Everybody knows that wooden flooring has a lot of benefits attached to it. It is versatile, easy to work with and quite timeless. For most, wood flooring is seen as one of the ideal floor types for people who want to give their home an update or just improve the value of their property.
However, aside from increasing the aesthetic or financial value of a property, in what way does wooden flooring help to improve the life of your home? Well, it might have something to do with the lifespan of commercial wood floors. Let’s talk about what factors can affect the lifespan of a commercial wood floor.
What Factors Influence Wood Flooring?
There are a lot of factors which can influence the lifespan of your wood flooring.
Everything from the type of wood chosen to the installation method and maintenance routine can impact the lifespan of your flooring.
The first thing you need to think about with wooden flooring is the installation. Wooden flooring usually requires the right kind of underlay and prep work before you can put the wood down. Another important consideration is the type of word that you use. This does have an impact on the way that wood is installed, and most modern properties choose to have the more cost-effective method of tongue and groove installation. However, this is different from the past, when proper hardwood flooring was laid in full planks, which then covered large parts of the room.
What Wood is Best for Your Floor?
So, it’s important to understand there are different types of wood, and each type of wood is used for something unique. When it comes to wood floor sanding Liverpool, there’s a lot to consider. It’s also worth noting that each wood has a different benefit and challenge to keep in mind.
As we said before, one of the best types of flooring to install are solid hardwood options. These are often the easiest to install overall and they have an aesthetic which benefits from natural wear and tear – it actually adds to the authenticity of the wolf which is cool. With that being said, this is also a type of wood which needs to be refinished a lot to get the most from it – a difficult task. Not only is wood of this kind scratch resistant, but it is also expensive to install and use – common wood laid with this type of technique can include things like oak and walnut.
If you’re just after wood which has a long lifespan – definitely something we would recommend for school hall floor sanding Liverpool – , then you’ll want to look at things like hickory, ash and oak. These all have a lifespan of around 100 years if you take care of them properly, in comparison to walnut wood, which only averages out at 60 years.
Maple is a type of wood which is used a lot in flooring. It’s a cheap option for people to buy and install, which makes it a good option for wooden footing on a budget, but the problem with that is that you wind up with a shorter lifespan, with only 10 years on offer even with the right maintenance.
Obviously, there are other options to think about, with the engineered wood options coming to mind. When you’ve got something like a solid plank made out of both MDF and engineered plyboard, you can have a layer of solid wood on the top, which will help a lot with both aesthetic and surface texture. The great thing about wood like this is that if you look after it and take the time to maintain it properly, then you can have a floor which will last roughly 30 years or so.
The great thing about wooden flooring is that you can basically pick whatever works for you and you’ll usually be fine, but what happens if you go in for something like a proper oak floor? What does maintenance and care for your floor actually look like?
How Does Maintenance Impact Floors?
If you want to install and keep a wooden floor in good condition, then it is probably best to go in for professional repairs from time to time. Commercial wood floor varnish Liverpool can get expensive if you do it solo and there’s no guarantee you’ll even get it right.
When it comes to installing and looking after your wooden floor, your main focus should always be on something like cleaning but also taking the time to protect the surface from any of the external factors that are going to cause it harm – not an easy task. You’ll need to account for things like stains, scratches, and even sunlight.
It’s worth noting that every type of wood will respond differently to water and scratch damage. For example, white oak is one of the strongest woods out there, and hickory is known for being pretty water resistant.
When you’re trying to clean up your floor, it’s best to think about the older methods. Vinegar and water are the best bet for a lot of hardwood floors, and you’ll want to think about regular refinishing and sanding every decade or so.
If you splash a little water on it, then you can find out pretty quickly if the wood is sealed or not. If it isn’t, then you’ll need to make changes quickly which can be tough to do.
At the end of the day, wooden floors can look great for a long time. It depends on the type of wood that you pick and how often you choose to maintain it. However, it is perfectly reasonable that wood can last for up to 100 years in the right conditions. If you pick a traditional hardwood floor, then it’s likely to keep going if you put proper time into it. Hardwood floors are a real investment, and they can improve the value of the property.
Natural Flooring Solutions Ltd
Bulloch House, 10 Rumford Pl, Liverpool L3 9DG
0151 541 6277
floorsandingliverpool.co.uk
