Frequently Asked Questions

The Floorsave FAQ page is designed to give you quick short fire answers to the most popular of flooring questions. Most questions are answered in more detail through our expert advice section.

What is acclimatisation?

Acclimatisation is getting your wood comfortable in its final destination; by comfortable we mean its water content is at equilibrium to its surroundings. If the air is too moist your wood will take on water, if the air is too dry the wood will crack so we recommend at least a 72 hour period for letting the wood acclimatise in the room in which it will be laid.

Click here to find out more about acclimatisation.

What is a damp proof membrane?

A Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) is used on concrete or slightly damp floors. It is designed to stop damp from penetrating into wood or laminate floors. To validate your guarantee you will always require a DPM on concrete floors.

Why do I need an underlay when fitting engineered or laminate flooring?

Generally you need underlay to help with sound reduction and to also act as an insulation buffer. Underlay is specifically used for engineered and laminate flooring to help prevent expansion, shrinkage and cupping.


For a deeper delve into the world of underlays check out our guide here.

What type of wood flooring is suitable for under floor heating?

Floorsave recommend the use of engineered wood and some laminate floors for use with under-floor heating because of the elasticity of the product.

For more detailed information please see our underfloor heating guide.

What does mixer grade wood mean?

Mixer grade is a pack of wood flooring that contains a mixture of wood grades. Your pack will contain the same boards, some boards will have no imperfections, some will have filled knots and include a variation in color.

What does random length mean?

Wood floors come in two types of length. Random length boards are usually solid wood floors. There is a minimum length and a max length. The boards will be between these two sizes. You need to be aware that most companies by a shorter length spec where most of the boards are closer to the shortest size and you do not receive many longer boards.

What is the difference between an engineered wood floor and a multiply wood floor?

This question can be a bit confusing because multiply flooring is still engineered. The simple difference is the thickness of the board and how many layers it has. Multi-ply wood is thicker and more rigid which of course is reflected in the price.

Do you fill knots?

All of our solid and engineered wood floors come finished to a high enough standard so that you will not have knots to fill. If you do not buy your flooring from us you may need too, this is because knots can sometimes turn into holes which then leads to a completely different problem!

You can use Fibre Glass Resin mixed with Hydroxide Activator and some black resin pigment to seal them and create a really great two tone finish. Make sure you fill the cracks slowly so air can rise to the surface and sometimes you may need to revisit 30 minutes later with a second coat.

Why do I need an expansion gap around the perimeter?

You need an expansion gap because wood will expand and contract according to the temperature and humidity of the room. Expansion occurs cross grain, so its the width that expands not the length and more details can be found in our cupping guide and guide to caring fitting your wood floor

What special precautions do I need to take when laying my floor on concrete?

When installing solid wood on concrete flooring please insure you use a correct Liquid Damp Proof Membrane and suitable glue.

How much should I allow for wastage?

With all grades of wood there will be a percentage of flooring which cannot be used. Some may be due to cutting, others due to the grade. The lower the grade of the wood the higher the percentage should be allowed.

TIP - Most installers recommend 5% but it does depend on your grade of wood.

Take a look at our 'how to measure a floor' guide for more information on how to work out allowances for wastage.

Can I fit wood flooring myself?

Yes you can is the short answer. But ask yourself: Can you measure accurately? (most people can’t); Can you cut wood in a straight line? (I can't); and Do you have a finishers eye? (I certainly don't) If the answer is yes to those questions then you should be able to fit your flooring yourself.

We recommend that the fitting guidelines supplied in each box are followed and always give us a call anytime if you need advice!