• Why Oak Flooring?
• Wood Flooring Grades
• Choosing a Finish for Oak Flooring
• Maintaining an Oak Floor
• Wood Floor Care & Storage before Installation
• Under floor heating and acclimatisation
• Instructions for Installation
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
• Shipping & Delivery
• Privacy & Security
• Returns & Replacements
• Smoked Oak Flooring
• Ordering
• Payment, Pricing & Promotions
• Floorboard Samples
• Visiting Our Offices


 

Why Oak Flooring?

1. Oak Flooring is a wise investment: It can add value to your home and will last for decades (even centuries), far longer than some of its contemporaries like carpets

2. Oak Flooring is simple, cheap & easy to maintain and repair: Depending on the type of finish you go for, removing scratches can be as simple as sanding down the area with the scratch and applying some oil.

3. Oak Flooring is versatile: If you decide to re-decorate your home, you can do so and create an entirely new look if you want to without having to replace the flooring. All you need to do is sand down the boards and then apply a new colour as needed.

4. Oak Flooring is beneficial for Allergy Sufferers: Unlike carpets, oak flooring traps very little dust mites and is easy to keep spotless.

5. Oak Flooring can be an Environmentally Friendly Choice: When flooring is sourced from sustainably managed forests. Even better if the timber is machined in locally (i.e. in Europe or the UK) rather than the Far East or America. It can also be recycled at the end of its life or used for fuel.

 

Wood Flooring Grades

Some companies have different names and descriptions for the different grades of oak. Here are the names, grades and descriptions that we use. For further clarification please contact us.

-          Super Rustic Grade: Often called Barn Grade or Pub Grade oak. It is characterised by a larger number of knot (increase in both quantity and size), some colour streaks and variation, splits or cracks and even the occasional small hole. This flooring is ideal for customers wanting a very natural characterful floor that will blend well in period properties. These floors tend to look like they have been installed for years, even when brand new. Often described as ‘rural’ or ‘country’ character.

-          Rustic Grade: One of the most desirable choices, rustic grade flooring still shows plenty of character but with less knots (which tend to be smaller in size too) than the Super Rustic Grade. Rustic Grade oak also displays finer cracks and slightly less colour variation. It is an excellent choice for all types of properties where a floor with character is desired without the need for over the top features.

-          Natural Grade: Also very desirable choice, natural grade oak flooring displays some knots, some colour variation and some thinner or finer cracks. It is very similar to Rustic Grade oak but has a slightly cleaner look.

-          Prime Grade: Sometimes called ‘select grade’, prime grade oak flooring displays very few knots (often only pin knots) and has an even colour with hardly any splits. It is the cleanest grade of flooring available and only a small number of prime boards can be made from each tree. This is why it is more expensive than the other flooring grades. Prime grade oak flooring is ideal for modern and contemporary homes or homes with a minimalist design.

-          Antique/Hand Aged/Distressed Grade: All these words describe rustic flooring that has been hand aged and distressed to authentically recreate the wear and patina of flooring centuries old.

 

Choosing a Finish for Oak Flooring

When choosing a finish for your new (or freshly sanded oak floor) there are 2 main areas to consider:

1. Your own personal preference – i.e. the sheen of the floor & appropriate maintenance work
2. How much ‘foot traffic’ the area will receive & if you have children and/or pets

Maintaining an Oak Floor

The following steps can help keep your flooring in good condition:

-          Place effective mats by all doors leading outside to help prevent dirt etc being dragged onto the floor

-          Place specially designed felt pads on all furniture legs and avoid dragging furniture over floor

-          For everyday cleaning use a dry broom, brush or vacuum (on hardwood floor setting).

-          For more thorough cleaning use a well wrung out mop with a recommended natural soap flooring solution.

-          Stiletto heels and sharp objects can damage wood floors so contact with the floor should be avoided

For in depth maintenance instructions and advice for oiled oak flooring please view our Customer Care Sheet – Oiled Flooring Guide which is available to be emailed or posted on request.

Wood Floor Care & Storage before Installation

Before the New Flooring Arrives

- Building must be enclosed and weather tight.

- All wet trades, including plastering, tiling and painting must have completed their work before the flooring is installed.

- Central heating (including under floor heating), air conditioning and ventilation is all in place and has been operating for 10-14 days prior to the wood arriving.

- If installing over a new concrete slab, it must be dry to 3% moisture content (this can be measured with a Hygrometer) and a Damp Proof Membrane must be in place.

Site Conditions

Installation site should have a constant room temperature of 15 C – 23 C and humidity of 45%-70% for 14 days prior, during and after installation.

Acclimatising Wood Flooring

All new flooring has a moisture content of 8-10%, the recommended moisture content for wood used as flooring. However as moisture levels can vary dramatically from one property to the next (and from one part of the country to the next) it is strongly advised that all new timber flooring should be acclimatized on site before installation. The recommended times are listed below:

Solid Oak Flooring: recommend an acclimatization period of 10-14 days

Engineered Oak Flooring : recommend an acclimatization period of 3-5 days

Recommended Storage of Flooring

When acclimatizing the new timber flooring, the floorboards should sit in the room/s they are to be installed in (or at the very least in an adjacent room that is open to the installation room/s). The floorboards should be stacked in a way to allow airflow around all the individual boards. This can be achieved by stacking the floorboards on top of one another and separating them with dry wood battens or sticks. Make sure they are stacked evenly along their length and are well supported. We strongly recommend the use of a moisture meter throughout the acclimatizing period to check moisture levels of wood and room.

Recommended Stacking Method

The floorboards are properly and evenly supported, including the ends of the boards.

Please note that no flooring should be stored/stacked very close to or in contact with any direct sources of heat. This includes stacking the flooring alongside a radiator or by a window with direct sunlight coming through. In the same instance, all flooring should not be stored/stacked next to sources of moisture, including newly rendered/plastered walls or a newly laid concrete floor.

Under Floor Heating & Acclimatisation

Please contact us for more in depth acclimatization advice if you are installation engineered oak floorboards over under floor heating. Please note that we always advise against using solid oak flooring with under floor heating.

Instructions for Installation

Installation instructions are available on request by telephone as we like to talk through with you in detail your installation site to give the most appropriate advice. Please note however that the advice we can give on the phone without having visited the site is limited and we can only give site specific advice if our installer has visited site and completed a full site survey. If we are installing the flooring for you then this will be arranged free of charge. Otherwise we can arrange to visit site to give advice for an additional charge.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1.       Can I use wide oak flooring with under floor heating?

Under floor heating adds additional stress to a wood floor because it subjects the timber to a greater range of temperatures and moisture levels than normally seen in a home without this type of heating. However wide engineered oak flooring can be used successfully with under floor heating.

The construction of the engineered boards keeps the flooring stable. 15mm thick engineered oak flooring allows the most effective heat exchange between the under floor heating and the room. When using an underlay, ensure the product is specifically designed for use with under floor heating to again allow for good heat exchange. It is especially important that the new flooring is acclimatised correctly and moisture readings are taken prior to installation.

 2.       Should I remove my existing floorboards before I install my new oak floor?

You do not necessarily have to take up existing timber flooring to install your new flooring. Check to see if your existing floorboards are dry and securely fixed and use 15mm thick floorboards.

 3.       Can Wide Oak Flooring be used in areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and basements?

Yes, some oak flooring is suitable for use in these areas – engineered oak flooring with a suitable water proof finish is highly recommended for use in kitchens, bathrooms and basements (so long as the sub floor is correctly prepared and damp proof membranes are installed where necessary). Solid oak flooring can be used in kitchens but it is highly recommended that a professional installer complete a full site survey and install the floor in this area.

 4.       How long shall I leave it until I install my new oak flooring over my new screed?

Formal advice for this can be found in BS 8201. Here it is advised that one day of drying time shall be needed per millimetre of screed for the first 50mm. The moisture levels should still be measured and recorded regularly whilst it is drying before the new wood floor is installed.

 5.       Do I need to leave expansion gaps when installing oak flooring?

There is no standard answer for all installation sites, as there will be varying factors from one site to the next and a site survey and discussion with your installer regarding this is highly recommended. As a guide, for a normal household installation, an expansion gap (unfilled) of between 10mm – 15mm should be left by all solid structures (i.e. walls). Wider solid boards and/or very large installation areas can need additional gaps for expansion over the width of the floor. Professional advice is given in BS 8201. Once again it is strongly advised that your floor installer visit the site for a site survey to confirm details like this prior to installation.

Shipping & Delivery

 UK Delivery

The charge for delivery is based upon your location and the size & weight of your order. During checkout you will be asked to enter your desired delivery address. The cost of delivery will then be calculated using this information.

 All our wood flooring deliveries are made to the kerb side and at the nearest access point to the delivery site. Sufficient help offloading the wood flooring must be arranged before the delivery arrives as the driver is not permitted to move the flooring onto your site. Some of our flooring is up to 3.5m long and therefore requires a large vehicle for delivery. It is assumed that there will be no access problems for delivery unless we are informed otherwise prior to delivery. Deliveries are made between 9am and 5pm every week day unless previously agreed.

 If the delivery turns up at your site but is unable to deliver the goods due to your absence or you refuse delivery then you may be liable for a further delivery charge at a later date if applicable. None of our delivered goods are allowed to be dropped off on site without getting a signature.

You must visually inspect your entire order and make a note on the delivery report of any issues regarding the condition of the goods and/or any missing/additional items. Only once you have checked that all goods you ordered have arrived and are in good order should you let the driver leave. In the unlikely event that any of the goods you receive are damaged or you are missing some items you must write this down on the delivery note before the driver leaves. Otherwise we may be unable to replace these items.

 Overseas Delivery

Please contact us on 0044 1903 892 012 or info@wide-oakflooring.com for a price for delivery overseas.

Supplying Goods Overseas

Any goods supplied overseas will be subject to the same terms and conditions outlined in these standard terms of business. They will also be subject to the UK laws governing the sale of goods.

Privacy & Security

Protecting your privacy is extremely important to us and rest assured that we will never release your personal information to any person or business for mailing or marketing reasons. Any personal information you do provide will be securely stored by us guaranteed. This is why we uphold very high levels of security for both telephone & internet transactions. The security of your personal and payment details is of the utmost importance to us. Any information collected is done so lawfully and in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

 

Returns & Replacements

The Distance Selling Regulations 2000 gives all customers the option to cancel orders up to 7 days after receiving the goods from the seller, as long as you conform to all the guidelines it sets out in the “Distance Selling Regulations”. The cancellation must be in writing.

Following confirmation from a member of staff at Wide Oak Flooring (including a returns number), you must return goods that you have already taken delivery of at your own expense within 30 days of receipt to qualify for a full refund. They must be re-packed in the same manner as they were received. Wide Oak Flooring will refund the price paid for the goods less the cost of the original delivery so long as the goods are returned to us in good saleable condition.

Flooring which has been custom made specially to an individual customer’s specification cannot be cancelled (Regulation 13 DSR 2000)

Refunds will be made via the payment method that was originally used to purchase the goods within 5 working days of receipt of original goods back at the office or warehouse.

 

Smoked Oak Flooring

As detailed on our website what customers should always be aware of with smoked oak flooring is that there can be some variation in the colour from one floorboard to the next - this is perfectly normal and an inevitable consequence of the smoking process because smoking the oak will highlight any natural colour variation in the oak. This is not deemed a reason for a refund or replacement boards.

 

Ordering

Customers may place orders for goods either through our website, via email, telephone, fax (08456 120 327) or in person through a scheduled appointment. Orders placed via email and telephone are still subejct to our website Terms and Conditions and all orders confirmed by telephone will be required to also be confirmed in writing via email or letter sent via post. Some of our oak flooring products are made to order and therefore are not available to purchase through our website. Specially made to order products can be discussed and ordered over the telephone (01903 892 012).

 To order on our website, locate the product you would like to purchase and click on the buy now button. Choose the quantity of flooring you wish to purchase and complete the various options relating to the product in question, delivery and whether you wish to purchase any other products. After you have keyed in the appropriate information the website will take your payment details and once you have placed your order you will be sent an email confirmation with details of your order.

Once we have received your order a member of staff will contact you to discuss delivery.

 

 Delivery Dates

-          Orders below 80M2 = 2-4 weeks from order

-          Hand aged Flooring or orders over 80M2 = 4-6 weeks from order

Your new flooring will be delivered by a standard courier company who offer curb-side delivery. Although the driver is sometimes willing to help there must be builders on site on the date of delivery to offload and stack the floorboards. The customer may choose a specific date for delivery during the week. Flooring will arrive between 9am – 5pm.

 

 Minimum Order Quantity

All of our wood flooring products have a minimum order quantity of 20M2

 

 Representation of the Product

Given the character of digital photography & other such media, all products displayed on the website, in our brochures or in our emails may differ slightly in colour due to restrictions in browser software & monitors. All our wood flooring and many of our other products are derived from natural sources and thus have some small natural variations in colour, character & broad appearance. In some of our oak floorboards sapwood may be present.

 

Payment, Pricing & Promotions

Full payment of both goods and services supplied by Wide Oak Flooring will be paid either in full before delivery takes place or on completion of works (Exact payment terms will be agreed with the customer prior to confirmation of order). The cost of all our goods is clearly displayed on our website and in our company brochure, with the exception of both specially finished items and bespoke made to order products that are priced on an individual basis. Once agreement of contract has been made between the customer and Wide Oak Flooring, the prices are non negotiable. Wide Oak Flooring reserve the right to retain ownership of the goods until full payment has been made. Wide Oak Flooring reserves the right to claim interest of 4% per week on any late payments as per our normal statutory rights.

Placing an order is easy and can be completed:

-          Through our website www.wide-oakflooring.com

-          Calling the office on 01903 892 012 or 07870 758 164

-          Booking an appointment to visit our office in Ashington, West Sussex

You can confirm your order in writing by email, fax (08456 120 327) or post. Full payment of the floorboards is required upon order. For installation work, a deposit of 25% is due on order and the remaining balance becomes due on completion of agreed work.                                                                                                                 

Payment can be made by credit or debit card (without charge), cheque or BACS (bank) payment. We accept all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

 

None of the Terms and Conditions listed above affect your statutory consumer rights

 

 Floorboard Samples

 Please bear in mind that wood is a natural product therefore although the sample is a good and reliable respresentation of the flooring there may be slight variations in the colour and grain detail from one floorboard to the next. Customer can request to see photos from customers of entire floors to help give a better idea of the flooring once installed.

Visiting Our Offices

All customers are welcome to visit our offices based in West Sussex but an appointment must be made by telephone prior to visiting to ensure an appropriate member of staff is there to meet you.