The average cost of buying and installing hardwood floors is £45.00 per square metre for materials and £21.50 per square metre in £35 per m² to £39.99 per m²
Engineered wood floor prices:
Next we must consider whether the construction of your home incorporates a concrete or wooden subfloor, as this will impact the choice of suitable underlay. If you are concerned about heating issues (especially if your home has a concrete base).
Underlay Costs
The costs of underlay are typically related to the type of subfloor:
- Concrete subfloor: £2.00 per m² – £4.25 per m²
- Wooden subfloor: £1.75 per m² – £3.75 per m²
Underlay thicknesses ranges from 2mm to 5.5mm, relevant to the function. For example, we can help you to understand the types of underlay that are suitable for use with underfloor heating, and which types of underlay are more suitable where no underfloor heating is available. You may also wish to consider integral moisture proof barriers to combat dampness issues.
Warmth in winter – for further information relating to hardwood floors and seasonal heating issues, please see our blog on How To Keep Hard Wood Floors Warm In The Winter. Here you will discover many of our industry top tips that could prove to be useful reading at the planning stage of selecting and installing your hardwood floor.
Underlay DIY Bundles – our best selling underlay DIY bundles offer superb solutions for covering larger floor spaces. If you are considering the DIY option (see below), speak to us today to discover how our high performance bundles could be the ideal cost-effective option to accompany your plans.
How Much Is A Hardwood Floor Installation?
In terms of the labour costs associated with a hardwood floor installation, our advice is that you should budget for an average of around £21.50 per m² – but be aware that this figure will likely vary depending on the specifics of your home.
We are affiliated with a network of skilled trades people across the UK. We are happy to recommend our trusted flooring specialists in your area. We encourage you to make enquiries with these local experts, who can help you to get a clear picture of the unique installation costs for your flooring project.
DIY Hardwood Floor Installation
We supply hardwood floor installation kits at discounted rates. Each kit contains the appropriate tools necessary to complete your flooring task to professional standards, including a tough plastic tapping block, a PVA spatula and metal pulling iron, and spacers to help you to map and plan an exact layout.
How Much Extra Hardwood Floor To Order
We advise purchasing an additional 15%-20% of what you think you need to completely cover your floor space (in accordance with your measurements). This extra material will come is useful for two main purposes:
- In the region of 5%-15% will be useful in filling in gaps and awkward spaces (e.g. around a fireplace or step).
- The remaining 5% will act as insurance against any accidental damage while handling and fitting each piece of wood. This is especially worth considering if you are hiring professional installers, who will have no choice but to stop work if they do not have spare materials to hand should they need it. This could result in paying the installers for a second day of work, increasing your costs.
Hidden Costs – Do I Need To Add A Finish To My Hardwood Floor?
The benefits of adding a finish to your solid wood floor include an increased lifespan and a visually appealing depth of colour that can increase the value of your home. Depending on which type of of solid wood flooring you choose, we offer a range of attractive solutions that could greatly reduce cleaning times and boost heating efficiency.
Solid wood floor – costs of adding a finish:
Engineered wood floor – costs of adding a finish:
Brushed And Lacquered Finish – What Does It Mean?
A brushed and lacquered finish helps to highlight the natural textures of your chosen wood whilst protecting against the damaging effects of harmful UV light and spillages.
First, each board is brushed with a steel comb. This process helps to emphasize the natural grain of the wood. The lacquered finish gives a smooth and glossy surface look, ideal for eye catching well lit areas. However, as the lacquered finish is susceptible to scuffing under heavy usage, we recommend this finish for areas unlikely to play regular host to common sources of damage such as heeled shoes, suitcases, and children’s toys.
Brushed And Oiled Finish – What Does It Mean?
A brushed and oiled finish offers a much deeper level of protection than almost any other finish. The Oil seeps into the wood, helping the wood to remain supple. The treatment also allows the wood to develop natural darker tones over many years.
First, the wood is brushed with a steel comb to bring out the textures. Next the oil is applied. The oil promotes a natural and fresh look that appears as if no work has been done to the wood at all, allowing the qualities of the wood to be fully appreciated. Unlike a lacquered finish, which provides a barrier, oiled floors are exposed to direct contact. This can mean that damage to the floor requires upkeep in terms of sanding. Thick wood floors may be sanded up to ten times.
Lacquered vs. Oiled Finish
To help you to decide which finish is best for you, let’s take a closer look at how a lacquered finish stacks up against an oiled finish.
A lacquered finish provides a varnish like shine that will tarnish over time with wear and tear. An oiled finish gives a natural matt finish that will deepen in tone over time.
A lacquered finish offers a surface level of protection that helps to protect the wood from UV light and spills. Chipped lacquer can be removed and replaced, leaving the wood unaffected. Oil will seep into the wood, helping the wood to stay supple and protected against damp or heat. Wood floors treated with oil may require sanding to remove the appearance of scratches. A thick wood floor can typically be sanded up to ten times.
An oiled wood floor will typically require slightly more upkeep over a long time period, due to its exposed nature. However, the worn look of an oiled wood floor is often deemed more desirable in comparison to the chipped look of a worn lacquered wood floor. This means that although the upkeep frequency of an oiled wood floor will generally be greater than that of a lacquered floor, the matt look oiled floor will not appear to be in as much need of repair as a lacquered wood floor that has had its shine worn away in high traffic areas. Speak to us today to find out more.
Ultimately, the cost of adding a lacquered finish to your hardwood floor is similar to the cost of adding an oiled finish (this is true whether you opt for a solid or engineered floor). This should remove the cost comparison as a consideration. Instead, consider the shiny finish vs. the natural look, and also bear in mind the potential implications that each type of finish may have on the resale value of your home in terms of appearance and matching decor.
Wood Species – Solid Wood Floor Costs
When you decide to install a wood floor, you will likely wish to weigh up how factors such as cost, longevity, and function relate to the visual impact of the completed floor. In order to get a better idea, we will now take a closer look at the different wood species that we offer.
Ash wood is extremely hard wearing. The main attraction of ash wood is its light colour and understated straight grain. These features make Ash the ideal choice for well lit living spaces.
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- Oak £19.99 per m² – £41.75 per m²
Oak wood is popular for its diversity and durability. The wood lends itself to traditional or rustic decor due to its dark tones. Oak is also widely available, which helps to keep costs down.
Maple wood is well known for its adaptability. The wood responds well to treatment, allowing it to take on gradually darker tones until a desired finish or ‘warmth’ is achieved.
Acacia wood flooring panels are typically short (cut from younger trees). The grain is known for its intense character, with dramatic patterning and distinctive large knots giving a unique look.
Cherry wood gives a richness of colour that makes it the ideal statement flooring to complement the decor. The deep reddish finish darkens towards a reddish brown with exposure to light.
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- Walnut £49.99 per m² – £73.99 per m²
Walnut flooring is known for its low maintenance and dark colouring – Walnut wood is darker than Oak, making it one of the darkest freely available wood flooring options.
Bamboo wood is a popular low cost alternative to some more established hardwood flooring options. Bamboo is available is different styles and responds well to a range of finishes.
Hardwood Floors – Weighing Up Costs
Choosing the correct wood floor to suit your budget and your home can be a daunting task. With so many options available and so many considerations to bear in mind, you may find that you begin to choose one type of wood flooring only to be completely convinced of another option within minutes of continuing your research. The important thing to remember is that this seeming indecisiveness is normal, and we can help.
Our hardwood floor experts will help you to understand the most suitable types of wood flooring to complement the current set up of your home. We will talk you through any engineering prep work that may be required to achieve your desired outcome. Understanding factors such as existing underfloor heating can help to better decide the appropriate underlay solutions, and noting the expected levels of footfall traffic can help to decide the ideal type of wood and the most suitable finish.
We’re experts at helping people like you to reach the cost efficient practical solutions you need in installing the correct wood floor for your home. We can help you to get the results you want for the price you want to pay – this includes helping you to evaluate the correct amount of extra panelling to purchase so as to account for the particular layout of your floor space and to cover any on the job damages. Speak to us today for unbiased advice and guidance that can save you money and increase the value of your home over time.