FLOORING: The main options

Emily Smith takes a look at the pros and cons of popular flooring solutions for your home

The Italian Collection engineered wood flooring available from Havwoods is FSC certified and costs £41 per m2. Here it’s placed in a chevron pattern

WOOD

Benefits: It offers character, style and a high quality finish – plus it’s a good sustainable choice, if responsibly sourced. “Solid timber is hardwearing, easy to clean and maintain and offers excellent strength and durability properties,” says Naomi Russell from Russwood. “Engineered flooring has superior stability and can be used in bathrooms and kitchens.” Bamboo is another robust alternative to hardwood that’s strong and eco-friendly.

Style options: You can choose solid or engineered boards (usually available with a lacquered or oiled finish). While the former has the timber running through the entire board, the latter features a multi-layer format, with plywood at the core and a genuine wood veneer on top (up to 6mm). Both are available in a spectrum of colours, widths, lengths, grades and finishes, and can be used to create patterns. “Before you buy, always see a sample and fully understand the level of variation that will occur across the surface,” says Vanessa Garrett from Broadleaf Timber. “Grey wood floors, both contemporary and rustic, remain at the top of the trend charts, along with parquet, particularly vintage styles in block and chevron designs.”