Carpet vs Wood Floors – Infographic!

Carpet vs Wood Floors – Infographic!

Choosing the right floor for your home or commercial property can be difficult – there is a surprising number of factors that need to be taken into account, from how it looks in combination with the other features of your property, to how it functions under the footfall that your property experiences. We’ve created this handy infographic to help you decide whether carpet or wooden flooring is best for you.

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carpet-vs-wood-floor-infographic

Wooden floors have excellent durability – this is a key feature of wooden flooring. The strength and resilience of wooden floors means that you won’t have to worry about replacing it for a long time.

Wooden floors are timeless – wooden floors will never go out of style. The trends for carpets and their patterns, however, can become outdated as interior design trends change.

Wooden floors are good for allergy sufferers – there is no space for dust mites and other allergens to be stored in wooden floors, whereas they can be harboured in the carpet’s fibres, which can be irritating to people with certain allergies.

Wooden floors add value – while they may be more expensive, wooden floors can increase the value of your home.

Easy to maintain – with most wooden floors, spillages and mess is very easy to clean up, as the wood does not absorb anything. A simple combination of cleaning spray and a cloth can remove most mess.

Refinishing – in the unlikely event that your wooden floor is damaged, it can be refinished to restore it to its former glory – a process that can be repeated over the lifespan of the floor.

Versatile – it can be used in all rooms in a property, from living rooms to bathrooms.

At UK Wood Floors, we are proud to provide the highest quality wooden floors for domestic and commercial customers alike. If you would like to know more about what we do, please feel free to get in touch with us today.

Case Study: Industrial Parquet flooring at the Hoxton Hotel

Industrial Parquet flooring at the Hoxton Hotel

At UK Wood Floors we have over 30 years’ experience in manufacturing and installing high-quality floors for a variety of industries, including the hotel and leisure sector. One example is London’s Hoxton Hotel, situated in the heart of Shoreditch, one of the trendiest places in the country. Combining innovative, forward-thinking designs throughout their 210 rooms, the hotel is perfect for guests of all ages and interests, particularly those who want to stay in and around the Shoreditch metropolis.

As well as the eclectic rooms, guests are greeted by the beautiful reception area when they walk through the doors of the hotel. For those who fancy a bite to eat or a nightcap after a long day, the bar and restaurant area is an ideal place to relax and unwind in impeccable surroundings. Part of those surroundings is the delightful Industrial Parquet flooring, created and installed by UK Wood Floors.

Industrial Parquet flooring is a style which is unique to our company, and it was its elegance that convinced architects Bell Slater to incorporate it into the interior of their latest development. Constructed from upright, rowed mosaic parquet pieces, the floor is laid quickly thanks to a synthetic resin glue, poured directly onto the sub-floor. The flooring is available in various species of wood, including oak, walnut, hard maple, beech, birch and black cherry, meaning it can be used in harmony with a range of interior designs.

Industrial Parquet Flooring Hoxton Hotel

The floor itself is very hard-wearing, which makes it perfect to withstand the heavy footfall that the Hoxton Hotel experiences on a daily (and nightly) basis. The resilience of the wood means that even under constant footfall, it will be several years until it will need to be significantly refurbished – team this with the relatively low price, and it’s easy to see why Bell Slater opted for Industrial Parquet flooring.

The process of laying the floor takes the following shape:

Step 1: The sub-floor is prepared. Doing this correctly is essential if the floor is to be laid perfectly, and as such the sub-floor must be dry, clean and unbroken.

Step 2: The crown line is set, and the resin glue is applied to the sub-floor. The parquet flooring is then laid directly onto the adhesive, working outwards to the skirting. It is ensured that the pieces interlock correctly, using one additional finger of parquet flooring every one metre to ensure full compaction.

Step 3: The floor is sanded using 40 grit abrasive, then re-sanded in stages using 60, 80 and 100 grit abrasive respectively. 80-100 grain wood standing dust is then mixed with a jointing compound to be used as a paste, applied by spatula. This paste covers the entire area, filling all joints, and the process is then repeated after 45 minutes. After an hour, the floor is then re-sanded to remove the jointing compound.

Industrial Parquet floor

Step 4: Using 150 grit sandpaper, the surface is sanded and then checks are made to ensure it is clean and dry, and all filler has been removed. A coat of primer is then applied, using a brush or a roller.

Step 5: The floor is then lacquered or varnished, but only after the primer is completely dry. After the finish has dried, it is then sanded with 150 grit paper, and then resealed with a further two coats of lacquer or varnish.

The finished product is flooring that perfectly compliments the design of the property, offering a beautiful surface that is able to endure and withstand busy environments for years on end.