Solid wood flooring in Wigan

Supplied and fitted

Solid wood, in plain English

Solid wood is exactly what it says — one piece of timber, no core, no veneer. Nothing else matches it underfoot, and nothing else lasts as long. A solid floor laid properly can be sanded back to bare wood four to six times, which is a century of ordinary domestic use before anyone needs to think about replacing it.

The trade-off is that it has to be treated as timber rather than as a product. It moves with the seasons, so it needs acclimatising in the room before it goes down, an expansion gap around the whole perimeter hidden behind the skirting or scotia, and a sub-floor that is genuinely dry. Get any of those wrong and the floor will tell you about it within twelve months, usually by gapping in February and cupping in August.

It is not the right floor over underfloor heating, and we will say so rather than take the order. If you have UFH and you want real timber, engineered is the answer and it is not a compromise. Where solid earns its place is period property, bedrooms and living rooms — anywhere the floor is going to stay put and be looked after.

Best for: Period properties, bedrooms and living rooms, and anyone who wants a floor that outlives the mortgage.

Also worth a look

Other ranges we supply and fit

Questions

What people ask us

Why finish it on site rather than fit pre-finished boards?

Because you end up with a continuous surface. Pre-finished boards have a small bevel on every edge so the factory coating does not chip, which leaves a visible line between every board and a groove that collects dust. Finished on site, the floor is sanded flat as one plane and coated as one surface. It takes longer and it is worth it on solid.

How long does acclimatisation take?

Usually a week in the room it is going into, with the heating running as it normally would. It is not a formality — timber delivered from a cold van into a warm house and laid the same day is a floor that will move. If a fitter offers to lay solid wood the day it arrives, that tells you something.

Can solid wood go over a concrete floor?

Yes, with the right build-up — a moisture test first, then either a battened sub-floor or a suitable adhesive system over a damp-proof membrane. What it cannot do is go straight onto bare screed and hope. The moisture reading is the first thing we take at the measure.

Which species should I choose?

Oak for almost everything — it is hard, it takes any finish, and it is what most people picture. Ash is lighter and cleaner-grained if you want a brighter room. Walnut is darker and softer, so it suits a low-traffic room rather than a hallway. Pine is authentic in a Victorian house but it dents, and you have to be at peace with that.

Free measure, written quote, no pressure

Tell us the room and how it gets used, and we will tell you honestly what suits it — including when the answer is something cheaper.

Book a free measure Call 01257 425600