Laminate flooring

is an extremely popular synthetic alternative to hardwood flooring and engineered wood flooring, and thanks to improvements in technology and modern manufacturing processes, laminate flooring is now a highly versatile, incredibly realistic wood flooring solution.

Laminate flooring is composed of multiple layers of fiber board and melamine resin (providing the structure), topped by a thin veneer layer of photographic material that mimics a natural wood or stone texture. These layers are all held together through a process of lamination whereby the whole board is glued and coated in a thin layer of plastic, helping to provide strength and protection. Thanks to this process and the materials used, laminate flooring is not only a very cost-effective flooring solution but is also extremely durable, easy to maintain and clean, and resistant to superficial damage and wear and tear.

If you’re an environmentally-conscious consumer you’ll be pleased to know that laminate flooring in general is considered an eco-friendly flooring solution due the fact that it uses no (or significantly less) wood in its construction. In addition to this, many types of laminate flooring come with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approval, signifying that any wood used in the manufacturing of the product was responsibly and sustainably sourced.

As with the majority of wood flooring solutions, laminate flooring is available in various pack sizes, making it easier for you to purchase the appropriate amount for your project. With our helpful information guides you can find out all the relevant information you’ll need when determining how many packs to buy, including the individual laminate board dimensions, number of boards per pack, and also the total area covered by one pack of your chosen laminate flooring. We also have a quick and easy online tile calculator to help you work out the number of packs you’ll need according to the measurements you’ve take of your room.

There are a few considerations worth taking into account when considering using laminate flooring in your project. The first is to check the suitability of the type of laminate flooring that you’re interested in for the space you plan to lay it in. Some types of laminate flooring may not be as appropriate as other models for areas of high traffic for example. Equally, if you’re looking for a laminate flooring solution for application in a commercial environment, such as a shop floor, be sure not to choose a model recommended solely for domestic purposes. As general rule of thumb, laminate flooring should not be used in areas where you expect it to be subject to significant changes in temperature or where it might be exposed to a lot of moisture, as this may encourage the boards to warp.

Additionally, you may find it useful to observe the different levels of guarantee available within the laminate flooring product range. If you’re planning a commercial installation and you’re looking for a long-term solution that will be subject to significant levels of traffic, you’ll be better suited to one of our products that come with a dedicated commercial guarantee. Even within the domestic range of laminate flooring you’ll find that the guarantee durations vary significantly, with some, like the Traditional 4V Sculpture Prestige Oak, offering as much as 25 years.

Engineered wood flooring

is an increasingly popular flooring solution offering some attractive qualities for the user. Comprising of a number of layers of real wood, engineered wood flooring benefits from a unique structural composition that allows it to be used in environments where laminate flooring and hardwood flooring may not be suitable – such as areas where it is likely to be exposed to variances in temperature and moisture levels. Thanks to these benefits, engineered wood flooring is considered a very stable, robust wood flooring solution suitable for domestic or commercial use.

Engineered wood flooring is typically constructed in three layers – the top layer comprising of hardwood, the middle section often of softwood or plywood, and a supporting base layer of solid wood. Thanks to this multi-layer construction, engineered wood flooring offers the user a wonderful combination of qualities including the beauty and allure of a real hardwood floor along with the strength and stability provided by the middle and bottom layers. In addition to this, because engineered wood flooring uses real wood for the top layer, it means the user can benefits from a wide selection of products, differing in the type of wood, as well as by the various finishes available, such as handscraped, lacquered, stained and so on.

Engineered wood flooring is currently available in two different forms of fitting profile – the first being a click system, and the second being a tongue and groove system. Click systems are terrific for significantly reducing installation time by allowing the boards to click together as you go along – thus removing the need for glue or nails. Tongue and groove systems, whilst they may take a bit longer to install initially, they tend to require less maintenance across the duration of their life and offer added strength.

Another benefit of using engineered wood flooring is that, again, thanks to its top veneer of real hardwood, the floor can be sanded down and re-stained or treated if you ever decide to change the appearance of your floor, or if you need to perform any maintenance due to damage to the top layer. Whilst this provides the user with further flexibility and potentially increases the life of the floor, care needs to be taken when sanding down engineered wood flooring since the top veneer is typically thinner than 10mm. For this reason, sanding down your floor is only possible once or maybe twice during the product’s life before you risk wearing the top layer down completely.

As with laminate flooring and hardwood flooring, engineered wood flooring can be purchased in packs, which vary in quantity depending on the type. For a quick and easy way to calculate how many packs of flooring you’ll need based on the individual board dimensions of your desired product and the dimensions of your room, try our free tile calculator.

Whilst laminate flooring and engineered wood flooring are excellent solutions for your home and business, there’s nothing quite like the character, feel and quality of using a

hardwood flooring

solution in your project. Rewarding from the moment it’s laid, hardwood flooring not only provides an immediate sense of comfort and quality, but is also widely considered as a significant investment in your property thanks to its desirable qualities and popularity among consumers and home-buyers today. If you are renovating a property with a plan to sell, you may well find your new floor pays for itself!

Hardwood flooring combines a number of key benefits together, making it one of the most popular flooring solutions to this day. Firstly, hardwood flooring, if properly maintained, is characterised by an extremely long life, making it very good value for money when taken into consideration. Thanks to being a solid material, a hardwood floor can be sanded down for maintenance or aesthetic purposes many times over – thus making it a very versatile, cost-effective solution. If you’re planning to re-decorate your home or commercial property and you’ve already installed hardwood flooring, you don’t need to replace the floor at all; it’s possible to drastically change the look and feel of your floor simply by removing a few millimetres from the top layer and applying a new finish or stain of your choice.

Another significant benefit of using hardwood flooring in your project is the immense versatility there is between the species of natural wood, the finishes available, and the unique characteristics of each and every board. Hardwood flooring is available in a range of wood types including hevea, oak, and walnut, as well as a wide range of finishes such as oiled, lacquer, stained, distressed, and brushed. As with many of our laminate flooring products, some types of hardwood flooring are available with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approval, signifying that the wood has been responsibly and sustainably sourced.

Hardwood flooring is renowned for its strength and simplicity, benefitting from being a 100% natural product. Maintenance for hardwood floors is highly rewarding and quite simple to perform. Damaged areas can be safely and easily sanded down, and using our Fila Laminate & Wood Cleaner, you can quickly and easily clean and protect your floor, adding an attractive glossy coat.

Hardwood flooring is mainly available in a tongue and groove system, and many types may require wood adhesive to be used during installation. Whilst laying a hardwood floor may be a slightly longer process than laying laminate flooring and some types of engineered wood flooring, you can expect to benefit from a very generous product life, and to enjoy a product which, thanks to its natural composition, will undoubtedly improve with age. Along with this however, as a natural product, it’s important to bear in mind that hardwood flooring may not be a suitable solution in areas where it may be exposed to significant changes in temperature or moisture levels, which can result in warping.