For many generations, having oak flooring has been a symbol of status and luxury. This is due to the high levels of quality and longevity of oak in historic terms. Oak is a native timber in Britain and as such has always be used for building projects within the country. Oak is arguably the strongest native wood in Britain and as such has been chosen for use as everything from wood flooring and window frames to building the British naval fleets. Possibly one of the most famous wooden ships of the 15th century was the Mary Rose, which had a hull made from English oak. After a successful career, the ship was sunk during an engagement with the French fleet in 1545. Due to the use of oak the wreckage was able to survive over 400 hundred years under the sea, until it was recovered and placed in a museum in Portsmouth, UK. With this in mind choosing oak flooring would be the obvious choice, when looking for hardwearing wood flooring. In recent times cheaper woods have become readily available, such as Norwegian pine or American imports. This has helped to cement the belief that British Oak is superior to these imports. At Floorsave, we have a huge selection of top quality solid oak flooring and engineered flooring options to choose from. This means that there is an option available for all budgets and tastes. Our selection includes a range of beautiful European Oaks with various finishes such as brushed and oiled or lacquered. For a truly unique solid wood flooring why not try the European smoked oak, which is oak brushed and oiled for a rustic finish.
With modern innovations, if you are looking for a truly long lasting wood flooring solution, then an engineered floor may be worth a look. Engineered flooring comprises of two or more layers of wood within the plank, thus giving extra levels of stability. As wood is a natural product, it retains many unwanted characteristics. For example trees respond to the amount of water in their environment, such as the African Boabab tree which stores huge quantities of water within its trunk. Solid Wood flooring retains the characteristic of this and can hold water, which has the effect of making the planks grow and shrink during the course of the year.
