Straight Plank
Straight plank refers to the design of the flooring. Straight plank floors are simply cut and installed in standard rectangle plank formats.
This type of floor tends to less expensive to purchase and to install than more intricate designs of the same spec due to the simplicity of the design.
Straight plank floors are ideal for those that prefer a traditional uncomplicated style.
Herringbone
Herringbone refers to the design of the flooring. Herringbone floors are cut, designed and installed in the required zig-zag pattern in order to create the Herringbone design.
As this design is more complicated to manufacture and to install it tends to be a little more expensive overall than straight plank flooring.
Herringbone floors have been popular for centuries thanks to the unique pattern of the design.
Chevron
Chevron refers to the design of the flooring. Chevron floors are manufactured and installed to create the specific Chevron design which is essentially a V zig-zag pattern.
This design is also more intricate when compared to straight plank flooring so it does tend to cost a little more to purchase and install.
The Chevron design is considered a luxury floor design and is easily recognisable.
Parquet
Parquet flooring again refers to the design of the flooring, but is an old term that in recent years has become to be used as an umbrella term for both Herringbone and Chevron flooring.
Originally, way back in the sixteenth century in France, parquet flooring was herringbone solid wood flooring specifically in small planks.
Today both herringbone and chevron floors often get labeled as types of parquet.
Fully Bonded
Fully bonded floors are those that need to be fully adhered to the subfloor and that are not suitable to be floated on underlay.
Such floors include Chevron, Herringbone, solid wood flooring and glue down lvt flooring.
Engineered wood flooring can usually be both floated or fully bonded.
Once fully bonded floors have been installed they completely secured in place and are unable to move like a floating floor.
Floated
Floated floors are those that are installed over underlay.
Such floors include laminate flooring, click lvt flooring which usually has built in underlay, and straight plank engineered wood flooring.
Floated floors are generally easier, quicker and cheaper to install than fully bonded floors.
Floated floors are better suited for DIY projects and installers with less fitting experience.
Tongue and Groove
Tongue and groove refers to the joining mechanism of the individual floor planks.
This type of plank joining mechanism is always found on solid wood flooring and often found on engineered wood flooring.
Tongue and groove joins require glue to be applied before connecting the planks together.
Whilst this is the most secure type of joining mechanism, it is better suited to more experienced installers.
Click
Click is the other type of joining mechanism for individual floor planks.
This type of joining mechanism can be found on engineered wood flooring, laminate flooring and click lvt flooring.
Click joins require no glue and simply click the planks together with the design of the joining system.
This is the most suitable joining mechanism for DIY projects.
Random Length
Random length (RL) refers to the length of the floor planks.
Not all wood flooring products come with all planks cut to the same length, many are random length with varieties of plank lengths in the same box of flooring.
Utilising random length planks not only reduces waste during manufacturing, it can also make the finished real wood floor look more natural.
Oiled
Oiled refers to the finish applied to the surface of the wood floor planks.
Wood flooring oils dictate the finish of the surface and can include additional benefits such as UV protection.
Varieties of wood oils are available to create shiny finishes, waxy finishes and matt finishes.
The finish applied is the final protective coating applied to the wood.
Lacquered
Lacquered is the other main type of finish that is applied to the surface of wooden floor planks.
Whereas oils soak into the wood, lacquer sits on top and creates a clear protective layer on the surface of the planks.
Different lacquers are available to create shiny surfaces or non-shiny surfaces called matt. Additional UV protection is also available in lacquered finishes.
