A General Description of the Floors, the Timbers, Grades, sizes etc.
Index
The Benefits of Quality
English Timbers believe in total quality and we make it part of our everyday business - from the
quality of information that you receive through the manufacture
of the flooring to delivery and our friendly and efficient service.
Technical Information
- Good advice at the right time ensures straightforward installation
and long life.
As a manufacturer of wood flooring we understand the nature
of the different timbers. As a civil engineer, the owner understands the importance of the installation methods
and the site conditions.
We also work with our suppliers to understand
their products and conduct research to ensure we
can best advise you how our products are installed in a whole
range of conditions.
Grading of Solid Timber Flooring
- Accurate grading produces flooring which is consistent & repeatable. This means that different orders of the same
grade of flooring bought at different times will look very
similar.
 Timber Moisture Content
- As a manufacturer, the most important factor that we can control is the moisture content of the timber. Other factors such as site conditions and installation are beyond our control and we can only advise and stress the importance of these.
The quality of kiln drying, rigorous checking of moisture contents and careful storage
of both timber and finished flooring ensure a correct moisture
content which is essential for stability and long life.
The moisture contents of the timber
are checked at every stage of the process -- on arrival, during all stages of manufacture, during storage and at the time of dispatch.
We normally check a minimum of 60 moisture
contents per 100 square metes during manufacture and these are
logged so that an accurate average can be calculated. In addition,
random checks are made and readings are taken at dispatch.
Each order is supplied with a moisture content certificate which gives the average moisture content for that particular batch of flooring.
To ensure that there are no changes in moisture content,
the rough timber and flooring is plastic wrapped
at all stages of manufacture, storage and when the order is
prepared for delivery. Our specification for raw materials is
extremely exacting and timber is turned away if it does not meet
our standards.
Engineering Tolerance & Standard Sizes
- Our precision machining produces hardwood
flooring that is made to engineering tolerances giving an accurate
fit, a smoother finish, less sanding and trouble free installation.
Our standard sizes mean that all of our flooring is all the of the same size & tolerance regardless of when it was manufactured. This means that orders bought several years apart
will fit together & look similar.
Quality Traceability
- Effective checks, monitoring and accurate records mean we can track orders
back through production to the original batch of timber to produce
a record of machining tolerances and moisture contents.
Service
- Our quality of service ensures that you have an informed,
friendly contact with whom you can discuss your requirements
and who will organize your order with a minimum of effort and
fuss. Goods are well packed and protected and are normally delivered
within 24 hours of dispatch. Delivery to the Scottish Highlands and Islands takes a little longer.
Unfinished Floors versus Factory Pre-finished Floors
Our 20mm floors are unfinished because we decided that the
advantages of unfinished floors far outweigh any disadvantages
when compared to pre-finished floors.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both types
and these are set out below to help you decide which is appropriate
for you.
Pre-finished hardwood floors have the advantage of faster installation and possibly less initial disruption during fitting
in an occupied dwelling. The overall cost of the floor including installation may be less than a similar unfinished floor because the cost of factory finishing is less than the cost of finishing after installation.
There is less skill required to
fit a pre-finished floor because finishing is not required.
However the usual caution should be exercised with regards to site
conditions & installation, so make sure that you use an experienced fitter.
There are also some disadvantages
to pre-finished floors which should be considered by the customer:-
It is virtually impossible
to machine a solid timber floor without a slight step between
boards. The manufacturers of pre-finished flooring machine a small bevel along the
top edges of each piece of floor to disguise these height differences.
This produces a vee groove between
the adjacent strips on both the sides and ends which
changes the overall appearance of the floor.
The grooves collect dirt, are difficult to clean and can be unhygienic.
They allow spilled liquids to run into the tongue and may cause
the lacquer to lift or discolour. So a quick fix might
turn into a long term problem especially in well used areas
exposed to spillage. E.g. Kitchens, halls, dining rooms and
bathrooms.
The factory finish is usually a standardized,
machine applied surface (usually semi gloss)
and there is no opportunity for the customer to choose the type of floor finish.
The finishes of some of the less reputable manufacturers
may not be particularly durable and the floors may need to
be sanded & refinished within a year or two.
We have tested some of these finishes & found them to
scratch easily. If you choose to use a prefinished floor, be aware of the potential problems and make sure that you buy from a reputable
manufacturer.
Unfinished hardwood floors do, initially,
require more work but modern sanders are reasonably clean and
modern lacquers and finishes dry very quickly and there are
distinct advantages:-
There are no vee grooves and the floor is
sanded perfectly flat and smooth. This produces a clean
area which is more aesthetically pleasing than one which
is visually interrupted by the vee grooves. Also once applied,
the seal provides a continuous surface which is easy to
clean, does not collect dirt and is not marked by liquid
spillage
There are many types of
finishes which allows some individual choice - you can use water based lacquers in gloss, satin, silk or matt, hard wax oils and oil based lacquers. Granwax finishes are extremely durable and will last for many years. In general, a good quality seal applied to an unfinished floor will far outlast a factory finish and will age more naturally.
English Timbers Unfinished Floors
The Range of Timbers
Our range of solid hardwood flooring
has developed over the years in response to our customers needs,
the availability of raw materials and our investment in new technology.
The range contains many different timbers with a wide variety
of textures, colours and grades. Some timbers are harder than
others and should be chosen for areas of heavy use. Timbers
chosen for light usage in domestic areas can be selected aesthetically.
(A comparison of hardness is available if required.)
Our range of 20mm thick, 128mm wide unfinished flooring is:-
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-
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-
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We also supply Brazilian Walnut or Ipe. This is a very dense, heavy timber and could be used instead of walnut in commercial areas
Rustic grades are also available in most grades, but not in large quantities.
The Sizes
We manufacture a range of solid floors which
are accurately tongued and grooved along the edges and ends.
They are normally 128mm wide, 20mm thick and have the advantage
of being easily fixed by secret nailing. Each piece of flooring
is ends matched which means that they are tongue and grooved
on the ends as well as the sides. This allows the individual
boards to be joined between supports which reduces waste and
means only one piece per room length need be cut to fit. Each
species is separated accurately into three or four different
grades. ( See below for more details.)
The flooring is supplied in random lengths and these lengths depend on the species and grades. In general, they have
a maximum length of 1500mm and a minimum length of 500, 400
or 300mm depending on the grade. The higher the grade, the longer
the minimum length and the longer the average length.
Each
order will contain a representative spread of lengths for that particular manufactured batch of flooring. For specific details of length ranges,
please refer to the individual species page.
This range of lengths is a consequence of the method of production
and the need to produce a range of accurately graded floors
at a reasonable price.
Timber is a natural material which varies
in colour and texture. It is full of features which may be defects
in one grade yet attractive features in another. For example,
a single plank of maple may be white in one part, knotty in
another and may vary dramatically in colour in another part.
Rather than simply machine the board in one long length to produce
a very varied appearance, we cut out any unacceptable defects
and cut the rest of the board into shorter lengths with a well
defined set of characteristics.
In this case a white piece which
would make our Ivory or Honey Maple, a knotty piece which may
make a Rustic piece and a piece with colour variation which
would produce Smoky Maple. The potential problem of fixing and
supporting these shorter lengths is overcome by the ends matching.
A skilled operator decides where to cut the board. The cutting
and length sorting is done with computerised machines which
scan the timber, remove any defects and cut the board into the
various lengths. As well as producing accurately graded flooring,
the shorter lengths can also be machined more accurately than
longer lengths, leading to a better fit and less work.
By cutting the boards in this manner we are able to use all
parts of the tree. This is less wasteful on timber and energy.
Unless stated otherwise, our floors are unfinished and
require sanding and sealing on site.
Our wood floors must be fixed solidly to the sub floor. They
cannot be laid as a floating floor.
Other timbers and grades may be offered from time to time and it may
be possible to manufacture specials if the timber is available.
The Grades
Timber is a natural material with
a tremendous variation in colour, texture & appearance -
perhaps within one species. A well defined grading system is
necessary to separate the timber into aesthetically different
groups.
English Timbers floors are graded to enhance the natural beauty
of each individual timber. Normally it is sufficient to grade
a timber into 3 grades - Classic, Character & Rustic. Some timbers with wide colour variation may be separated into several classic grades each with a different colour.
For example, Classic Ash is separated into Classic White Ash
and Classic Olive Ash. Both are free of knots, but White
Ash is graded to produce a light floor which is reasonably uniform
in grain and colour. Classic Olive Ash has variations in
colour from white to brown and may contain swirling grain. Each
of these floors may be used to create a very different ambience.
The grades may also differ slightly from timber to timber where
the aesthetics of the particular timber permits. For example,
Elm, which is by nature a wild grained timber with wide colour
variation, contains some small knots and burrs in the Classic
Grade which actually improve the beauty. Similar features
in Classic White Ash or Ivory Maple would actually mar the appearance.
In general and subject to the individual
features of the timber, the grades are:-
Classic Grades - This is the highest grade and would generally have the following
characteristics:-
The
least variation in colour of any grade except for timbers where
the marked colour variation is the main feature of the timber
and adds to the beauty. E.g. Olive Ash.
The straightest grain and the least number of knots, burrs
and character marks unless these are specific to the beauty
of the wood - E.g. Wild grain in Walnut or Elm.
Classic/Pippy Grade - This is a grade which is a mix of all the classic grade plus a scattering of small knots, burrs and small character features. It is only suitable for one or two timbers and the individual descritions on the appropriate page should be read.
Character Grades - The timber is selected to give more variation in colour
and texture and to contain more knots. As before, the interpretation
of the grade will vary from timber to timber with the following
generalizations.
All natural colour variations eg.
a wide variation from white to dark brown in Elm with greens,
purples etc. but in Oak there is a less obvious variation - cream
to dark brown.
Wild grain and occasional slight surface checks.
A fair scattering of live, sound knots up to 30mm in diameter,
burrs and other character marks & flashes of colour. A few
small black knots are included and slight machining defects
which are easily sanded out.
Hardwood knots crack slightly during kiln drying but are otherwise
sound. After initial sanding, they are filled with a mixture
of resin and sawdust before sealing.
Rustic Grades - Really a more pronounced version of the character grade with
an increase in the size of knots and features allowed and some
fall out from the higher grades because of slight machining
defects. As a guideline a rustic grade may include:-
Unlimited colour variation including some discoloration and mineral staining.
Unlimited knots of all sizes and
colours provided they are structural and sound. Cracked knots
which should be filled before sanding. Larger black knots and
the odd small hole, some surface cracks and an occasional machining
defect which can be filled or removed by the use of the floor
sander.
All of these rustic features are
normally filled prior to sealing. This grade may require some
additional sanding. All timber is structurally sound
Mill Run or Mixed Grade - This grade is only found in the special offers or factory clearance lines. It is basically a mix of Classic, Character and Rustic grades in any proportion.
Tavern Grade - This is a grade that falls
below the Rustic because of the size of the knots, excessive
surface cracks or machining defects and short lengths. It requires considerable
filling & produces a very rustic floor.
Reasonable quantities of the more popular timbers are produced, mainly oak and maple, but room sized amounts of the other timbers are usually available. Please refer to the Special Offers.
This is a low cost floor in the region of £10 to £12 per sq.m. It has been used succesfully for holiday cottages, pub bar floors and floors in games rooms. It is not a structural floor and must be fixed to a subfloor of plywood, chipboard or existing boards. It has been glued secret nailed and face nailed.
We do supply a small range of pre-finished floors and these are all supplied in lengths of 1.82m. Each length is made up of a number of shorter pieces which are finger jointed together to make the longer lengths.
This reduces the number of end joints, which looks better and also makes it much easier to lay.
We have 90mm wide by 15mm thick overlays in 3 grades of Oak and also in 3 grades of maple.
We also carry a 120mm wide by 18mm thick
floor with all 3 grades mixed together.
These are excellent value products which may be used in certain circumstances and to give a room that wow factor without significant expenditure.
We produce and stock an attractive, solid skirting in some of the timbers in one profile only. The size is 130mm high, 20mm thick and lengths of 1.8m to 3m (but may include an odd shorter length to make up the order). Special profiles and sizes can be produced to order, but the cost is much higher.
The grade of the skirtings is different to that of our flooring. We aim to make a classic grade skirting, but it is difficult to find long lengths of timber to make this. Consequently all skirting may have some character features - occasional knots and some colour variation in some of the boards. This applies to all the timbers and even the white ash & white maple may contain a little colour variation and an odd small knot.
Rustic grades may be available in small quantities and will be sold as a clearance offer. This grade may contain larger knots, other rustic features, wide colour variation and occasional machining defects.
Accessories
We supply a full range of products necessary
to lay the floor e.g. nails, building paper, sealers, applicators
etc. We also manufacture a range of skirtings, architraves and
mouldings - where possible in matching timbers, but not every
timber is catered for because of the difficulty of buying longer
lengths of timber in compatible grades.
Revised/Checked 10/11/06
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