Hardwood Flooring in Leicester: Benefits, Types and Advice

Hardwood flooring is one of the few things you can put in a house that gets better with age. It's hard-wearing, easy to keep clean and suits almost any style of home, from a Victorian terrace in Clarendon Park to a new build in Hamilton.

We've been fitting floors in Leicester for 80 years, and wood is still one of the floors our customers ask about most. This guide covers what hardwood flooring does well, how solid, engineered and parquet compare, and what to ask before you buy.

Why Choose Hardwood Flooring for Your Leicester Home?

It lasts. A well-fitted wood floor can last for decades. Solid boards and engineered boards with a thick top layer can be sanded and refinished, so you can renew the surface rather than replace the whole floor.

It works with any style. Oak sits just as well with a period fireplace as with a handleless kitchen. You can repaint, refurnish or change your whole look and the floor will still suit the room.

It's easy to look after. Dust and crumbs stay on the surface instead of working into fibres. A vacuum and a lightly damp mop are all it needs day to day, which helps if you have pets or young children.

It adds value. Buyers notice real wood floors. They're often mentioned in estate agents' listings because people see them as a sign of a well-kept home.

Period homes and new builds

Leicester has a real mix of housing, and wood works across all of it:

• Victorian and Edwardian homes in Clarendon Park, Stoneygate and Knighton suit herringbone parquet or wide oak boards that look at home alongside original features.
• 1930s semis around Oadby and Wigston often have suspended timber floors, which suit both solid and engineered boards once the subfloor has been checked.
• New builds usually have concrete floors, so the subfloor needs checking and preparing before any wood goes down.

Solid and Engineered Wood Flooring

We supply and fit both, and each has its place. Both give you real wood on the surface. The difference is what's underneath.

• Solid wood is made from one piece of timber, usually 18 to 20mm thick. It can be sanded and refinished many times over its life.
• Engineered wood has a real wood top layer bonded to a stable core. It comes in a wide range of thicknesses and can be fitted over most subfloors.

The right choice depends on your room, your subfloor and the look you want. Once it's down, most people can't tell them apart. We'll look at your home with you and talk through what will work best.

Parquet or plank?

This is about how the floor is laid rather than what it's made of. Both come in solid and engineered versions.

• Herringbone and chevron parquet add pattern and suit hallways, period homes and anywhere you want the floor to be the feature.
• Wide planks, 180mm or more, give a calm, open look and work well in larger rooms and open-plan spaces.
• Narrower planks suit smaller rooms and more traditional interiors.

Laying boards along the longest wall, or towards the main window, usually makes a room feel bigger.

Looking After Your Wood Floor

A little care keeps a wood floor looking good for years:

1. Put a good doormat at every outside door to stop grit getting in.
2. Vacuum or sweep regularly, using a soft brush head.
3. Clean with a lightly damp mop, never a wet one, and wipe up spills straight away.
4. Use the cleaner recommended for your finish. General floor cleaners can dull lacquer and strip oil.
5. Fit felt pads to chair and table legs, and lift heavy furniture rather than dragging it.
6. Keep the room between 40% and 60% humidity where you can, to limit gaps and movement.

Small marks will appear over time, especially in busy homes. On an oiled floor, most of them can be buffed out, and many people find they add character.

Why Good Fitting Matters

Even the best boards will let you down if they're badly fitted. Most problems we're called out to fix, such as gaps, squeaks, lifting or uneven boards, come down to the fitting rather than the wood.

A good fitter will:

• check the subfloor is level, sound and dry, and test concrete for moisture
• let the boards settle in the room before fitting, as the manufacturer recommends
• leave the right expansion gap around the edges so the floor can move
• plan where the boards start and finish so there are no thin slivers at doorways
• deal neatly with door heights, thresholds, skirting and changes in floor level

What to Ask Before You Buy Wood Flooring in Leicester

1. Is this floor right for the room and the subfloor I have?
2. Solid or engineered, and why?
3. How thick is the top layer, and how many times can it be sanded?
4. Which finish suits how we live?
5. Who fits it, and what preparation is included in the price?
6. What should I clean it with?

If a supplier can't answer these clearly, keep looking.

See Our Hardwood Flooring in Leicester and Oadby

Michael John Flooring has been fitting floors in Leicester for 80 years. We supply and fit solid, engineered and parquet wood flooring from brands including Ted Todd, and our own fitters handle every job from survey to final trim. We also fit LVT, carpet and more, so you'll get straight advice on what suits each room.

Wood looks different in every room, so it's worth seeing it in person. Visit either showroom, or book a home visit and we'll bring samples to you so you can see them in your own light.

• Leicester showroom: 188–190 Narborough Road, Leicester LE3 0BU. Call 0116 254 1853.
• Oadby showroom: 91 The Parade, Oadby LE2 5BB. Call 0116 254 3924.

Or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we'll get back to you.