Oak floors provide great durability – no questions. Be it dragging heavy furniture, hundreds of customers standing, or just normal daily activities, it withstands it a lot! It’s not just about the wood taking damage, but the oak floors are all about looking good. Old looking floors can ruin the very appearance of a place, but oak wood floors can retain appearance and blend in very naturally with the rest of the environment.
Extensive maintenance is not a concern as oak flooring can be refinished many times and it’s like getting a new floor without the hassle of removing it. This is advantageous for businesses as time is money, and for homeowners its great as your initial investment keeps delivering returns.
Residential Use
In residential properties, oak wood flooring fits most areas except bathrooms, where special care should be taken due to humidity. As for kitchens, oak is perfectly suited, if you don’t mind spills that need to be wiped up immediately. For sure fits are living, dining, and bedrooms.
Many people are surprised to learn how versatile oak looks. If you want that lightly Scandi look, go for a matte-finished, lightly stained oak. If it’s a Victorian, a darker traditional finish works a treat. Engineered oak is where a thin layer of oak is bonded to a plywood bottom. It has made the product suitable to a lot of modern constructions with underfloor heating where solid wood isn’t suitable.
Prices for installation differ greatly. For herringbone and parquet patterns, expect to pay more than for the traditional straight boards laid. As a rule of thumb, the boards are more expensive the wider they are. Engineered oak flooring is less expensive; however, due to climatic conditions, solid oak flooring isn’t as stable as the engineered option.
Commercial Considerations
Office spaces, retail, restaurants and hotels all choose oak flooring for its benefits beyond looks. Acoustic comfort is a factor—oak does not amplify sounds as much as hard tiles do, which is important in open-plan offices. Besides, oak is a lot warmer than stone or concrete, which is better for workers who are standing for a long time.
Retail and hospitality have a particular challenge as the floor is a big surface that must looks good while taking a lot of abuse. Oak floors undergo footfall better than most options. A restaurant with a 100 cover serves constantly and has a lot of foot traffic, movements of floor-dragging chairs and the dropping of plates. Properly oak finishes can provide the looks to match the expectation of the clients.
The engineered oak option is most preferred in the commercial sector due to its stability and quicker time advantages. Solid oak is a good option too but takes longer, as it requires more time to acclimatise to the space.
Choosing Your Oak
While shopping, you may see the terms ‘rustic grade’ and ‘prime grade’. Prime grade is the more expensive option due to less knots, more uniform colour and clean surface. Rustic grade looks more used, has more knots and diversifies in colour. There is no better option, it entirely depends on your design goals and the budget.
Concrete the finish and the wood have the same value. The lacquer sits above the wood and offers more protection. However, if the lacquer gets damaged, the finish will need to be professionally redone, and the entire floor will need to be refinished. An oiled finish penetrated the wood and is easier to repair. You can spot-treat damaged areas more easily. Matte finishes hide imperfections, and in other cases, imperfections can be in the wood.
The thickness of the oak layer on engineered boards determines how many times you can refinish. Anything under 4mm gives you limited options. Look for 6mm, or more, if you want genuine longevity.
Unless you’re confident with DIY, professional installation pays for itself. Poor fitting causes gaps, creaking and premature wear. You should calculate and account for installation costs beforehand because they can be significant.
Regular maintenance is straightforward. To remove grit that can scratch the surface, the floor should be swept or vacuumed. The floor should also be damp mopped wood floors. The floor should not be flooded with water. That’s basically it, and in commercial settings, the floor may need more than the usual amount of cleaning.
Disruptive, but refinishing is far less disruptive than replacing the floor entirely. In homes, refinishing is necessary every decade or so, but possibly more often in busy commercial settings.
The Financial Picture
While nice oak floor will be an expensive option to begin with, the average lifespan of a product oak wood floor is 50 years, and your cost will even out over the years. Cheaper options will only last 10 to 15 years, and over the lifetime of the building, it is clear to see oak wood flooring is the better option. Do the math!
Also, for commercial properties and spaces, the quality of the oak flooring is felt by both customers and employees which is an intangible benefit that is important, even if it is difficult to measure.
It is also important to note that oak flooring will meet the everyday practical demands, and, to top it off, oak flooring looks great. This is also a reason why the traditional flooring might be the better option.