After long hours of deliberation, dozens of articles read, and several SWOT analyses, you have finally decided which material will decorate the floors of your interior – it’s wood. To be honest, we are not surprised by this choice; wood is wood, as the classic saying goes. You could say you’re almost there. Almost, because in this case, it turns out that the dilemmas are not over, and a floorboard can mean many things. To be precise, it has two names – solid floorboard and engineered floorboard. There will be a time to compare both products, but today let’s focus on the characteristics of the former.
Which wood species will be best?
A solid floorboard has a homogeneous structure, meaning it is made entirely from a single piece of wood. What specific wood? That depends on your choice.
Above all, it is worth paying attention to the hardness of a given species, as this will directly translate into the floor’s durability. Coniferous species like pine or spruce are too soft and should not be used for flooring. A few years ago, exotic tree species were very popular, but currently, they are not as common. While they surpass our native wood in terms of hardness, they also have their drawbacks. If you get bored with their appearance after some time, changing the color will be very difficult.
And fashion tends to change. It’s possible that in a few years you’ll want a dark floor instead of a light one, or vice versa. Therefore, it is worth choosing an option that allows for a change in decor in the future. Oak boards are perfect for this, as all you need to do is sand down a thin layer, apply a different oil color, and a new arrangement is ready. Furthermore, solid oak floorboard is an excellent choice due to its resistance. Along with ash, it features the highest hardness coefficient among our native species.
Raw or pre-finished oak floorboard?
Currently, the market is dominated by solid floorboards in a finished (pre-finished) form. This means the manufacturer handles the entire processing and finishing, and the customer receives a floor already stained and covered with several layers of lacquer or oil. This is certainly a convenient option because the room is ready for use immediately after installation. However, this doesn’t mean the traditional method, where a floor specialist stains and lacquers the surface, has completely disappeared. It’s worth choosing this path when you want to achieve a custom effect that the manufacturer does not offer.
For example, if you are not a fan of beveled boards. Beveled boards have slightly angled edges, creating a V-shape between two elements, giving the impression of a groove. When buying a finished solid floorboard, it usually comes in this form. However, if you want to achieve the effect of a uniform, smooth surface where the joints between the boards are invisible, it is worth purchasing raw, non-beveled floorboards. In this case, after installation, the floor must be sanded, colored oil must be applied, followed by clear oil or lacquer.
