Four Practical Flooring Options to Enhance Oak Conservatories

There are a number of aspects to the design of oak conservatories that ensure it has the look and feel that the home owner desires. Many people will look to the choice of decor, or the style of window finishes, and while both of these aspects are important, one that is considered essential is the choice of flooring. It is a similar story for garden rooms and orangeries, which share the need for an impressive yet durable floor, to enhance the overall interior design of the room. The flooring, of course, does not have to match the rest of the home, since it does differ from the other rooms in any case. This means a freer range of possibilities in design options, just as the inclusion of bifold doors lends a uniqueness to the conservatory or garden room. There are four popular options when addressing the question of flooring, namely hardwood, ceramic tiles, natural stone and laminate tiling. Real Hardwood Real hardwood flooring is one of the most impressive options available, providing a warmth and earthiness that can match the oak wood frame of the conservatory or orangery. However, there can be problems with excessive heat and must therefore be treated regularly to prevent shrinking, warping and cracking. With suitable ventilation and temperature control, the risks are reduced considerably, but there is also the engineers wood option that does not react to moisture or heat to any great degree. Ceramic Tiles Tiles can be very cool to the touch, helping to lower the temperature of the conservatory or orangery in the heat of summer. There is a tile available to complement any particular style, with the most popular options being glazed, porcelain and terracotta tiles. Terracotta provides a warmth to the space tanks to its reddish shade, and even in winter are ideal heat retainers making them perfect complements to an underfloor heating system. However, they are also soft and are therefore prone to scratching. Porcelain tiles are very hard and for that reason do not need sealer or any other protective material. They also have a high sheen and, therefore, offer a high class touch to the interior of the room. The fact that they keep that sheen without any waxing means that maintenance is very low. Meanwhile, glazed ceramic tiles are a very common option also, as they are durable and easy to maintain. Because of their lighter weight, they are often preferred to the slate option. Natural Stone Stone tiles provide a natural flooring option, and are perfect when the owner is looking to achieve a traditional, rustic look. While slate tiles are very common, marble, granite and limestone tiles are also available. Slate tiles come in more colours and textures than are usually associated with them, with different shades of grey available depending on the source of the stone. It's important to seal slate as it is prone to chipping. Marble provides a high class finish to the floor, but is available in a variety of shades and colours. However, they are highly polished, can be marked very easy, and can be damaged by acidic substances, such as orange juice. There is, therefore, some maintenance required to keep the floor in pristine condition. Granite is highly durable but very heavy, but the fact that it can be polished to a high shine and is resistant to acid means that it is a better option to marble. While finally, limestone is a soft rock and as such is susceptible to the effects of heavy traffic, and needs to be sealed against moisture. Laminate Another alternative to real wood flooring, but a highly popular one. Laminate floors usually mimic real wood, but are a sandwich of materials with a melamine layer on top, bonded to a wood base. This type of flooring is tough and easy to clean. What is more, there is a variety of alternatives to the wood image that is so closely associated with this option, though the traditional look has become even more convincing in modern times and can complement orangeries and garden rooms. Owners of real oak conservatories tend to have a love for the genuine article, which means stone and real wood flooring is favoured. However, the right option is always the one that fits the overall look best, and with other features like bifold doors and leaded and coloured glass windows to add, that can certainly be accomplished.