LIGNORA is a family business built around one conviction: that the floor deserves the same level of care as everything else in the room. This page covers what we do, how we do it, and the details that make the difference — from the way we hold stock to the reasons our lead times are what they are.
Every installation is carried out by our own team — never subcontracted. We handle the full scope from subfloor preparation through to final finish, working across all laying methods and formats.
Original boards are almost always in better condition than their owners expect. Our restoration service brings existing floors back to life — from a light refresh to a complete sand-back and re-finish — without unnecessary replacement.
For clients who want something specific to their home — a width, a finish, a grain grade, or a combination that does not exist off the shelf — we offer a fully bespoke design and production service. Every detail is tailored to the brief.
A floor that does not connect to the staircase is an unfinished room. We supply and fit oak staircase treads matched to your floor — same species, same grade, same finish — along with landing floors and any associated joinery work.
Every project follows the same four steps. No shortcuts in the preparation, no surprises at the end. The process is straightforward because we have done this enough times to know where things go wrong — and how to make sure they do not.
You get in touch. We review your enquiry personally and respond within one working day. For most projects we arrange a home visit — we assess the space, the subfloor, the light, and understand exactly what you need before we quote.
We put together an itemised quote — material, preparation, installation, finishing — with no bundled estimates or vague allowances. If samples are relevant we send them. You see exactly what you are getting and what it costs.
Before installation begins, your floor is delivered to site and allowed to acclimatise in the conditions of your home. This is not optional — it is the step that determines whether the floor performs over decades. We schedule around it.
Our own team installs the floor. We leave the site clean, brief you on aftercare appropriate to the finish, and follow up after installation to make sure everything is as it should be.
Wood is a living material. It expands and contracts in response to the temperature and humidity of its environment — and if a floor is installed before it has adjusted to the conditions of a specific home, it will continue to move after installation. That movement causes gapping, cupping, and failure at the joints.
Every LIGNORA floor is delivered to site and acclimatised in the conditions of your home before a single board is fixed. The timber adjusts to the actual temperature and humidity it will live in — not the warehouse it came from, not the back of a van, not a generic average. Your home specifically.
The acclimatisation period varies by product, subfloor type, and environmental conditions — typically between 48 hours and 7 days. We factor it into every project schedule. It is not an inconvenience. It is the reason our floors perform the way they do.
Our primary stock location holds the majority of our pre-finished range — engineered oak in our most frequently specified widths, finishes and grades. Proximity to London and the South East means delivery to site is fast, acclimatisation periods can begin promptly, and we can respond quickly when project timelines need to move. Holding stock locally is a deliberate operational choice: it removes the delay and uncertainty that comes from relying on manufacturer lead times for every order.
Larger volume orders, slow-moving grades, and additional pre-finished stock are held at our Nottingham overflow facility. This allows us to carry a significantly wider range than our London warehouse alone would accommodate, without holding excess stock in a high-cost location. Stock is transferred to London in advance of each project — typically within 48 hours of confirmation — so delivery to site is never delayed by the distance.
Our showroom carries the full pre-finished range alongside bespoke samples, finish options and pattern layouts. It is the right place to assess tone, grain and finish quality under real conditions — not on a screen, and not from a 10cm sample card. Visits are by appointment, which means you will have the time and attention the decision deserves. Contact us to arrange a time that works.
Lead times vary by product type. Here is exactly what to expect — and why.
Pre-finished engineered oak floors in our stocked range are available for delivery within 2–3 weeks of order confirmation, subject to stock availability at the time of enquiry. This window covers order processing, stock allocation, delivery to our London warehouse if required, and transport to site in advance of the acclimatisation period.
Bespoke and design floors are produced specifically for each client — custom widths, grades, finishes and patterns are not held in stock. Production begins once the specification is finalised and confirmed. From date of production commencement, the lead time to delivery is 8 weeks. This covers milling, drying, finishing, quality checking and transport.
Every operational decision LIGNORA makes — how we hold stock, how we acclimatise, how we schedule, who does the installation — comes from the same place: the belief that the floor will only be as good as the process behind it.
A floor that is rushed into place without acclimatisation will move. A floor installed by whoever is available on the day will not be installed with the same care as one put down by people who take personal ownership of the outcome. A floor sourced at minimum cost and maximum speed will reflect that in ways that become apparent over years, not weeks.
We are not the fastest or the cheapest. We are the ones who will still be accountable to you in five years — because it is a family business, and that is how family businesses work.
No subcontractors. The people who lay your floor are employed by LIGNORA, trained to our standard, and accountable to us directly. Quality control is not a checklist — it is the people doing the work.
Holding primary stock in London means we can move quickly when we need to. It also means acclimatisation starts on your timeline, not a manufacturer's dispatch schedule.
We tell you what the timeline is before you commit, not after. Bespoke orders take 8 weeks from production because that is what good production takes. We do not compress timelines and absorb the consequences later.
Every floor we install is acclimatised in your home before a board is fixed. It adds time to the programme. It is also the single most important thing we do to ensure the floor performs over its lifetime.
Every enquiry is reviewed personally. We will come back to you within one working day with honest advice on the best next step.