The drama of wooden floors

There's something absolutely charming about wooden floors, avers K S Someswara. Perhaps, it's the mind-boggling variety and forms they come in.

In modern home designing, flooring occupies prime space and forms a part of the homeowner’s signature taste. The age of red oxide and mosaic tile flooring is gone, and a majority of the homes today, invest in granite, marble and vitrified floors. But there’s another flooring option that seems to have raided the home spaces across the country – wooden flooring.

Available in a variety of textures and shades, wooden floors can be found in two major variants – homogenous and heterogenous. Homogenous pattern consists of a single layer or a plank which adds depth and intensity, while the heterogenous pattern consists of multiple layers and patterns. The stability of the wood is enhanced by running each layer at an angle of 90 degrees to the layer above. This stability makes it a universal product that can be installed over all types of sub floors, above, below or on grade. These are also called engineered wood.

Some wooden flooring options also exude the feeling of a natural flooring material. These options are flexible, strong and have high-resistance standards; they are durable and are easy to maintain, too. Their wide range of colours and patterns suits all your requirements and even the needs of high-moisture areas like kitchen and bathroom. For a classic and graceful appeal, go in for hardwood flooring. With their warm and sturdy look , they enhance the ambience of any space.

Wooden flooring suits the exteriors of a home, too. Choose waterproof floors that  can stand heavy usage. Most of these exterior wooden floors also have a suspended grip quality that prevents accidental slips on wet floors.
Another latest trend in flooring is the laminated flooring option. Resembling real wood, these synthetic, layered floors are easy to install and maintain. It is very functional, scratch-resistant and available in different finishes like luminous, matt or patio. Also called floating floor, laminates are both stain and water-resistant, and can be easily replaced if damaged. Choose colours like beige, grey, chocolate, brown for your bedroom and for the living area, go in for maple and natural oak. For a green touch, you also have the option of going in for eco-friendly laminated flooring. With high UV-resistance, these floors block the sun’s harmful rays and prevent fading of the look.

Here are some tips for the maintenance of laminated flooring:

Laminated floors do not trap dirt. Most spills can be cleaned with a terry cloth mop, a swiffer or a sponge. First, clean the area with a mop dipped in water and some soap solution and then, mop with a dry cloth.

For hard stains like crayon marks and cigarette ash and other oily greases, use a solution of mild detergent and warm water.

To remove candle wax or chewing gum, use a damp clean rag with mineral spirits like denatured alcohol or acetone.

Ensure that you never wax or sand aminated flooring.