Wood floorboards are an integral part of most London homes. They are a great addition to the aesthetics and can serve you for years to come. Moreover, when it comes to wooden flooring, there is a wide variety of floorboards available nowadays. Read on to have a look at some common types of floorboards you can see in a Londoner's home.

5 Common Wooden Floorboard Types

Solid 

Solid floorboards are made up of a single piece of wood throughout. They come in the natural form of wood and are the most classic ones with a variety of customization options. These wood floors never go out of style due to their natural look.

These types of floorboards are long-lasting and durable if maintained well. Since they are completely made up of pure wood, you can sand and refinish them as many times as you want to keep them brushed up. 

However, solid floorboards can’t bear moisture so they are a great choice for low-moisture and well-ventilated spaces. 

Engineered

Engineered floorboards are the types that are partially made up with solid hardwood and the rest of it being plywood glued to it. Since only their top layer is natural hardwood, these are more affordable options for wood flooring. 

Engineered wood flooring offers a look of solid wood and is easy to install. Such floorboards are also less prone to moisture damage and are more durable options.

However, since these are not fully made up with hardwood, they have a thinner layer of wood over them. That means it will limit the number of times you can sand and buff engineered wood floors as compared to solid wood floors.

Laminate

Although laminate floorboards are not actually pure wood, they are certainly a replica of them. Laminate floors are synthetic ones made up of multiple layers along with a photographic layer resembling/mimicking wood floors. These are made with a protective layer on top and are resistant to scratches.

The best part is that despite offering the same aesthetics as wood, laminate flooring as compared to engineered wood is a much cost-effective and easy-to-maintain option.  

However, you can’t sand or refinish laminate floorboards as you’d do to other counterparts. 

Bamboo

Bamboo flooring is among the common floorboard options in London homes. Although they aren’t wood, they often fall into one of the most durable categories of floorboards replicating wood. 

It’s a very robust and sustainable option as floorboards and is highly-resistant to moisture-prone areas, making it one of the best woods for bathroom floors. 

Cork

Another common option for floorboards is cork flooring which is a wood derived from cork oak tree. Such floorboards come in tiles of multiple layers with compressed cork, fiberboards, and a high-quality cork on top.

Cork floorboards are great options for offering a soft and cushioning surface as compared to other hardwood options. They are also good at retaining warmth and absorbing noise, making it a better choice for bedroom and kids’ rooms. 

Cork flooring is also attributed as antimicrobial in nature as it repels microbes and so it’s a great option for homes with allergies. 

Summing Up

These were some common types of floorboards with varying properties and usages. Solid floorboards offer a natural look while engineered ones are a combination of plywood and solid wood. Laminate floors are a cost-effective synthetic replica of wood while bamboo and cork are robust and soft surface flooring options respectively.