How to buy wood flooring Before you buy
Online flooring calculators are simpler than a pen, pad and calculator
How do I work out how much flooring I need?
The great thing about plank floor coverings is how little wastage there is. Professional fitters can keep this down to just 2%.
There’s usually around 2 sq metre of coverage in a pack. Measure your room and round up to the nearest sq metre.
Compare this with the coverage stated on the pack, then calculate the number of packs you’ll need.
Add an extra pack for luck (or to cope with the inevitable wastage if you’re laying it yourself) – if you buy too much, retailers usually take back unopened packs.
The traditional choice for planks is tongue-and-groove
Which is best: tongue-and-groove or click lock flooring?
These words describe the way that individual planks fix together.
Tongue-and-groove
With this type a tongue that projects from the side of one plank fits into the groove of the adjacent plank.
Fixing tongue and groove together can be quite complicated; first you have to fit the tongue into the groove, then you have to knock it firmly into place. Get it wrong and you can dislodge planks that you’ve already joined.
They also require gluing and wedging together (or strapping) until the glue is set. Using insufficient glue, or failing to keep it together can lead to a gappy appearance between planks.
Click-lock planks snap easily into place and hold firm
Click-lock flooring
This has edges that are shaped so that a certain action is required to fit them together and once they are in place they can’t move apart.
It’s generally considerably easier and quicker to fit a click-lock floor.
What’s more, the planks are cut by machines, which create very tight fitting joints, reducing the chances of gaps forming after it has been fitted.
Another advantage of click-lock is that the planks can be un-clicked and lifted if you need to get under the floor, which you can’t do with tongue and groove.
This brown base layer helps protect the laminate core from moisture
What should I look for when buying laminate?
When you have decided what finish you want (see final question) it pays to buy the best quality you can afford.
Avoid laminate with a chipboard core because it expands and contracts a lot and don’t buy any damaged packages where water vapour might have swollen the boards.
Look for a fibreboard base with a plain-coloured bottom, usually a green or brown, which gives added protection against moisture.
Remember that if the material looks cheap in the package it’s not going to look any better on your floor, no matter how much effort you make to finish the job properly.
What about buying real wood?
Click-lock engineered wood planks - the beauty and variety of real wood, but easier to fit
Engineered wood floors are often quite similar, but it’s worth choosing one that clicks together rather than tongue-and-groove boards, which are harder to fit.
Remember that wood is a natural material and that the planks will vary, so ensure that you like both the heavily and lightly grained versions of your chosen wood and find its knots appealing.
It’s worth seeing how well the planks fit together on in-store display panels. Look at the quality of the finish and compare the products offered by different manufacturers.
What else will I need?
You need a damp-proof membrane if you’re laying over a sand and cement or concrete floor and the best underlay you can afford: thicker foams or felt are best.
Lacquered, oiled or unfinished - the choice is yours
Check whether the manufacturer recommends a cetain underlay and whether this affects the guarantee.
What finish should I go for?
This is very much a matter of personal taste. Bring samples home to check how they look in the light conditions and with the decoration of your room.
Laminate usually has a slight sheen. Wood can come oiled, lacquered or unfinished.
Lacquer is a hard varnish that protects the wood and adds a shiny finish. Oil, which also protects the wood, is a more natural finish that gathers a lustre as it wears.