Solid Oak Flooring
Long gone are the days when man lived in simple caves and covered himself with leaves. Imagining ourselves in those conditions now is next to impossible. Today our houses are filled with numerous luxuries, some cherished and some we have become so used to that they are taken for granted. How many of us really stop and think about the comfortable floor under our feet when he are walking around, in houses, offices or any other building. There are many flooring options available to us these days and different people have different preferences but one thing that has been an age old fact is that solid wooden flooring is probably the classiest and dignified look possible for a floor.
Wood again offers a variety of options but one of them that has been popular for centuries now is the solid oak floorings.
History and Varieties of Oak floorings
Oak is one of the hardiest timbers available for furniture building and flooring purposes. An Oak tree lives for around a thousand years and thus provides very durable wood, which makes solid oak floorings a very popular choice in both Europe and America. Many of the historic buildings throughout Europe have wooden floors. On occasions, time does catch up with this great natural material causing various problems to arise, but if proper attention is paid towards its maintenance, it is probably the most durable, long lasting yet beautiful option.
There are three main varieties of solid oak floorings and they all differ in their colour, grain and hardness.
European Oak floorings
This type is produced through out Europe and former Soviet states. It is the most elegant type of Oak available and can blend in beautifully into modern as well as historic buildings. It has a colour variety ranging from light tan to deep brown and on maturing it attains an amber touch. It has wild grain, burrs and pin knots that only adds to the whole appearance of the flooring.
Red Oak Flooring
It is sourced from the northern American region and has a medium range of colour and has lighter tan with pinkish to dark brown highlights. It is loved for its pink tinge that lends additional warmth. It goes through a slight change in colour with maturity.
White Oak Flooring
Found in the Southern parts of America, this type has a wider range of species, which means it has more colour and density variations as well. It has a higher degree of colour variation than red oak but not as much as the European and ranges from light and medium tan with grayish touch to medium brown colours. It is also a little harder than the red oak.
Types of solid oak floorings
Wood Floorings are of three types, namely, strip, plank and parquet.
Strip flooring is the most common and rather standard style of wooden flooring. These are 1 1/2-inch or 2 1/4-inch-wide by 3/4-inch thick strips that have a tongue and grove inter locking system. They are laid parallel to each other.
Wide Plank floorings are the got trend these days. They can be up to a foot wide but have to be at least 3 inches. Due to the variety in width that is available they can be laid in different arrangements, but normally require professional installation as the wider width is susceptible to being damaged by excessive moisture in the sub flooring.
Parquet floorings have been used for centuries in historic buildings around Europe. These are small pieces of wood laid in geometric patterns and are more ornamental and decorative than the others. They are linked together with the tongue and groove interlocks.
Solid Oak Flooring is available in all three types with different finishes, like rustic pre-finished, brushed and oiled, hand dressed and unfinished, to suit the particular requirement of each buyer
Advantages of using Solid Oak flooring
- The first great advantage of choosing wooden floorboards is that they are natural product, is environmentally friendly and can be recycled and reused.
- Secondly, Oak floorings have a very sophisticated look and blend in to any kind of house, modern as well as rustic. Unlike carpets, they are also allergen free and more healthy choice for homes.
- Maintenance of these wooden floors is very easy due to advancement in stain resistance and finishes. It is mostly a matter of sweeping or vacuuming with occasional use of wooden floor cleaning products.
- You can find reasonably affordable solid oak floorings and over time, unlike carpets and other options that loose their freshness, a wooden floor with maturity and good care will only add to the value of your house.
- With so many options available in solid oak floorings, you can choose your own final look by varying the grade of wood, cut or type of Oak to be used.
Floorings may come and floorings may go, but once you install a wooden floor, oak, pine or mahogany, you can rest assured that you have made a durable choice that will never grow out of fashion.