Wood flooring is an eternally popular choice, but there are some exciting trends you might want to be aware of if you’re in the market for a new wood floor.
Wood Finishes
For many years, wood was seen as a construction material that supported carpets or linoleum. Today, it is fashionable as the finish in its own right. One reason is that people are more aware of the allergy and toxicity dangers of volatile organics in vinyl and carpets, which are described here https://iaqscience.lbl.gov/voc-summary. When the sub-floor isn’t appealing, modern coverings like laminates convincingly emulate exotic woods.
Sustainable materials
Flooring based on bamboo or cork is ecologically sustainable because unlike hardwood, it can be quickly replaced. Laminates are composed of wood pulp, which is kinder on forests than harvesting hardwoods. Advances in solving problems like sealing and shrinkage make them even more practical. These alternatives are also softer and warmer. Cork can be used as a surface in its own right or as an underlay for laminate flooring, improving warmth, softness and acoustics.
Wider and longer boards
Bigger boards are quicker to fit, accentuate the grain or pattern, and create a feeling of increased space in small rooms and modern open plan areas alike. Different colours and shapes of board can be mixed and matched to create your own geometric design. Fewer joins also mean fewer places for dirt to accumulate or boards to slip apart.
Aesthetic Choice
Using reclaimed wood is ecologically respectable and there’s a trend toward texturing the surfaces in avant-garde ways, but it is among laminates that choice is truly taking off. Colours at the extreme ends of the spectrum – both darker and lighter – are popular, but there are also new mineral and metallic finishes and 3D textures. Anything that can be photographed can be embedded into the surface of a laminate, so the sky is the limit.
The wider the range, the harder the choice, so consider taking advice from an experienced like http://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/laminate-flooring.
Geometric Patterns
Parquet flooring was always popular but went out of style because of its cost and the challenge of keeping it level. Laminate sections click together and have no such problems. Herringbone, diagonal or chevron patterns can be simulated in their surface, created by fitting boards in different directions, or both. These fashion statements will endure for a long time.