Mixing flooring style creates a floor with character

This project in a Victorian flat conversion took an interesting mix and match approach, combining oak hardwood flooring with oak chevron parquet.  As the same species of engineered wood was used in the same white finish, the two different floors work beautifully together. Each floor defines its own space, giving the rooms their own identity and introducing plenty of pattern along the way.

Sub floor preparation

Our first job was to remove the old laminate floor and skirting boards. The exposed subfloor was in poor condition, as many of the boards had been cut into smaller pieces and were loose. We replaced these sections with new long pine boards and ensured all the boards were fixed securely. As the property was in a flat, we applied a Wakol TS102 Impact Sound Reduction Membrane to reduce airborne noise. This was glued into place and pressed down with a 70 kilo roller to create a flat and secure surface. For more information about the sound proofing requirements for wood flooring in flats click here.

Designing the floor installation

We usually design timber flooring starting in one area and then work our way outwards. In this case, the design and transition of the different floor surfaces were both crucial to the overall look of the wood flooring. At the very start of the project we calculated the alignment of both the engineered boards in the bedrooms and the parquet chevron in the hall and kitchen/living area. The challenge here was to get the floors to flow seamlessly into each other, so that each threshold join sat perfectly underneath the doors, so when these were closed, only the flooring in the room was visible.

Fitting chevron parquet flooring in awkward shaped rooms

The zig zag layout of the hall presented further challenges. To achieve a seamless, straight chevron pattern we had to design and calculate three straight lines to run symmetrically down the hall. Meticulous planning was also required for the chevron parquet flowing from the hall into the open plan kitchen/living area. We framed the fireplace with a single oak plank border and designed it so that long chevron blocks ran in front of the hearth. As this was the focal point of the room it was important to get this right and avoid smaller cuts of wood.

Fixing the skirting board into place

The chevron was fitted without a border, allowing the pattern to run seamlessly underneath the new skirting boards. These were fixed into place once the floor was fitted. Curved walls in the open plan kitchen/living room meant that the skirting had to follow the contours of the wall, so we cut the wood into small pieces and sealed them into place to hide the joins.

Sanding and sealing the unfinished wood

Once fitted, the unfinished oak boards required a light sand, while the chevron blocks required a deeper sand to remove any ridges and create a smooth, flat surface. The homeowners wanted a white oak floor, so both of the unfinished floors were coloured with Osmo Snow White. After these pictures were taken the entire surface was finished with a coat of clear matt oil, to seal in the colour and protect the floor. To find out if pre-finished hardwood or unsealed flooring is the best option for your project, click here.

We fitted a total of 55 sq metres for this project; 33 sq metres of the chevron parquet and 22 sq metres of the oak boards.

If you would like to find out more about this project or learn how you could incorporate different flooring designs into your project, please contact us by filling in the form or phone Alin directly on 07456 684477.

Location: W9 Maida Vale, London