Manchester Property News

Guest Post - Written for PAD4U® by Oak flooring vendor Wood and Beyond.

Wood flooring can uplift the interior of many properties and help make the property more attractive on the market. If you are a landlord looking to replace your current flooring with wood, it is essential that you become familiar with the different options at your disposal.

Noise and Flooring

If your property is situated above another, you are obligated by law to minimise footstep noise.  Regardless of which flooring solution you eventually decide to fit, be it wood, carpet or even laminate, noisy floors can become an annoyance to your tenants and neighbours.

Under the Building Regulations Approved Document E (2003, with various updates since), you must reduce noise pollution that is transmitted from the floor. The solution is to fit an underlay with acoustic properties. Some underlays can reduce noise pollution by as much as 30% and make walking on the surface more comfortable.

Types Of Wood Flooring

There are several types of wood floorboards at your fingertips. It is imperative that you fit the correct one so you avoid refitting new floors too soon. As a landlord you should pay attention to:

• A floorboard that is strong enough to cope well with harsh treatment
• A floorboard that has a long service life
• A floorboard that can be rejuvenated between occupancies easily

These requirements will narrow your choice to two types of wood floors. One made of complete wood and one made of wood and manufactured material.

Solid Wood Flooring – These floorboards are made from 100% natural wood. By far, they are the stronger of the two and offer an unparalleled service life of over 100 years.

Engineered Wood Flooring – These floorboards are made from a top layer of natural wood and three to four layers of manufactured materials such as MDF, Plywood and Softwood. Of the two, they are by far the more versatile option in terms of suitability around the property.

Solid vs. Engineered Wood In Your Rental Property

The choice of one instead of the other should be based on the location of the floor in the property and budget constrains. Naturally, solid wood flooring due to their complete solid construction is dearer, but equally offer longer service life. However, they are not always the best option for you. It is easier to understand based on the type of room.

Properties With Under Floor Heating – Natural wood expands in the face of warm temperatures and contracts in the face of cold temperatures. Such conditions are likely to occur in properties that fitted under floor heating. A floorboard that is made completely of natural wood such as in the case of solid wood floors may damage from expanding and contracting. An engineered wood floorboard does not expand nor contracts which makes it suitable to fit over under floor heating.

Busy Areas – Areas that experience high usage will logically also experience quicker wear and tear. When possible, it will make sense to fit solid wood flooring as the floorboards are not only the stronger of the two, but can be sanded and recoated many times thereby rejuvenating the floor for a small financial investment.

Sanding is a process that removes a thin 1mm layer of wood to expose new wood. The floorboard is then recoated and looks freshly fitted. For a landlord looking to tidy up a property between occupancies, an ability to sand the wood is a great cost saving exercise.

Humid and Damp Rooms – Areas that include damp and humid conditions such as the bathroom and kitchen areas require a flooring solution that does not damage from water. Wood is not resistant to water and exposure will damage it. However, engineered wood flooring with a waterproof top layer can be fitted safely in the kitchen, basement, bathroom, extensions and conversions. However the coating does require up keeping ensuring it has not been damaged.

Choosing wood flooring for your rental property is down to understanding your options and fitting the most suitable type.

Written for PAD4U® by Oak flooring vendor Wood and Beyond.