Up to 25% off Wood Flooring
Higherground
Higherground Flooring Logo
Home / Help / FAQs

FAQs

Answers and insights to help you make your choice.

Wood flooring

What is Engineered Wood flooring?

Engineered Wood flooring consists of a hardwood top layer a few millimetres thick, bonded to a cross-ply backing under pressure. It has become very popular in recent years due to the stability of its construction, which allows for wider and longer boards, offering you more choice of styles. Engineered boards are also more ecologically sound than solid wood, since they reduce the amount of hardwood required – and thus the number of trees felled – by up to 80%.

Isn’t solid wood more durable?

In practical terms, there’s not much difference. In normal conditions it takes in excess of 15 years to wear down a hardwood floor by a single millimetre. Our engineered boards generally have a minimum 3.5mm hardwood top layer, so you’re unlikely to make any noticeable impression on either in your lifetime!

Which is easier to live with?

From a practical perspective there is little difference. However solid wood is more susceptible to changes in moisture, so therefore is less stable than engineered boards. If you want solid wood, smaller boards (as used in some of our herringbone ranges) tend to be more stable.

How is a wood floor fixed?

Solid boards are either bonded to the sub-floor, or secret-nailed to joists. Engineered wood floors can float on an underlay. All herringbone wood floors, whether solid or engineered, need to be bonded.

Can I have a wood floor with underfloor heating?

As a rule, we don’t recommend fitting a wood floor over electric underfloor heating systems. If you have a water system, however, you can have a wood floor; we’d always suggest engineered wood rather than solid, as it’s less susceptible to bulging or opening up with changes in temperature. Care should be taken when switching heating on for the first time, or as the seasons change. For more details and advice, please contact us.

Carpets

What are the benefits of wool carpeting?

Wool has been recognised as the ideal material for carpets for centuries. It’s soft, warm, naturally flame retardant, and has a built-in springiness that helps keep it looking new for longer. And if you’re considering the environment in your choice of flooring, be assured that wool is both sustainable and 100% biodegradable.

What about man-made fibres?

If long life and easy care are your priorities, man-made fibres are the way to go. They’re very hard-wearing, making them perfect for high-traffic areas like hallways: indeed, many wool carpets are blended with synthetic fibres to make them more durable. If you have pets or young children, polypropylene is stain-resistant, and can be cleaned with bleach solutions. Plus, modern synthetic fibres can be made into silky, super-soft carpets that are wonderfully warm and luxurious for bedrooms.

I have underfloor heating. Will this affect my choice?

Underfloor heating is enjoying a renaissance since the Romans first enjoyed warm toes in the lost city of Pompeii. In those times carpets didn’t enter the equation of course. Carpets, and underlay have insulation properties which will reduce the effectiveness of heating systems. We recommend a maximum TOG rating of 2.5 of both carpet, and underlay combined. Please ask about our lower TOG rated underlays, which will give you more flexibility when choosing your carpet.

Rugs

I want something a bit different. Suggestions?

Our Fading World rugs are made from traditional rugs, which are cut up and pieced together to create something truly unique and contemporary. Jacaranda offers beautiful handmade Indian rugs, which are simple yet chic, while brands like Brink & Campman, Wedgewood and Ted Baker all have some fantastic options.

The colour or size isn’t quite to my liking, can it be changed?

If you want one of our off-the-peg rugs but it’s slightly the wrong shape or size for your room, it’s not a problem; we can usually make it to your requirements.

Please contact us for more details.