Engineered Wood Flooring London

Why engineered

Concrete ground floors, basement conversions and underfloor heating are now the norm. Engineered oak is not a compromise in these homes; it is the correct specification.

The surface

Real oak

A solid sawn layer of oak that you see, walk on and can sand back. Grades run from prime to rustic; the difference is character, not durability.

The core

Stable by design

A cross-bonded multi-ply core resists the swelling and shrinking that makes solid boards gap and cup in heated homes.

The result

Fits almost anywhere

Concrete, screed, timber and underfloor heating: engineered oak works over every common subfloor, glued down or floated.

Engineered or solid?

Most homes suit engineered. Solid still has its place, and the choice comes down to the subfloor and the heating.

Choose engineered when

The subfloor is concrete or screed
Underfloor heating is fitted or planned
You need a floating or glue-down installation
Humidity varies, as in basements and extensions
You want a stocked range with a short lead time

Choose solid when

The timber subfloor is sound
There is no underfloor heating, now or planned
Maximum sanding life is the priority
Secret-nailing to joists is preferred

Solid wood flooring

How we install

The same process on every job, whatever its size.

Before

Survey

We confirm the subfloor, room sizes, product and fixing method before anything is ordered.

Delivery

Acclimatise

The boards settle in the rooms they will be laid in, at living temperature, for the full period. Never shortened.

Installation

Our own team

Fitted by our in-house fitters, who have worked with us for over eleven years. No subcontractors.

Engineered oak, in depth

Why engineered oak suits London homes

Engineered oak is a real oak wear layer bonded to a stable multi-ply core. The core gives the board a dimensional stability that solid wood does not have: it resists the moisture-related expansion and contraction that causes solid floors to gap, cup and fail when installed on concrete subfloors or above underfloor heating. For the majority of London properties, where ground floors are concrete, basement conversions are common and underfloor heating is increasingly standard, engineered oak is not a compromise, it is the correct specification.

The wear layer, the real oak surface you see, walk on and eventually sand, is typically 3mm to 6mm depending on the product. Most of our engineered boards carry a 4mm wear layer, so the floor can be sanded and refinished several times over its life. Thicker wear layers give more sanding life; the trade-off is slightly higher thermal resistance above underfloor heating.

Engineered oak is available in every laying pattern (herringbone, chevron, wide plank, straight lay and bespoke) and in grades from prime, with minimal character markings, to rustic, with significant knots and grain variation. The grade is an aesthetic choice; durability is the same across grades. Tones run from light and natural oak through smoked oak to dark oak.

How we install engineered oak

Every LIGNORA engineered oak installation follows the same process regardless of location or scale. The survey establishes the subfloor type, the room dimensions, the correct product and the fixing method. The floor is then ordered, delivered to the property and acclimatised in the actual conditions of the home for the full required period before a single board is fixed.

Acclimatisation is not optional and is never shortened. Wood responds to the temperature and humidity of the environment it lives in, and if it has not adjusted to those conditions before installation it will continue to adjust afterwards. The results are gapping, cupping and joint failure. Every LIGNORA floor is acclimatised in the property.

Pre-finished engineered oak from our stocked ranges is typically two to three weeks from confirmed order; bespoke and made-to-order floors take longer. We confirm exact timelines at the point of enquiry.

Where we fit and supply

We fit with our own team across London and the South East, including Surrey, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Middlesex and Buckinghamshire, and we deliver our floors throughout the UK.

FAQ

Common Questions
About Engineered Wood
in London

Engineered wood is what we fit in the majority of London properties. These are the questions we are asked most often.

Ask Us Anything →

Is engineered wood real wood?

Yes. The surface is a solid sawn layer of real hardwood — on our boards, 4mm of oak. Beneath it sits a cross-bonded plywood core that gives the board its stability. Once fitted and finished, an engineered floor is visually indistinguishable from solid wood, because the part you see and walk on is solid wood.

Why choose engineered over solid wood?

London conditions. Older housing stock, central heating running hard through winter, and humidity that swings across the year all cause solid boards to expand, contract, gap and occasionally cup. The cross-bonded core in engineered board resists that movement. It is also the only option over underfloor heating, and it can be fitted at lower build-ups where floor height is tight.

How many times can an engineered floor be sanded?

With a 4mm wear layer, three to four times across the floor's life — which in practice is decades of domestic use. Each full sand removes well under a millimetre. Most floors need it far less often than people expect, because a well-applied oil or hardwax finish can usually be refreshed in place without sanding back.

What thickness should I specify?

It usually comes down to floor height. Most of our boards are 14mm or 15mm with a 4mm wear layer, which suits most projects. Where floor levels are already set — a poured screed, or matching into existing thresholds — a 20mm board may be needed instead. This is worth settling before ordering, because it is the one specification that cannot be adjusted on site.

Can engineered boards be glued down, or do they float?

Both are possible, and the right answer depends on the subfloor and the room. We glue down over screed and wherever underfloor heating is present, because full contact gives better heat transfer and a more solid feel underfoot. Floating over an acoustic underlay suits some flats and timber subfloors. We advise on this after seeing the substrate.

What is the lead time on an engineered floor?

For stocked ranges, typically two to three weeks from confirmation to delivery, which allows for allocation, transport and getting the boards on site ahead of the acclimatisation period. Bespoke colours and non-standard dimensions take longer. We confirm actual availability at the time of enquiry rather than quoting a generic lead time.

Why engineered

Real oak

Stable by design

Fits almost anywhere

Engineered or solid?

Choose engineered when

Choose solid when

Every pattern, one material

Herringbone & Chevron

Wide Plank

Bespoke

How we install

Survey

Acclimatise

Our own team

Engineered oak, in depth

Common Questions
About Engineered Wood
in London

Floors to start with

Choose your floor
in your own light.

Engineered Wood Flooring London

Why engineered

Real oak

Stable by design

Fits almost anywhere

Engineered or solid?

Choose engineered when

Choose solid when

Every pattern, one material

Herringbone & Chevron

Wide Plank

Bespoke

How we install

Survey

Acclimatise

Our own team

Engineered oak, in depth

Common QuestionsAbout Engineered Woodin London

Floors to start with

Choose your floorin your own light.

Common Questions
About Engineered Wood
in London

Choose your floor
in your own light.