How to Choose Flooring — The Specification Guide That Saves You From Replacing It Twice

Solid wood flooring is exactly that: a plank milled from a single piece of timber, typically 18-22mm thick. It can be sanded and refinished multiple times over decades. It is sensitive to humidity changes and will move seasonally, which limits its use in wet areas and over underfloor heating. Engineered wood flooring has a real wood veneer (the wear layer) bonded to a cross-ply plywood or HDF core. This construction makes it more dimensionally stable — it moves less with humidity changes — and generally better suited to underfloor heating and first floor installations. For most residential renovation projects, engineered wood delivers the appearance of solid wood with fewer constraints.

Yes, and in some applications it is the superior choice. Modern LVT with a 0.55mm or thicker wear layer is waterproof, extremely durable, warm underfoot, and visually convincing. It outperforms both engineered wood and stone in wet areas (kitchens, bathrooms) and in high-traffic rental properties where replacement cost matters. The limitation is perception — some buyers still associate vinyl with budget. However, a 6mm thick LVT with a 0.55mm wear layer from a quality manufacturer is a genuinely good product. The risk is at the budget end: 2mm thin LVT with a 0.2mm wear layer will not last, and it is sold at the same price points by different retailers.

Wear layer thickness is the single most important specification for LVT. It determines how long the floor will look good before it needs replacing. The guidance: 0.2-0.3mm — budget/domestic light use, expect 5-7 years before visible wear. 0.55mm — standard residential specification, 10-15 years with normal care. 0.7mm — heavy residential or light commercial, appropriate for kitchens and hallways with heavy foot traffic. 1.0mm and above — commercial specification. Most RCB residential projects specify 0.55mm minimum. Budget products often carry a 0.2mm wear layer and claim commercial suitability in marketing language — this claim is misleading.

Yes, but it requires the right product and correct installation method. Key requirements: the engineered board must be specifically rated for use over underfloor heating by the manufacturer; the maximum surface temperature of the floor must not exceed 27 degrees Celsius (this is a hard limit that damage and warranty claims depend on); the floor must be allowed to acclimatise for at least 48-72 hours before installation; and the heating system should be commissioned gradually — not switched from cold to full power. Not all engineered woods are UFH-rated. Always confirm with the manufacturer and retain documentation for warranty purposes.

It is the single most important factor in any flooring installation — more important than the floor product itself. A premium floor on a poorly prepared subfloor will creak, dip, fail at joints, and show every imperfection. Subfloor requirements vary by floor type: LVT typically requires a flat surface to within 3mm over 1800mm; engineered wood requires similar tolerance plus moisture content below 12% in the subfloor. Concrete subfloors in London Victorian and Edwardian properties are frequently uneven, moisture-affected, or both. Assuming the subfloor is adequate without checking is the most common and most expensive flooring mistake.

The priorities for rental flooring are: durability under unknown use, ease of replacement or repair of sections, water resistance (particularly in kitchens and bathrooms), and neutral appearance that does not date. LVT at 0.55mm wear layer ticks all of these boxes. It is our most commonly specified floor for rental refurbishments. Engineered wood is acceptable in living rooms and bedrooms but less suitable in kitchens and bathrooms. Avoid: carpet in any kitchen or bathroom, solid wood in any ground-floor rental where flooding risk exists, light-coloured natural stone in family kitchens.