grit sandpaper to rub away any marks or the glue spot along the grain back to bare wood.
 
Practical hint: If there are a lot of glue marks, wash the floor with a damp cloth, and the bare wood surface will darken, any areas with glue marks will remain light, re sand these areas and so on until the floor is perfectly clean and dry.
 
The WOCA oils must be fully stirred, mixed and shaken prior to application to ensure the colour pigments are full dispersed. Stir with a wooden stick to fully ensure the integration of the colour pigments. If the oil is not mixed correctly then the floor could become patchy with different colours from the start to the finish.
 
Apply the oils as per the instructions on the canister with a short hair roller, brush or Lint free cotton cloth. Allow the oils to penetrate the surface (approximately 15 minutes) and wipe dry any excess oil from the surface.

VERY IMPORTANT- EXCESS OIL: Because WOCA oils are oxidising oils, any excess oil left on the surface will be cured by the oxygen in the air. This means that the excess oil will become sticky and will prevent the oil that has penetrated the surface to cure properly. The oil within the wood will cure over the next 24 hrs.
 
Approximately 24 hours after the application of the oil inspect the floor for colour harmonisation and if satisfied soap the floor with either the WOCA soap or Oil Refresher as per the instructions on the canister with cotton mop. Once the floor is dry it is ready for use.
 
APPLICATION BY MACHINE: Machine application is done usually by a 15 -18 inch buffing machine with a white or green buffing pad and is quicker and ensures full saturation of the oils (which is the objective).
 
Inspect the floor as above and mix the oil as above. The oils are applied to the floor and buffed in with the white or green buffing pad. Allow the WOCA oil to penetrate the wood surface (15 minutes) and wrap a clean lint free cotton cloth around the buffing pad and machine wipe dry any excess oil from the surface and allow the oil to cure overnight. Inspect for colour harmonisation and soap the floor as above.
 
NOTE: If you apply the oils with a buffing machine you have the opportunity to create the very best oiled floors by using the WOCA patina disc on the buffing pads during oiling please ring 01453 844675 for further details or see the web site for PDF downloads with full instructions.
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: Disposal of the cotton cloths: because the oils are oxidising it is possible that they could spontaneously combust if they are not disposed of in the correct way. AFTER USE FULLY WET THE CLOTHS IN WATER AND PLACE IN A PLASTIC BAG, SECURELY SEAL AND DISPOSE IN YOUR NORMAL WAY OUTSIDE WASTE BIN 

Basement Waterproofing: To make a basement livable you need to “Tank” it out, this means sealing the walls, foundations and floor with water impervious materials such as damp proof membranes, foundation sealants etc. For a wood floor to remain stable the relative humidity must be less than 60% and the moisture content of the walls and floor must be less than 8% and we would prefer if it was 2%.

Considerable care needs to be taken when converting basement rooms to avoid the ingress of moisture. There are companies that specialise in damp proofing basements. Two of which are Rentokil and Peter Cox (although there are others who also perform the same services to a high standard), and they will provide a complete service to prepare your basement ready to apply the finishes of your choice.

Click one or both of the links below to see information from two companies that specialise in tanking out basements.

Rentokil Basement Waterproofing & Tanking

Basement waterproofing from peter cox

This is done by heavy industrial machines with heavy duty wire brushes. You can see both the machine and brushes below. Here at the Solid Wood Flooring Company, we use two machines in tandem to ensure we remove the softer grain from the oak’s surface. This gives the surface of the finished wood floor a texture and makes it look more natural. It also increases the wearability of the surface because the softer grain has been brushed out.

We can adjust the brushes and increase the depth of the brushing and for our E151 which is double brushed. For this we process the boards through the machine between two to three times

Brushing will increase the amount of oil a board will absorb and the picture above shows one of our machines with horizontal brushes as well as vertical to create different surface effects. The more oil the board absorbs the better it will wear in high traffic areas and it will also be more stain resistant. You can also see our brushing effect on the E956, and E352 and other boards.

Here you can see the industrial brush, we have four of these on each machine for quick processing so our brushed boards will go through eight brushes to get the best effect. You can easily search our web site for brushed Oak wood flooring.

How to Clean Oiled & UV Cured Wood Flooring

Light Clean

When cleaning general dust and debris from your floor you should use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush head. Vacuum cleaning the floor can be repeated as necessary.

For quick, light cleaning you can also use a Microfibre Flat Mop. This will remove most of the dust that will collect on the floor and is quick and easy. Always clean smooth or brushed floors along the length of the boards. If you do a ‘band sawn’ surface, clean in the direction of the saw marks to minimise snagging.

Nourishing clean

Must also be completed after installation of pre-finished oiled or cured wood flooring. If maintained properly, UV Cured boards should never require re-oiling. Before using a sponge mop for the first time, rinse the mop in hot water and squeeze until the water runs fully clear.

Once your floor starts to look a little dull, has marking or is soiled, then it’s time to give it a Nourishing Clean. You can do this as often as you like as the Blanchon Natural soap includes natural oils that replenish the floor. (Though it is not recommended to do this a lot in a short space of time as you may over-wet the boards).

This simple process should be followed to keep your floor looking clean and like new. By using the professional cleaning products we recommend, you can increase the longevity of your floor as you will be nourishing the wood with each clean.
Remember: White Natural Soap for white finished floors and Colourless for all other oil finished floors.

Step 1

Using a double bucket (or two single buckets), add at least 40ml of Blanchon Natural Soap (make sure to use the right colour) into one of the troughs/buckets. Then pour very hot water (not boiling but too hot for your hand) into both troughs ; this will result in one trough with the Natural Soap Solution and one with clean water for rinsing.
If the floor is heavily soiled and/or covers a large area, you will likely need to replace the water in both buckets several times during the clean. You can also use more soap to boost the sheen on the floor or increase the depth of clean.

Step 2

Make sure the sponge mop is clean (for first use you’ll need to rinse the sponge mop multiple times to ensure it’s clean) and then soak it in the bucket containing the Natural Soap & hot water solution. Stir it around and then squeeze as much water out as you can.

Step 3

Then clean the floor, ensuring to move the mop in the direction of the grain (along the length of the board). Regularly rinse the mop in the clean water trough and then repeat ‘step 2’. It is best to work in an area between 0.5-1m2 or less per rinse (depending on how dirty and dry the floor is). You’ll be able to tell how dirty the floor is by looking in the rinse trough after the first boards are cleaned.
For first-time-cleans in building sites do not do more than 0.5m2 before rinsing and soaking the mop in the natural soap solution.

Step 4

Allow the floor to dry before putting it into use, drying times are usually 20-60 minutes. Once dry, the floor can be put into full use.

How to Clean Lacquered Wood Flooring

Light Clean

For quick, light cleaning it is best to use the Microfibre Flat Mop. This will remove most of the dust that will collect on the floor and is quick and easy. You can also use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush head. Always clean along the length of the boards, never across the width.
Do not use a vacuum with a rotating brush if it has support bar underneath, as this can leave marks and scratches on the floor.

Routine Clean

Once your floor starts to look a little dull, has markings or is soiled, then it’s time to give it a Routine Clean. You can do this as often as you like, as the Blanchon Lagoon Cleaner is a gentle but effective cleaning agent. (It is not recommended to do this a lot in a short space of time as you may over-wet the boards).
This simple process should be followed to keep your floor looking clean and like new. By using the professional cleaning products we supply, you can increase the longevity of your floor.

Step 1

Complete a ‘light clean’ as directed above. Then Shake the spray bottle of Blanchon Lagoon well before moving onto step 2 below.

Step 2

Using the Blanchon Lagoon, spray a small amount onto a small area of the floor (please note a 0.5L spray bottle can cover up to 200m2, so it can be used sparingly). Wipe the sprayed area with the Microfibre Flat Mop.

Step 3

Continue to clean the rest of the floor; working in small areas. If the floor is very dirty, it might be necessary to do several cleans.

Step 4

Allow the floor to dry before putting it into use, drying times are usually 10-15 minutes. Once dry, the floor can be put into full use.

Ensure the longevity of your floor

DO’s

  • Use felt pads on the bottom of any furniture especially any coffee tables and chairs.
  • Use breathable mats on entrance ways to capture any debris from outside
  • Tend to spills quickly
  • Consider using a protective breathable mat in kitchen areas where spillages are likely (i.e. oven, hob, sink)
  • Clean your floor using recommended products (see pg.1). Do not use supermarket brands as they are not normally formulated for a UV oiled wood floor.
  • Keep the floor temperature lower than 27 degrees centigrade (applicable for area with under floor heating)
  • Cover the floor with cardboard taped together before any works are done (i.e. painting or plaster work)
  • Remove water-based paint with warm water and a clean absorbent cloth (do not rub paint into wood)
  • Gloss/oil-based paint spillages must be cleaned immediately with an absorbent cloth, do not rub the paint into the wood. Any oil-based gloss that has dried onto the surface should be remedied by a wood floor finishing specialist.
  • Where possible use ‘soft’ water rather than ‘hard’ as hard water can leave residues from calcium and nitrates.

DONT’s

  • Do not use bleach, spirit or other chemical cleaners on your floor
  • Do not drag items across your floor
  • Do not over-wet/soak your floor
  • Do not over heat your floor (do not exceed 27 degree centigrade in areas with under floor heating)
  • Do not spill hot oil/fats on to floor
  • Do not clean the floor with just water
  • Do not apply any lacquer or other water-based finishes/coatings to the floor
  • Do not use vacuum cleaners with a fixed bar on the rotor brush as this can scratch the floor.
  • Do not put tape/adhesive on the floor surface

EXPECT:

  • The floor to react to high levels of sunlight. (i.e. if you move a mat or item of furniture from a place in direct sunlight, you may notice the surrounding floor being lighter than the area you’ve just uncovered. This is a natural reaction from the wood due to UV light. In time the newly exposed area will lighten to match.
  • Scratches will appear if sharp or heavy items are dragged over the floor. Depending on the severity of the scratch the repair can be simple to complex. In the event of a scratch please contact us for guidance before attempting to rectify.
  • The floor will expand and contract as temperatures and humidity change throughout the year.
  • The floor may dull over time if not properly cared for, see the periodic maintenance steps on pg1 for the remedy “under nourishing clean”.
  • Wood flooring will dent if pointed objects or unprotected high-heeled shoes are dropped or pushed on to the floor.

Purchasing care products

The Solid wood Flooring Company does not stock cleaning products, but we do recommend particular products be used for the upkeep of your floor. Please see a shopping list below with links to well known suppliers:

  • Blanchon Natural Soap (either colourless or white depending on your floor colour)(Alternatively Woca Oil Refresher) – Available from www.danecare.co.uk
  • A squeezable sponge mop (Available from most supermarkets or online retails i.e. Amazon)
  • A double trough bucket (Alternatively two buckets) (Available from most supermarkets or online retails i.e. Amazon)
  • A microfibre flat mop (for dry use only) (Available from most supermarkets or online retails i.e. Amazon)

How to Maintain Your Oiled Timber Floor

It is important to clean and maintain your oiled timber floor correctly, using specially formulated products. In our more than 13 years’ experience, we’ve found the best products to be from Blanchon.

The guide set-out here is suitable for both domestic and commercial applications.

Maintaining an oiled floor is easy, fast and cost-effective and does normally not require any sanding. A simple cleaning of the surface is sufficient and the re-oiling can commence as soon as the surface is dry.

WARNING!

Do not use bleach or steam cleaners on timber floors.  This will damage the finish and potentially warp the timber.

General/Regular Cleaning

  1. Clean the surface using Blanchon Natural Soap.  Mix 100ml in 5ltrs of warm water for normal cleaning and apply with a damp cloth or well wrung out mop.  Do not allow large amounts of water to be left on the floorboards.  (For heavily soiled floors increase natural soap strength of 250ml in the same amount of water).
  2. The surface should dry in 10-20mins at which point the area can be put back into full use.

Periodic Maintenance

Periodic maintenance is when the floor requires re-oiling.  There’s no set time for this, however it is good if this can be done at least once a year in normal domestic situations. 

You can identify if the floor needs re-oiling by the following factors:

  • Timber feels or looks dry/grain feels more noticeable
  • Floor easily gets dirty
  • Floor shows signs of wear
  • Surface Scratches

If your floor requires re-oiling please follow these steps:

  1. Clean the floor as directed in ‘General/Regular Cleaning’ noted above and allow the floor to dry fully.
  2. Apply a thin coat of Blanchon Maintenance Oil onto the surface a lint-free cloth is usually easiest but a brush can be used – just be careful not to overapply. 
    Note: Always work in the direction of the wood grain.  To make the process easier, work in small areas at a time.
  3. Wipe the floor using a dry cotton cloth; this should result in matt finish.
  4. To even the sheen and to increase the sheen level, use a buffing machine to polish the surface.
  5. After 4-6 hours, the floor should be sufficiently dry to allow light traffic (based on an average temp of 20 degrees centigrade)
    Note: Full cure will take around 7-10 days.  During this time do not wet the floor and avoid heavy traffic.

If you have any questions on caring for your oiled timber floor please contact us on:
+44 (0) 1666 504 015 or info@thesolidwoodflooringcompany.com

Complaints Policy

Any complaints regarding The Solid Wood Flooring Company, it’s operatives, it’s personnel or it’s products, should in the first instance, be directed in writing (email accepted) to the Chief Operating Officer of the company.

This Complaints procedure should be read in conjunction with The Solid Wood Flooring Company ‘Terms and Conditions’ which are published on this website and a hard copy is available by request.

In the unlikely event that you need to complain we will endeavour to process it as quickly as possible, so with that in mind, and to save time, we would ask you to supply all details in writing.

Our Complaint’s Procedures

  1. Please telephone immediately and we will log your complaint on our database
  2. Send all details with any relevant images that will substantiate your complaint
  3. If it is a product related complaint and it falls outside industry guidelines and manufacturing tolerances and standards then we will investigate it quickly and if necessary send an industry professional to inspect the complaint.
  4. If it is an installation complaint then we will involve the professional who installed and remanufactured the product and judge the installation against recommended guidelines set out in BS8201:2011 which is the Code of Practice for installing wood flooring
  5. If it is a personnel complaint then this should be addressed to the Chief Operating Officer

Deliveries

All goods are delivered by a third party operator. Wherever possible this will be on dedicated transport, but for smaller consignments couriers will be used. All goods should be checked on arrival and signed for accordingly. Should there be any problems with the delivered product then it should be addressed at the point of delivery. Should any product issues be discovered within 7 days following delivery, then these should be reported to The Solid wood Flooring Company to allow them to rectify the issue.

Although every effort is made to protect items during transit, sometimes a product can suffer some small damage. However, it may also be that this damage might not effect the successful installation of the product and a decision should be made to either accept or refuse the product at that stage, because if the product is used it is thus accepted, and it cannot be compensated for at a later date.

Installation

Anyone installing the materials supplied by The Solid wood Flooring Company should inspect each and every item, and if they are not happy in any way, then they must not install it, because “once installed it will have been altered or remanufactured and the item will be deemed to have been accepted”

Consumer Rights

This complaints procedure has been prepared to ensure that clients receive the best possible service and advice within the normal consumer rights regulations such as the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Distance selling Regulations 2000,  which the Solid Wood Flooring Company embrace and will always endeavour to comply with.

Engineered wood flooring is now accepted as the preferred, sustainable choice for wood floors.

There are numerous reasons why engineered wood flooring is such a popular choice.  For example:

  • Stability – Quality engineered flooring will not twist, warp and cup like solid wood, it will not react as severally to the rises and falls in temperature. 
  • Quick & easy installation – Providing you’re not using under floor heating there is normally no need to acclimatise engineered flooring prior to fitting (unlike solid wood which requires at least two weeks).
  • Sustainability – We can manufacture between 3 to 4 times more wood flooring from the same tree and use faster growing trees for the plywood like birch and eucalyptus.  On our wider wood floors we use the cut waste to finger joint a middle layer and a back layer to create a stable very wide (340mm) engineered oak floor using 100% oak, this can be seen on our E110 oak floor.

There are different methods to creating the solid top layer of an engineered floor board.  The two main types are discussed in the following sectons:

Cut Veneer

The tree is normally air dried, and then cut into thick planks.  These are kiln dried and sawn by a band saw, creating what we call the wear layer or top layer on an engineered board.

This layer is carefully machined to create a high quality veneer that is smooth and consistent with its dimensions.  We also use this process to “Quarter Saw” our logs creating products such as our engineered parquet TW-E952

This process produces a board that has the same feel and grain appearance of a solid board.

The veneer is then coated before being laid on top of a quality-approved pre-cut piece of multilayer plywood.  These boards are then loaded into a cold hydraulic press.

Once this is completed the boards are ‘balanced’ in a kiln to ensure that the level of moisture in both the solid top layer and plywood is the same before being processed.

This is done in a profiling machine and finishing line and then packed into specialist cartons for total protection.

The images above show a flat cut veneer (left) and a quartered veneer (right).

Sliced Veneer

During this process, the log is soaked in hot water of up to 100 degrees centigrade which essentially boils the log.  This is done in order to make the grain soft and sometimes a chemical is added in order to soften the timber further.

Once soaked and softened the wood is then ready to be placed on a machine where it is sliced.

The large veneer slicing machine ‘peels’ the veneer back as the log is turned.  This process is visually similar to a roll of carpet being unravelled.

This process understandably produces a lot less waste, as it peels each layer continuously from 1mm to a maximum of 6mm thickness.

Slicing the veneer using this process can make the oak a darker colour.  There is also very little heartwood in sliced veneers, as the machine doesn’t cut towards the centre of the tree.

Sliced veneers are liable to splitting in their later life, especially when used over underfloor heating systems.  This is because during the heating and softening process, the cell structure has been altered through expanding the wood with water-which needs to be done in order to slice the log.

The veneers are finally kiln dried, which takes the remaining moisture out of the wood- but the finished cut veneer will have a more ‘open’ look and feel to it.

Sliced veneers can alter over time as environmental conditions can often split the grain open. This could eventually cause it to splinter.  For this reason we avoid this method of manufacturing an engineered wood floor.

A rotary cut veneer.

Parquet Flooring is now making a big comeback as a popular designer floor. The images below show our EazyFit100 Parquet Oak Flooring, 10mm x 70mm x 250mm. This has been glued and pinned to a 18mm plywood subfloor, creating a sturdy, load bearing floor that is suitable for use over under floor heating and will last a lifetime.

This is a far superior system than using the traditional 22mm Thick Solid Oak Blocks as these are prone to movement and can become dislodged over time. By fitting onto a Plywood Subfloor you will have little movement and the floor will always be perfectly flat. As these are Solid Blocks maintenance is easy and any repairs will be quick and simple.

For more information or to order your free sample please call 01666 504015.

Wood is the only renewable choice of building material for flooring. Plastics are derived from fossil fuels, concrete and other forms of flooring can damage our environment through the energy it takes for their production.

Wood is a renewable, natural resource that naturally grows in abundance. England was once covered by lush green forests.

Even though we’ve cut most of it down, our forefathers had the sense to replant large forests. Despite this, we don’t get a lot of our flooring from our own resources in the UK.

Most of our country’s Oak flooring now comes from Europe, including the extensive forests of North America.

All of these countries have programmes of replanting and maintaining sustainable forests. In many cases the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) or PEFC™ certification helps to ensure that forest are responsibly managed.

Carbon Footprints

The production of wood flooring uses less energy in its processing methods than any other construction material.

For example, it takes 5 times more energy to produce 1 tonne of cement, 24 times more energy for 1 tonne of steel, and 126 times for 1 tonne of aluminium.

Young trees also absorb more carbon dioxide than mature ones, so it makes sense to harvest older trees and plant two new ones for every one tree felled.

This is why The Solid Wood Flooring Company is a member of the Timber Trade Federation

Engineered wood flooring should now be the only choice for any floor. This is because for every 100 m2 of solid wood flooring, you can get 400 m2 of engineered flooring.

The main positive points for using an engineered floor are:

  • Engineered floors don’t move like solid wood floors
  • We can produce 4 times as much engineered flooring, compared to solid oak floors
  • Engineered flooring can be used with underfloor heating, whereas solid wood can’t
  • The plywood base of an engineered floor is made up of layers of Birch and sometimes with a mix of Poplar
  • Both of these fast growing trees are in abundance and are easily replaced, helping to reduce our carbon footprint even further
  • Our engineered wood floors with a 5 mm solid top layer can be sanded down the same number of times as a solid wood floor. This is due the distance from the top of the tongue.

Our Certifications:

If you require a record of our ethical sourcing policies please see the links below for our certificates:

FSC Certificate