Wooden flooring is about finding the natural beauty in the material, accentuating the grain and leaving the shade as natural as possible whilst also ensuring it can survive the rigours and traffic of its everyday existence.

Wood is an exceptionally robust flooring material, but whilst the headline properties of its colour, grain and texture can often look very similar at a distance, the materials themselves often have different properties that suit a range of purposes and budgets.

A flooring specialist can help reach through the wide range of options to find the best choice, but here are some top tips and rules of thumb to go with.

Consider Humidity

If you have the budget for it, it can be tempting to opt for the beauty of natural solid hardwood, but this is not always the best option for every room.

Wood reacts to moisture, constantly expanding in damp conditions and shrinks in dry conditions, so it is not recommended for use around kitchen worktops or in bathrooms.

With that said, there are alternative choices such as laminate and wood-effect tiles that provide that cosy look but with greater waterproof properties.

Do Your Research With Reclaimed Wood

In an era of upcycling, reclaimed wood can be an ideal way to get low-cost and environmentally friendly solid wood flooring. However, reclaimed materials are not without risk and simply looking for the cheapest boards available at salvage is asking for trouble.

If you know what you are doing, are careful with processing and are either lucky or know the right people, reclaimed wood can be a bargain. However, it can also sometimes be expensive or have the risk of old nails or unseen problems so either know what to look for or go to a specialist who can process the wood for you.

It can also sometimes cost more than new floorboards, but the vintage aesthetic can sometimes still make that expense worth it.