Hard flooring is a great choice for busy households. Wooden floors add warmth whilst still being practical but these days there are a lot of products to choose from. Understanding the differences in product types will help you make the best choice for your home and your lifestyle. Here’s a quick rundown on their properties and maintenance requirement so you can think about which product might work best for your lifestyle.

Laminate
Laminate floors are not suitable for wet area installation and can’t be steam or wet mopped. Too much water may cause the planks to swell/warp and damage surface coating. Spills should be wiped dry as soon as possible to avoid moisture ingress and possible plank deformity.
Internal temperature and humidity controls need to be aligned to match the performance guidelines for laminate products. Cupping and plank deformity may result as a direct result of high or low internal humidity.

Water-resistant Laminate
Water-resistant laminate is engineered to withstand topical moisture such as everyday household spills for at least 48/72 hours*. Obviously all liquid spills should be cleaned up as soon as possible and it’s important to never flood the floor with water.

For everyday maintenance use a vacuum cleaner or a dust mop. You can clean your floor with a wet mop if required but avoid using too much water.
All wood-based products, even water-resistant laminates with their increased resistance, will react to the moisture in the environment and as a result will expand or contract accordingly. Although it has been designed for improved performance it’s not waterproof and excessive wetting is to be avoided.

Hybrid
Hybrid flooring is highly durable and suitable for can be used in wet areas such as bathrooms and laundry.
The properties of the Hybrid flooring make it perfect for wet mopping

Bamboo
Bamboo flooring is designed for internal use only. You mustn’t steam mop or wet mop floor surface area.
Bamboo is a natural product therefore expanding and contracting is a natural characteristic in bamboo flooring and not considered a defect in the product. In some instances, expansion and contraction can lead to intermittent squeaking/creaking sounds, although we go to every effort to decrease this reaction using high quality underlay, this can still happen and isn’t seen as unusual.

Engineered Timber and Engineered Oak

Engineered timber is a living material that will naturally expand and contract depending on the percentage of moisture or humidity.
Timber is also affected by UV light and will change colour when exposed for long durations. It’s recommended to limit the amount of direct sunlight by using effective window furnishings.

Vinyl
Vinyl flooring can be cleaned with a well-rung damp-dry mop. You mustn’t use conventional household cleaning solutions and detergents as they are abrasive and will damage the surface coating.

Keep a list of any questions you may still have and our design consultant will be able to answer them at your selections appointment.