Solid oak flooring has adorned many homes for hundreds of years but it tended to be used only for second story floors. It was the pioneering home designers that designed opulent homes for royalty and the very rich that initially installed ground floor solid oak flooring as an elegant alternative to the beaten down mud floors, that had been the main flooring option for many hundreds of years. As oak became more popular in the construction of homes, solid oak flooring was selected as the optimum wood due to its hardiness and visual beauty. Elegant homes that had solid oak floors installed on the ground floor began the tradition of polishing the timbers to enhance the visual effect of the wood’s grain. Within the more general population natural oak flooring became the norm as time went by but it was unusual for these floors to be polished they would be left in their natural state – but it was the beginning for all people to live in homes that had boards rather than mud as their floor and with that at last insulation in their homes.
The tradition of installing solid oak flooring continues today as it remains one of the most aesthetic of the flooring timbers available. Solid oak is so adaptable to any home décor and is suitable to create any style of flooring finish – whether that be oiled, waxed, lacquered, stained or highly polished to a glossy lustre. Solid oak flooring also lends itself well to the stylish ‘distressed’ finish, achieved by wire brushing the wood to enhance the grain and resulting in an aged, worn and charming finish.
You can be certain if you select solid oak flooring for your home that it will last the test of time not only in terms of durability but also in terms of fashion. It has never lost its appeal for hundreds of years as the best flooring option – it has a timeless appeal and can adapt to any new trends in terms of home décor design. This is because solid oak acts as a perfect focal point in any room and fits well with any type of furniture style, whether it is in a more traditional home or an ultra-modern, contemporary home. Importantly solid oak flooring can be sanded in situ and this can allow for different types of finish throughout its lifetime in your home.
If you have or are thinking of having solid oak flooring installed in your home there are a couple of things that can help you maintain the floor in all its beauty. Let us face it, a looked after solid oak floor will last for hundreds of years – make sure that dust and grime is removed regularly with a soft brush, vacuum the floor regularly too. Only use supplier recommended cleaning products on solid oak floors and use furniture pads to protect the floor from damage, any spillages should be wiped up immediately and any damage should be repaired as soon as possible.
Solid oak flooring is ideal for any home – it is a classical choice but is able to adapt to today’s lifestyle and if looked after will provide you with a timeless flooring option as it always has for hundreds of years.
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