Types of timber flooring
[edit] How many types of timber flooring are there ?
The number of timber flooring types depends to some extent which aspects are considered, they can be categorised and chosen by a variety of characteristics including by product type, material composition, joints, finish and more.
In terms of products there are many, many different varieties, some generic and some with specific bespoke qualities.
In terms of material composition there are essentially three types of what might be considered as 'wood flooring;
- Laminate flooring - composite flooring with resins that mimic a natural wood finish
- Engineered flooring - engineered timbers with a final timber layer or lamella on the top surface.
- Solid flooring - solid cuts of timber with a finished top surface and differing joints.
In terms of joints the most common general term is tongue and groove, today with a number of variations sometimes referred to as interlocking floors with terms such as click and lock, snap and lock, drop and lock and angle to angle flooring, as well as other specific product names, these are designed to lock together through the joint removing the need for glue or nails and are commonly used in both laminate and engineered wood finishes. There are a number of other more traditional flooring joints also, used generally with solid wood flooring, some of these various terms are given here.
- Square Edge - the simplest square cut with no carpentry joins.
- Tongue and groove - one of the most common flooring joints.
- Rebate and fillet - similar principle with infill strips
- Interlocking floors
- Drop and Lock flooring
- Angle to angle
In terms of finish common timbers used are oak, walnut, ash, pine, spruce, cedar, larch, fir, birch, maple aswell as mahogany and teak. There are several options for finishing timber, such as wax, oil or lacquer.
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