Wood & finishes · choose like a showroom

Wood, pattern and finish — how to choose.

Browse by the way a real showroom would let you: by construction, then by pattern. On the survey Oleh brings samples so you can see the grain, tone and finish against your own light before you decide.

First, the construction

How the board is built decides how it behaves in a real, lived-in home.

Engineered wood

A real-wood top layer bonded over cross-laid plies. Dimensionally stable through humidity swings and happy over underfloor heating — the practical default for most homes.

Best for: Modern homes, kitchens, underfloor heating

Solid wood

One piece of timber all the way through. Sands back many times over its life and ages with real depth — the traditional choice that outlives redecorations.

Best for: Period rooms, long-term family homes

Reclaimed & character wood

Salvaged and character-grade boards with saw marks, mill stamps and patina no new floor can imitate — prepared and laid to be walked on for another generation.

Best for: Rooms that want warmth and history underfoot

Then, the pattern

The way the boards are set out changes the whole feel of a room.

Straight plank

Long boards run in one direction — calm, clean and room-lengthening. The most versatile lay, and the quietest underfoot.

Herringbone

Rectangular blocks set at right angles into the classic zig-zag. Set out from the centre so the pattern runs true to the room — the floor that makes a whole space.

Chevron

Blocks cut to a point so the pattern forms continuous V-shaped lines. Sharper and more contemporary than herringbone, and unforgiving to lay — pure craft.

Block parquet

Traditional square or brick-laid blocks, the pattern found under many a period reception room. Restored or laid new, it rewards a careful hand.

Last, the finish

The final coat sets the colour, the sheen and how the floor wears — sampled on your own boards first.

Hardwax oil

Soaks into the wood for a natural, matt, close-to-bare feel. Easy to spot-repair and top up over the years without sanding the whole floor.

Lacquer

Sits on the surface as a tougher, more sheened film — hardwearing for busy rooms, hallways and studios that take heavy traffic.

Tone & stain

From pale, limed and Scandinavian through to deep, weathered oak — sampled on your own boards before the whole floor is committed.

Bring the samples to your room.

Call 07886 440956 Book a free survey