One of the most prominent flooring choices in British homes for the past few hundred years; oak flooring from Ambience Hardwood is both a staple and a cornerstone of the British homemaking practice. But what makes oak so appealing?
Not only is oak simply beautiful to observe, but it embodies much more than that; being the tree often thought of as a tree of power and beauty and is often thought of as an example of intelligence and the ability to endure. Examples of this symbolisation can be found everywhere, from the current flag of the conservative party, to the coat of arms of Estonia.
But why Oak flooring in particular?
Red Oak in particular, is often considered the benchmark of floor hardiness with a Janka hardiness scale of 1290, making it perfect for flooring. In fact, oak flooring is so durable that it is often used for places that expect high amounts of traffic such as hallways and entrance ways and is also highly resistant to sudden shocks and prangs. Although the wood is extremely durable, it is, like other woods, not recommended for environments of high humidity such as bathrooms or basements though despite this; it is often used to give the impression of space within the confines of a small room.
Besides this, there are also two types of wooden flooring on the market.
The first type, and possibly the most traditional, is solid wooden flooring. Made from a single plank of wood, solid wooden flooring is a durable and solid base for any room. Unlike some floors, solid wooden floors survive any fashion trend and have done so for hundreds of years. Thanks to both the durability and natural beauty of solid wood flooring, it makes an excellent to any home and actually raises the value of your home as well as aiding it in selling quicker.
The other type of wooden flooring available is engineered flooring. Unlike solid wood flooring, engineered flooring consists of multiple layers of plywood which are fused together at high pressures. A strip of chosen material is then applied to the top. Although most people think that engineered flooring actually diminishes the value of a household, this is simply not true; in fact, in accordance to the human eye, there is no difference between solid wooden flooring and engineered flooring. There is however, a bonus of a different kind in regards to engineered flooring; as it contains only one fine strip of surface wood, engineered flooring is great for the environment as consequently, less trees have to be cut down, so there’ll be more oak for us to enjoy!
Another great bonus of oak flooring, whether it is either engineered or solid, is that it is more hygienic than many other flooring choices. As the surface of the wood is generally smooth, this means that the floor attracts less dust as well as providing little shelter for house bound allergens such hay fever particles. Of course, if you look after your oak floor, the chances are that it can last for decades to be enjoyed by generation after generation.
