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When it comes to caring for solid wood flooring, little maintenance is required. However, to help you get the best performance, we’ve compiled this handy guide to give you some helpful hints and tips.

As a premium quality flooring range, solid wood is manufactured from a single piece of timber such as Oak or Walnut. Offering superior strength and durability, solid wood flooring not only looks amazing but will withstand the test of time too. 

Adding true authenticity and pure elegance to any room setting, solid wood flooring is a popular choice among homeowners. The ability to be sanded and refinished means you can restore or enhance its classic look. Renowned for add value to your home, wood flooring is a wise investment. 

Top 5 Tips to Care for Solid Wood Flooring

1. Check the room suitability before fitting
2. Regular maintenance will protect its longevity
3. Clean up spillages as quickly as possible
4. Avoid excessive sunlight 
5. Prevent scratches with felt pads, trim claws and no high heels!

Room Suitability for Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is the marine of the flooring industry; manufactured from 100% natural hardwood, it will outperform its rivals on density, strength and longevity.

Coping well under pressure, solid wood is perfect for areas which experience a heavy footfall such as hallways and stairs.

However when it comes to excessive moisture, humidity or temperature fluctuation there are areas of the home to avoid fitting solid wood. We advise taking a quick peek at our room suitability chart before fitting. 

Regular Maintenance Regime for Solid Wood Flooring 

A regular cleaning routine will help keep your solid wood flooring looking perfect. However, it is important to make sure you’re using the right cleaning agent to protect your flooring’s finish.

Oiled flooring ranges must be cleaned with an oil-based cleaner to nourish the wood and preserve the finish. To be safe, we advise using specialist wood floor cleaners where possible.

Some household cleaning agents contain harmful chemicals which can affect the appearance of your flooring. Bleach, in particular, is a very powerful detergent with the ability to permanently deface your flooring, leaving a white film over the surface. If at all unsure, check the labelling or ask a professional before applying.

Our Complete Clean, Care & Revive Kit is made especially for real wood flooring. Watch the video to find out more about how it can help you get the best our of your floor!

Which Cleaning Agent is best for Solid Wood Flooring?

The Impero Universal Floor Cleaner is a great all-round specialist wood flooring cleaner, suitable for all solid wood flooring types. As a highly concentrated, natural detergent, it performs well on lacquered, oiled and unfinished flooring. 

How to Apply Cleaning Agent to Solid Wood Flooring

To achieve a professional finish we recommend using a flat-headed spray mop. 

Quick and easy to use, simply fill the liquid compartment with your Impero floor cleaner and squeeze the trigger to release.

The integrated spray system evenly distributes the cleaner for the perfect coverage, whilst the machine-washable microfiber cleansing pad makes easy work of capturing any stubborn dirt. Eliminating the need to carry additional equipment, the all in one spray mop takes the effort out of cleaning. 

Treating Spillages and Avoiding Excessive Water 

As previously mentioned, solid wood flooring does not deal well with water.

As the biggest threat to solid wood, it can cause the flooring to lift, warp or even crack. We strongly advise against fitting in a bathroom or kitchen due the high risk associated with these areas.

All spillages need to be tended to as quickly as possible. We advise using a dry microfiber mop (spray mop) as opposed to a regular string head. These will not carry excess water or drip across your flooring. 

Protecting Solid Wood Flooring from Excessive Sunlight 

Excessive sunlight can cause fading and discolouration of hardwood floors. Care should be taken to ensure your solid wood is not overexposed.

Blinds are the perfect solution; whilst serving their functional purpose they are also great for shading your flooring too. 

Preventing Scratches in Solid Wood Flooring

All wood flooring ranges are susceptible to scratches. Whilst some people think they add to the character, others will try their utmost to prevent them.

These simple steps will help you keep solid wood flooring scratches under control… 

Take caution

Particularly important when cleaning. Avoid the use of abrasive materials such as steel wool and scouring pads.

Be attentive when using the hoover too as debris can get caught in the wheels causing accidental scratches during use. We advise using a microfiber mop instead (also known as a spray mop) to avoid unnecessary damage. 

Remove the risk 

High heels and pet claws are two of the biggest causes of scratches on solid wood flooring.

Keeping pet’s claws trimmed and asking guests to remove their shoes will keep scratches at the minimum.

Extra protection

Felt pads are a cost-effective way of softening the impact of furniture on your solid wood flooring. The prevent the build-up of friction or accidental damage when moving. Door mats are also great for preventing excess dirt or debris being trodden across your flooring.  

Use a wood flooring wax

An appropriate wood flooring wax reduces the appearance of any scuffs or scratches, as well as give your flooring added protection.

Our Impero Elite Reviving Wax is perfect for use a couple of times a year to get the best out of your wooden floor!

Repairing Solid Wood Flooring

One of the beauties of solid wood is the ability to sand and refinish to remove any surface damage. Although, the number of times depends on the thickness of the solid wood plank. 

For less intense damage, wood flooring repair kits are available. As a more cost-effective solution, these contain hard wax sticks which are great for masking the damage whilst blending to your wood tone. 

When it comes to solid wood flooring care, there are many ways to get the best out of your floor. For more advice, call our helpful experts on 03308 088 777.

The post Solid Wood Flooring Care and Maintenance appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

Fashion isn’t just limited to clothes. A few years ago, colour experts bit the bullet and decided to create a colour of the year to give those of you who are interior fashion conscious a guide. After the colour forecast changing dramatically over the years, from bright yellows to subtle greens, what’s exactly on the cards for 2020?

The answer is classic blue – a familiar and trustworthy shade, you’d have a job trying to find somebody who doesn’t like some sort of shade of blue.

You might be slightly underwhelmed to hear that the colour of the year is something as familiar as blue, but this shade is far more than that. We all know that blue is suggested by therapists to be a calming and reliable colour – therefore what better place to have it than your home where these feelings are exactly what you want?

So, what’s the point in having a colour of the year unless there’s a use for it. Well, we are all about keeping up with interior trends, so we’ve come up with some interior ideas where you can incorporate this fantastic shade. With it being a rich and classical colour, there are factors to consider when matching it up to really make your room pop.

First consider which room you’re looking at – using a colour you love in a room you use a lot is always a good place to start. This gorgeous colour would work beautifully in a living room as wood panelling – the perfect mix of contemporary and tradition

If you’re not a fan of anything too traditional and a clean-cut contemporary appearance is much more to your taste, then perhaps don’t overdo this colour. Although it looks great in quantity, it can work just as well in small amounts. Go for a feature wall, this will really draw attention to the colour and create the perfect contrast. Even if you’re not looking for a dramatic change – velvet sofas in this colour or even stylish lamps are a great cheaper way of getting in style.

Now for our favourite room for this colour – the bathroom! More and more of us are moving away from the classic totally white bathroom and opting for something a little more colourful. First it went from mint green in the bathroom, back to white and now for something a little more adventurous. We aren’t saying cover your whole bathroom with this shade – even we’d agree that would be too much! Instead, introduce it gradually, from bath mats, blinds to baths and toilets. Paired with a stunning Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring, it’ll really make your room pop!

For those of you interested, the rgb code for this colour is 23,58,123 and the HEX is 173a7b.

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Our flooring comes into contact with many different elements, especially if you come from a busy family household! Pets and children not only take up our time and energy, but also add to the wear and tear of our floors. With this in mind, we’re going to explore what the best floors are for those of us who have little paws and feet running about.

Durability

Because there will be lots of paw and foot traffic, something that’s going to stand up to heavy use without showing wear is probably the most important factor – the last thing you want is to be spending your savings on a flooring for it to then look tired!

As a first rule, we’d stay away from carpet as it can discolour and go flat if it experiences a lot of foot traffic. The most durable floors includes: wood flooring, Luxury Vinyl Tiles and laminate. All of these options will offer incredible durability, often lasting for many years if looked after properly.

Maintenance

We completely understand that when you have a busy household to run, something that is easy to maintain is very important. Laminate and LVT are the easiest to keep clean, with little maintenance needed to keep them looking fresh. In terms of equipment, both of them require only warm soapy water and a sweeping brush or vacuum.

Although real wood presents us with beauty and style, they do generally require more attention than other options. You need to be careful with what mop you use though, don’t use a steam mop as this can cause the wood to swell over time.

Another factor to consider is if your flooring will cope with spillages and potential scratches. As we’re sure you’re aware, the likelihood of spillages resulting in stains is very common with small children – equally, pet’s claws are very likely to scratch. Wood flooring is also susceptible to water damage if it comes into contact with liquid spillages which if are not cleared up quickly, can also stain and become scratched easily if not properly protected. Although this isn’t ideal, wood can be sanded down a number of times to eradicate any damage. Therefore, if you’re prepared for a little more maintenance spread across a number of years, then wood flooring is totally fine.

However, if you’re looking for a floor which isn’t going to cause you any stress or worry, then we’d go for LVT. It is completely water, scratch and stain proof – there’s no better option! Laminate is another worthy contender – however it is only resistant to these, so bear this in mind when you’re making your decision.

So, don’t be worried if you have pets and children, as discussed there’s many options available that are suitable. Whether you’re prepared for a bit of extra maintenance or need something completely carefree, here at Luxury Flooring we have something that’ll accommodate everyone’s needs!

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EvoCore Flooring is the most versatile flooring range that we offer. Providing maximum protection from moisture, stains, dents and scratches, as well as  temperature fluctuations. Our EvoCore ranges are designed with many factors in mind to provide a great option for all areas of the home, including high-risk areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Our EvoCore range is still young and new to our collection of different flooring options, so this may leave you with a couple of questions. This blog will help explain every point and factor that you may be curious about.

What is EvoCore Flooring?

EvoCore is a combination of 7 different layers to create an extremely resistant and durable flooring:

1. Built-in underlay backing.
2. A standard vinyl board, eliminating any ripples or waves.
3. Ridgid core board, enhancing stability and protection against water damage and expansion.
4. Another standard vinyl board, adding additional robustness against chips and dents.
5. Decor film, which provides different wood patterns and colours depending on your preference.
6. Highly durable wear layer which provides commercial-grade resistance against foot traffic, scuffs and grime.
7. UV protective coating, which not only provides protection against colour fading, but also keeping the decor film clearly visible.

These layers combined provide protection and durability that you simply cannot find in any other flooring range that we offer. Each layer works together to create different protection factors, thus making it perfect for any room in your home.

The Benefits of EvoCore

EvoCore Flooring provides many beneficial factors. They ensure the best protection and resistance against both common and rare household and commercial activities. Below is a bullet-pointed list of each benefit that this range offers: 

• EvoCore is 100% waterproof
• Built-in underlay backing
• Anti-slip surface
• No expansion or contraction when exposed to heat and cold
• Pet-friendly
• Durable and hard-wearing
• No glue needed for installation, due to its easy click-lock installation feature
• Real wood look and feel
• Scratch-resistant
• Compatible with underfloor heating
• Hides subfloor imperfections
• Can be laid over existing flooring
• Eco-friendly

The sheer amount of benefits that EvoCore Flooring provides is completely unmatched when compared to other options. This waterproof flooring is a perfect flooring choice for bathrooms and kitchens, due to its waterproof and anti-slip features. There’s no need to worry about those accidental spills or crazy bath times! 

The EvoCore Ranges

Within our EvoCore Flooring range, we offer 2 different ranges that are better suited to different needs and situations. 

These two ranges, Essential and Premium, are split based on their thickness, coverage and warranty. Premium is classed as more of a luxury range due to its thicker and slightly more durable plank. EvoCore Premium planks are also registered embossed, therefore, the texture on the surface perfectly matches the design, which creates a true wooden look and feel.

EvoCore Essentials

Essential Top Picks

Stormy Grey Oak	Natural Almond Oak	Light Toffee Oak
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EvoCore Premium

Premium Top Picks

Vintage Grey Oak	Natural English Oak	Crafted Georgian Oak
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Installing EvoCore Flooring

Installing EvoCore Flooring is similar to installing click LVT or tongue and groove and click wood flooring, due to its similar click-lock system. However, EvoCore installation is a quicker and easier process thanks to the built-in underlay. 

EvoCore Flooring is installed using the floating floor installation method, as no glue or adhesive is needed to secure your flooring. You can also lay it over existing floor tiles, making for a much quicker fitting process:

1. Measure your room to know how much flooring you will need to purchase.
2. Choose your favourite range of EvoCore Flooring.
3. Ensure your subfloor or existing floor is clean and clear of debris.
4. Lay your waterproof flooring over the subfloor. No underlay is needed because EvoCore Flooring has underlay pre-installed on the underside of each plank. You can lay your flooring lengthways or widthways, depending on what style you are looking for.
5. Use the click-lock feature on each plank to attach them to one another, which creates a tight seal between each plank.
6. Cut the planks when necessary using a fine tooth saw or tile cutter to fit in the area of your room. As well as this, be sure to cut planks that need to work around set features of your room, such as a shower, toilet, cupboards, or sinks and so on.
7. Once your flooring has been installed, add skirting to the perimeter of your room if necessary. We offer a wide range of matching EvoCore accessories such as skirting.

Questions and answers

Is EvoCore pet-friendly?

EvoCore is perfect for any pet owner. As its scratch-resistant surface makes it ideal for claw or teeth marks. Additionally, its easy to clean surface is also great for those muddy paw prints that always seem to show up!

Is EvoCore child-friendly?

Children’s activities can almost always lead to a mess of crayon marks and spillages. This stain-resistant and waterproof flooring makes the cleaning process a quick and easy task; all you need is a little soapy water for stains and marks to be removed.

Does EvoCore have an AC rating?

Only our ranges of laminate flooring offer an AC rating. However, our EvoCore premium ranges offer a commercial-grade durability rating.

Is EvoCore compatible with underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating is no challenge for our ranges of EvoCore. It is 5 times less affected compared to LVT in environments which face extreme temperature fluctuations and exposure to direct sunlight. We have tested the effects caused by heat all the way up to 38°C and found no differences in its shape or size, thus making it perfect for practically any room.

Where can EvoCore Flooring be laid?

EvoCore can be laid in absolutely any room in your home due to its strength and durability. It can even be laid in wetter or more active areas of the home such as bathrooms or kitchens.

To conclude, EvoCore Flooring is a great option for any home. Its many benefits and easy installation makes for a great stress-free job. We hope any questions or queries that you may have had has been answered in this blog. If not, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 03308 088 777.

The post EvoCore: Welcome to the Future of Flooring appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

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Homes need to be both practical and comfortable, but it’s nearly as important for them to be stylish and reflect our taste too. Whether you’re a first-time buyer and renovating your entire home, or just making a quick adjustment to one room in a family home, it’s important to pay attention to your flooring so you get the most out of your interior. So, let’s dive into the main distinctions of flooring for each interior so you’ve got some ideas on where to start.

Traditional

Even with all the temptations of modern technology, many of us still strive after something from a bygone era. If you’re a fan of a traditional interior, then you probably enjoy a luxurious and grand space. It boasts highly detailed carvings, deep dark colour, more textures and lots of accessories! This doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a clean-cut and fresh appearance, ironically updating your flooring can actually enhance the old-style look.

If you’re really wanting to fully take on this fantastic style, then go for richer darker woods. We’d therefore recommend a darker oak or walnut brown with a lacquered finish. However, don’t think the darker the better, try contrast your floor with lighter walls, this makes for the perfect back drop.

Modern/industrial

Typically, a modern interior presents us with slick, clean-cut finishes and minimalistic décor. In terms of flooring, something a little more discreet is ideal. For wood floors, go for one with calmed knots and grains so you get that fresh appearance. In terms of colour, most shades work, however we’d go for grey as it presents a sophisticated modern and stylish backdrop – complementing virtually everything, perfect if you do decide to change things around. Pairing it with materials such as glass and steel also provides that desirable modern appeal.

 Rustic/farmhouse

Rustic interior has blown up in recent years. With so many of us enjoying the beauty of a rustic interior, there’s got to be a flooring option that accommodates this unique style. With flooring being one of the main features of the room, your choice will greatly impact on how your interior will take shape! You can create a bold statement with distressed wood with lots of knots and grains, it’ll give your room real character! Don’t be shy with colours either, rich chocolate walnut will give your home an affluent appearance while still retaining a rustic premise, or a lighter flooring will show off the wood’s natural presence even better, even whitewashed for a shabby chic appearance would work well!

With so many variations of options for interior themes, it’s very hard to decide, we haven’t even scraped the surface! We hope these pointers have given you some inspiration if nothing else and where to start on your interior journey. Here at Luxury Flooring we offer a huge range of wood floors that will satisfy your style as well as offering impressive durability at a affordable price.

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New year, new you – but we prefer to say new floor, new you! Refurbishing your home can be a big and expensive project, but we can guarantee that if you do decide to treat your home to a makeover, then not only will it give your space a new lease of life, but you as well! However, with so many options it can be very hard to choose, so we’ve come up with a brief summary of each flooring we sell and help you make the best decision.

Real wood

Real wood flooring comes in two variations: solid and engineered. The main distinction between the two is that engineered is compatible with underfloor heating, whereas solid isn’t, so don’t fall in love with a solid product if underfloor heating is important to you. Therefore, we’d recommend thinking about whether you want this feature, then you can narrow down your search and make things easier.

We’d recommend wood flooring if you’re wanting to give your home a luxurious and timeless appeal. Not only does real wood look stunning and classical, but is highly durable and will stand the test of time and heavy use if cared for properly. Additionally, real wood is also scratch, stain and water resistant, however we’d think twice about laying it in rooms that have high exposure to these as they can cause damage. However, one of real wood’s huge benefits is that it is able to be sanded down a number of times depending on thickness to eradicate any stains and scratches. This should not normally need to be done for the first 15-20 years, so you can only imagine how long these beautiful floors can last!

With so many woods types, patterns and finishes available you’ll be spoilt for choice. We sell stylish grey wood, warm honey hues, to daring walnut browns. In terms of finishes, there’s oiled, brushed and lacquered to only name a few. If you want to know about them in more detail, then check out our finishes explained blog.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles

Although most of us lust after the look of real wood in our homes, sometimes we just need something at a cheaper price and easier maintenance. The good news you get some very convincing imitations of real wood through LVT, with even better practical benefits. LVT is water, scratch and stain proof, perfect if you come from a busy household where these are unfortunately part of the everyday grind! Many of them come with a textured surface, so not only do they look like real wood but feel like it too!

The other thing to mention about LVT is that you aren’t sacrificing real wood’s impressive durability. LVT is incredibly durable and perfect for high foot traffic rooms and commercial use. It is also able to cope with under floor heating – there aren’t really any negatives!

Laminate

The most inexpensive choice of flooring, laminate is perfect if you’re looking to refurbish your home on a budget, great for first-time buyers! Again, it also mimics natural materials such as real wood, tile and stone, you’ll really get that authentic look you’re after.

Yep – laminate is also able to work with underfloor heating, something we are seeing more and more of in modern homes, so it is worth getting on board with this trend if you can as it gives your home an added selling value! Scratch, water and stain resistant, laminate is an easy going and easy to maintain flooring. We sell a huge selection of affordable and impressive laminates in a range of colours and patterns.

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As flooring specialists, we appreciate and admire the huge variety of flooring available to our customers. Like many commodities, whether clothes, cars or jewellery, flooring too goes in and out of style, although perhaps not as quickly! Now that 2020 is here and the decade of the 2010’s is behind us, we’re taking a look back on the last ten years and review the flooring trends which shaped it.

Environmentally friendly

With the constant threat of global warming, many of us are watching our carbon footprint – and that reflects in the choice’s customers are making when it comes to flooring. Natural flooring such as: bamboo, cork and stone have popped up more and more in this decade, with real wood still retaining its popularity as well.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles

Forget the stereotype of vinyl being cheap, ugly and tasteless – it has been revolutionised to produce stunning Luxury Vinyl Tiles. Coming in very convincing representations of wood, stone and concrete, LVT is perfect if you’ve fallen for the look of natural products but need something at a cheaper price and easier maintenance. Not only does it look so similar to natural products, but is also incredibly durable and water, scratch and stain proof. Why wouldn’t you?

Hardwood floors

Not only has hardwood flooring stood the test of time, but it’s also stood the test of changing fashions! It’s easy to see why wood flooring never goes out of fashion and why its popularity has increased further in the last decade. Versatile, affluent and hard-wearing, it is always a fantastic addition to your home and will certainly add to its selling value. We are confident that no matter how much interior trends will change, wood floors will remain as stylish as ever.

Grey flooring

Many of us associate grey with being tired, dull and lifeless…well forget everything you might have once thought of grey. Its popularity has soared this decade – especially popular with modern interior lovers, it presents us with a stunning clean-cut and sophisticated appearance. However, if you’re a fan of a more rustic or traditional décor, then grey flooring also accommodates this. Coming in real wood, laminate, vinyl and stone, you can satisfy all your flooring desires! Grey presents us with arguably the most versatile colour for flooring, suiting virtually all furnishings and complementing most colour schemes.

Herringbone

With the hustle and bustle of modern life, some of us find we lust after something from a bygone era. We are always striving for more luxury in our lives, which is why herringbone is perfect if you’re looking at flooring. Although typically associated with a traditional interior, its popularity has increased over the last few years to make it a very popular modern style. It gives your room added character with the stunning plank arrangement, as well as being as smooth or as rustic as you like.

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