15 January 2024

Is wood flooring suitable for the hallway?

Wood flooring continues to be an increasingly popular choice; and it’s easy to see why. Sustainable, eco-friendly, hard wearing and brings natural character to your home. But is it suitable for your hallway?

Things to consider…

In order to protect the flooring, from everyday use, each design is finished with a protective layer. There are many variations (Hardwax Oil, UV Oil, Matt Lacquer) available but essentially this falls into two categories. Oiled or Lacquered.

Oiled – The appearance of an oiled floor will change more rapidly. A perfect choice if you are wanting to add character to your home. It is advised to re-apply oil, as and when needed to ensure your flooring is protected and look’s new for as long as possible. Oiled floors are easier to treat in isolated areas, as the over all effect blends in. Typically oil provides a matt finish, compared to a traditional lacquer finish.

Lacquered – Though typically a shiny finish, it is now possible to chose a matt lacquer. This provides the protection of a lacquer, without the shine. A lacquered floor will keep it’s appearance for longer. Providing your flooring is cared for, it can take up to 10-15 years before it needs to be re-lacquered. Unlike an oiled floor, it is not advised to treat isolated areas.

If you have a busy house (pets, children) choosing a lacquered wood flooring for your hallway, will help to minimise up keep and protect your floor’s appearance. An oiled flooring will require oil to be re-applied to ensure your flooring looks it’s best.

Size

The size of your hallway can determine how much traffic your flooring will receive. The smaller the surface area the higher the amount of traffic. This can result in your flooring showing signs of wear and tear, more quickly. It is therefore important to check your flooring is thoroughly protected (lacquer/ oil). Unprotected wood is more likely to become permanently stained or damaged.

Maintain and Clean

One of the most effective ways to reduce the amount of dirt and debris, is to add a door mat to anywhere that leads directly outside. Removing footwear before entering your hallway will not only prevent dirt but also scratch’s and scuffs.

Regularly cleaning your flooring will ensure it looks like new for longer. It’s important to use a cleaner specifically for wood flooring.

How to care for your Wood Flooring

Colour

Wood flooring is available in many different colours and finishes. When it comes to the hallway, lighter colours are more likely to show up dirt than warmer shades. If you have your heart set on a paler colour scheme, a recessed entrance mat can be a great addition to reduce dirt and debris whilst creating a statement in your hall.

Installation extras

Whether you are planning on installing yourself or employing a floor fitter, there are additional costs to consider. Hallways connect many rooms, which can mean the installation is more fiddley and time consuming than a square room with one door way. Wood flooring also requires an expansion gap around the perimeter of the room. If you are planning on leaving your skirting boards on, you will need to apply beading (scotia) to hide the gap. Door trims will also need to installed in each door way.

Flooring levels between rooms

Wood flooring comes in all shapes and sizes. Having different floor coverings in each room, will create individuality in each space but may also result in different flooring levels. There are accessories available to help bridge the gap but ultimately you will need ramp profiles to smooth over the different levels. Checking the depth of your floor covering before installation will help to ensure you floor levels match. Remember to include underlays, and any additional subfloor when considering the depth of your flooring.

Ultimate Guide to Wood Flooring