Wood Flooring - Elite Floors Kenya

Wood Flooring in Kenya

Wood flooring refers to any type of flooring made from wood or wood-based materials. It’s a popular choice for both residential and commercial spaces due to its durability, natural beauty, and the warmth it adds to a room. We guarantee you the best wood flooring in Kenya.

Here’s a breakdown of what wood flooring encompasses:

Subfloor preparation
Regardless of what type of wood flooring you need fitting, the first step of the process always involves the preparation of the surface underneath. Rest assured that our floor experts know exactly how to do the job. Equipped with quality tools, they will make sure that the subfloor is levelled out and free of debris, as well as it is damp proofed well to prevent the risk of cupping and warping of the new floorboards, parquet blocks or laminate tiles.

Installation of the underlay
More often than not and depending on the type of flooring you have picked, the floor installers will fit a sound- and moisture-proofing padding, foam or wood underlay (in some cases). This middle layer of your floor structure also acts as thermal insulation and minimises any sounds that might be produced when walking over your new floor.

Fitting the floor
Wood floor installation techniques naturally vary and depend on what kind of wood flooring you want to be installed. There are 3 main methods that experienced flooring fitters use:

Glue down – This method is used sometimes by engineered wood floor fitters (if no underlay has been installed), as well as during a parquet, softwood or hardwood floor installation process.
Nail down/staple down – The technique is most commonly used to install solid wood floors and occasionally engineered wood flooring.
Floating – Floating is the preferred floor fitting method when you install a laminate or engineered wood floor. In some cases, parquet floors can be also laid this way. An underlay is always put in place underneath the floorboards or laminate pieces, which are interlocked securely on top.

Wood floor sanding
Hardwood and softwood new floors are best sanded down to remove any imperfections. Our floor experts use professional dust-free sanding and polishing equipment to minimise significantly any sawdust production.

Staining/sealing and finishing touches
If you’ve ordered a softwood or hardwood floor fitting service, the sanded floor will need some sort of a sealant applied on top, whether it’s varnish, wax, oil or a staining product. There will also be some finishing touches that need doing, such as the installation of skirting boards, beading or baseboard trims along the edges to cover the expansion gaps, as well as fitting matching thresholds under the door frames.

Types of Wood Flooring

Solid Hardwood: Made from a single piece of wood, solid hardwood floors are renowned for their longevity and can be sanded and refinished multiple times. Common species include oak, maple, cherry, and walnut.

Engineered Hardwood:

Engineered wood flooring is an eco-friendly product is made up of several distinct layers, with a plywood core providing exceptional levels of stability and durability. The outer layers of engineered flooring are made from high-quality wood, providing you with the rich aesthetics of conventional hardwood floors. The thickness of veneer layers vary between products, but most will allow for sanding of your wood flooring 4 to 5 times should you need to refinish your floor.

Engineered wood flooring is also more versatile. Because the robust construction makes it hard-wearing and resistant to warping, you can install it in spaces that would normally wreak havoc on solid wood floors. If you’re eager to install oak wood flooring in a kitchen or bathroom but are worried about moisture, engineered wood flooring provides the perfect alternative to hardwood.

Laminate Flooring: Although not made from real wood, laminate flooring features a photographic layer that mimics the look of wood. It’s made from a high-density fiberboard core and is often more affordable and easier to maintain than real wood.

Bamboo Flooring: Technically a grass, bamboo is a sustainable alternative to traditional hardwoods. It’s known for its durability and eco-friendly properties.

Cork Flooring: Made from the bark of cork oak trees, cork flooring is eco-friendly and offers a cushioned feel. It’s also good for sound insulation but can be more susceptible to dents and scratches.