Wooden flooring

[raf_gti]

The time is coming to start thinking about replacing our hallway carpet with wood but I don't really know where to start.

I estimate the area to be about 8m² and I'm looking for the VW Golf of the wooden flooring world, solid, reliable and hopefully a bit better than cheap tat!

There are two of is in the house and three small dogs if that will make any difference to what we should go for.

thanks

[Merlot]

Looking about £160-£200 for the wood for that area, plus underlay and edging.

We're looking at doing the same for a few rooms and going for medium oak for looks/durability.

[WWESTY]

Having been in the same boat in terms of knowing what to use, we are about to have engineered planks installed - real wood top(wear) layer with engineered (consistent) base. Loads to choose from then - what wood, what thickness, what finish, bevelled edge or not etc etc!!! All really comes down to personal taste and budget.

Having met the owner of the company we were very impressed by these guys:

www.woodpeckerflooring.co.uk

and have ordered from them. Product is currently sat in our house acclimatising with fitting due to start end of the week.



hth

Edited by WWESTY on Monday 1st June 11:54

[V8mate]

Merlot said:

Looking about £160-£200 for the wood for that area, plus underlay and edging.

We're looking at doing the same for a few rooms and going for medium oak for looks/durability.

Really? Is the wood you've seen on 'special offer'? I'd suggest that 'VW Golf' flooring would be around £30 per sq m.

[IanMorewood]

Dogs and wooden flooring probably not a great mix. The floor will scratch, the dogs will slip and all the time you will have the rat tat ta as they walk about.

[edwardsje]

Take a look at wide plank strand woven bamboo. Just had it laid and it's fantastic: cheap (c£22m2), looks good, enormously hardwearing (c2x as hard as oak).

If you go that way, make sure it's from a reputable supplier such as Simply Bamboo, Bamboo Flooring Co.

[raf_gti]

WWESTY said:

Having been in the same boat in terms of knowing what to use, we are about to have engineered planks installed - real wood top(wear) layer with engineered (consistent) base. Loads to choose from then - what wood, what thickness, what finish, bevelled edge or not etc etc!!! All really comes down to personal taste and budget.

Having met the owner of the company we were very impressed by these guys:

www.woodpeckerflooring.co.uk

and have ordered from them. Product is currently sat in our house acclimatising with fitting due to start end of the week.



hth

Edited by WWESTY on Monday 1st June 11:54

Very nice How did you find their prices in comparison to B&Q etc? Also if you don't mind me asking, what price are you looking at for fitting?

[Merlot]

V8mate said:

Merlot said:

Looking about £160-£200 for the wood for that area, plus underlay and edging.

We're looking at doing the same for a few rooms and going for medium oak for looks/durability.

Really? Is the wood you've seen on 'special offer'? I'd suggest that 'VW Golf' flooring would be around £30 per sq m.

Haven't used them yet, haven't seen a sample, but have a colleague who was supplied by them and was impressed.

http://www.flooringsupplies.co.uk

[anonymous-user]

IanMorewood said:

Dogs and wooden flooring probably not a great mix. The floor will scratch, the dogs will slip and all the time you will have the rat tat ta as they walk about.

dogs and wooden flooring ARE a good mix. We have hard flooring downstairs (mix of wood and tiles) and carpet upstairs. No matter how hard you try the carpet smells of dog, he scratches it and it needs regular cleaning. The hardwood flooring and tiles can be swept, vaccuumed and mopped/buffed, leaving no trace of dog. If the floor is decent enough then it shouldnt scratch (we bought Junckers real wood, ridiculously expensive but very very good) and he never slips even when chasing a ball around.

I have to give you it on the noise, but then again it's no noiser then me or the missus walking about on it.

[briSk]

also why real or engineered wood is a good idea is the fact that you can re-finish it. so you let it get a bit scratched by the dog and then when you come to sell re -do it and lock the dog in the shed ( ).

the problem with engineered wood floors are that they look perfect and then they look a bit dodgy with the odd shoe mark and scrtach and then they look better again once they've been 'lived-on'.

BUT plastic floors are so so much better than they used to be even when we did our (old) engineered wood floor 4 years ago so i wouldn't dismiss 'laminate' out of hand because you may find it is the best option for you 9and doesn;t necessarily look like a colour photocopy of a piece of wood!).

[WWESTY]

raf_gti said:

WWESTY said:

Having been in the same boat in terms of knowing what to use, we are about to have engineered planks installed - real wood top(wear) layer with engineered (consistent) base. Loads to choose from then - what wood, what thickness, what finish, bevelled edge or not etc etc!!! All really comes down to personal taste and budget.

Having met the owner of the company we were very impressed by these guys:

www.woodpeckerflooring.co.uk

and have ordered from them. Product is currently sat in our house acclimatising with fitting due to start end of the week.



hth

Edited by WWESTY on Monday 1st June 11:54

Very nice How did you find their prices in comparison to B&Q etc? Also if you don't mind me asking, what price are you looking at for fitting?

Hope it will be when its laid!!

I'll be honest, for the area we were doing (c.120 sq m) I didnt consider DIY so was always looking for a supply and fit solution. The problem as you will have discovered is the multitude of choice out there! We really found it a minefield.

Our decision process was

1. laminate can be very good these days, but still doesnt have the feel of real wood.
2. Solid wood planks will vary tremendously both from samples and also within a batch - depending on your viewpoint this can be a positive, but for us was a negative.
3. Engineered planks seemed to be the answer.
4. Find a product range with good reputation - Kahrs are good and readily available on internet. We then found Woodpecker who were recommended as being same quality as Kahrs.
5. Being able to visit the Woodpecker factory and speak to the people there helped greatly in reassuring us on quality and also selecting which particular product was best for us. We were also able to get a recommendation from them for a fitter.

Price?

Well area is actually just under 118 sq metres and having negotiated with the factory and the fitter we have a price for supply and fitting of Windsor oak rustic oiled planks (list £58.95/sq m), quality underlay, trim strips, and new skirting, £8,500. Fitting is about £2k.

As in most things you really do get what you pay for in terms of the product. While they can look similar in the catalogue/internet pictures, when you actually see the planks the differences are clear.

One of the things we wanted was to see some actual planks and lay them out on our floor as its very difficult to be confident of what it will really look like just based on a 3" sample...

Be happy to forward contact at the factory for you if you like.

[raf_gti]

118 sq m?!

Yikes, thankfully the area we are doing will only be a fraction of that for the sake of my bank account

Having looked at their brochure I'm very impressed, would be most grateful if you could forward a contact on.

thanks

Steve

[Reidy10_0]

How about Karndean or Amtico?

[WWESTY]

raf_gti said:

118 sq m?!

Yikes, thankfully the area we are doing will only be a fraction of that for the sake of my bank account

Having looked at their brochure I'm very impressed, would be most grateful if you could forward a contact on.

thanks

Steve

yhm

[RDM]

Reidy10_0 said:

How about Karndean or Amtico?

Just watch some tt doesn't drop a chisel on your perfectly
laid new floor

[Reidy10_0]

RDM said:

Reidy10_0 said:

How about Karndean or Amtico?

Just watch some tt doesn't drop a chisel on your perfectly
laid new floor

You bh!
Thats the last time i help anybody.

[satans worm]

We have 10m/2 left over of engineered walnut flooring, retailed at 48m/2 but will sell for 30m/2 if your interested? You will have to pick up from Suffolk though!

Edited by satans worm on Wednesday 3rd June 11:30