Buying Guide for Real Wood Flooring

Real wood oozes luxury as well as being incredibly durable. Perfect for main living rooms of the home, such as hallways, dining rooms, lounges and bedrooms, the styles and colours available means your flooring can reflect your current decor or creates the perfect base for redecorating.

But where do you start when looking into real wood flooring? From solid wood to engineering wood, lacquered to rustic, it can be a minefield trying to work out the best flooring for your home,but fortunately, our buying guide will help you find the ideal solution for your next home improvement project.

What is real wood flooring?

Real wood flooring is exactly what it says it is; made from real wood, with no veneer or plastic included. In short, it means that the core and the surface of the plank are made from the same material, typically from a hardwood such as Oak.

We have a full explanation of “What is real wood flooring?” that details which rooms are best for real wood flooring and the benefits of wood flooring.

Choosing the right type of real wood flooring

As with all home improvements, knowing where the flooring will be fitted helps to make the decisions a lot easier. The priorities you need from your flooring will help determine the style, colour, installation type and size of the flooring you need. 

We’ve broken down the different types of wooden flooring which real wood flooring are available in, to help you determine which is going to create the perfect look and practicality for your home.

Solid wood flooring

Manufactured the same way as real wood and used from hardwood to create a ‘solid’ plank the reference of ‘solid wood’ and ‘real wood’ are preferences from manufacturer and suppliers. Without a hollow core or use of veneers, solid wood flooring uses hardwood to create a plank that is durable, with the ability to be sanded and buffed without ruining the planks, making them perfect for high traffic areas and large spaces.

Engineered wood flooring

Built up in multiple layers, engineered hardwood is partly real wood flooring but is layered rather than being solid. Using both hardwood and softwood in multi or tri-layers, engineered wood is less prone to shrinking or warping, and still provides the look of solid wood flooring due to the top layer still being real wood. This a great option if you’re looking for flooring that looks amazing and gives the impression of solid wood but without the hefty price tag.

Wide planks

For flooring that maximises space, wide planks are the perfect solution for easy installation with minimal joins compared to regular-sized planks. Available in various colours, they are a solid wood flooring option that provide the illusion of a huge space and are perfect if you’re wanting to have the same style flooring through open plan spaces or through the whole downstairs of your home.

Herringbone

The design of herringbone flooring is what gives this type it’s name and is an incredibly popular real wood flooring. Perfect for large spaces it’s appeal is due to the grandeur it provides when fully laid and the ease of upkeep to ensure it maintains it’s gorgeous style.

Choosing real wood flooring for each room

The beauty of real wood flooring is its versatility and suitability for most rooms in the home. As with laminate, real wood flooring is not ideal for those rooms with high moisture or humidity levels such as bathrooms, so it’s worth speaking to the experts, such as us at Factory Direct Flooring for alternatives that could give you the same effect you’re after.

Lounge Flooring

Perfect for most living rooms, wooden flooring adds a warming and traditional aesthetic to a lounge and can be dressed with beautiful rugs to give that additional plush underfoot.

Kitchen & dining flooring

Durable and quick cleaning, real wood flooring is the perfect choice for kitchen and dining areas. High traffic rooms need a flooring that is easy to maintain, all whilst keeping a beautiful finish.

Bedroom flooring

The tranquillity of natural, real wood makes it the perfect flooring to have in the bedroom. Whether you’re looking for a dark finish for a cosy aesthetic or a light and airy wood for a fresh feel, you're sure to find the right shade with wood flooring.

Hallway flooring

Muddy feet and paws aren’t a problem when it comes to wood flooring. Simple wipe away and brush up dirt and debris to keep them looking pristine. No more stain remover for those stubborn carpet stains.

Colours and finish of real wood

There is a great array of colours and finishes to choose from with real wood flooring. The difficulty is choosing which one is best for your home. Let us take you through the options to make your decision easier.

Oak

Traditional and timeless, oak flooring is a popular choice for many homes because of the style, colours and durability that is offered.

Grey

Perfect for the modern home, grey flooring has become more popular in the last few years and fortunately, is available in real wood to add that feeling of luxe to your home.

Light, Medium & Dark

The array of shades available in real wood flooring can perfectly complement the wooden features already in the home such as doors, skirting and window frames. 

Lacquered

For an added protective layer, lacquered flooring is perfect for high footfall areas that may benefit from a temporary water-resistant barrier, to prevent water permeating through to the wood if spillages occur or rainwater is bought in from door entrances.

Oil

Similarly to lacquer, oil- or solvent-based liquid substances protect the wood from scratches, scuffs and spills and are applied to the wood upon manufacturing and can be reapplied even when laid.