How Can My Oak Flooring Look Contemporary?
23rd Dec 2014 @ 16:23
Oak flooring is increasing in popularity more and more. Away from more traditional properties, oak flooring is now also making its way into the more contemporary of areas. So what can you do to make your oak flooring look contemporary?
Grade Of Oak Flooring
The grade of oak flooring is the first point to consider. More traditional properties would normally opt for either the barn or character grades.
The barn grade oak flooring will feature a high number of knots, burrs, colour streaks, shakes, cracks and even some holes. These boards are really suited for those areas where maximum character is required, such as a Tudor Cottage or rural barn.
The character grade oak flooring is a slightly cleaner grade of oak flooring, featuring occasional knots of varying size (some of which may contain cracks or holes), colour variations and the odd shake and end crack. Whilst suited to the more traditional properties, the character grade is also equally at home in contemporary environments.
For the more contemporary settings, where a more minimalist look is required, the select grade or prime grades are perhaps more suited.
The select grade goes even cleaner than the barn and character grades. These boards mainly consist of perfectly grained oak, but have the occasional pip knot or tiny crack. The select grade provides an almost flawless finish, with the slightest character to brake up the floor.
For the absolute minimalist look, we have the prime grade oak flooring. These boards are all taken from the centre of the trunk, meaning only a small number of prime boards are produced from each tree. The prime grade boards offer a real modern and contemporary look, offering a beautiful looking floor without distracting the eye.
Width
Another factor that can influence how your floor will look is the width of board. The width of board chosen should be relative to the size of the room. Too thin or too wide of boards for the room size can often look unsightly.
Finish
The finish that you choose for your boards is perhaps the main influence in achieving a contemporary looking floor. The finish is the final piece of the puzzle with oak flooring, greatly influencing the final look.
As with all of the points mentioned above, it is about what looks best in your environment. With the Blanchon Hard Waxoil - Colours, there are a number of different finishes available to you.
For a lighter tone of finish, there is the Weathered Wood, Old White, White, and White Grey finishes available. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Light Grey, Metallic Grey, Graphite and Black finishes. When used in the right environment, these finishes can produce a very modern and contemporary look.
To see a complete run down of the type of finishes available, click here.
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