Choosing wood flooring for your West Sussex home

Solid or engineered? A new installation or a restoration? Start with the room, the subfloor and the way you live.

Start with the space

A hallway, a bedroom and an open-plan living space ask different things of a floor. Before choosing a colour, consider foot traffic, pets, furniture and the amount of daylight. Collect a few photographs of the room and note any problems with the current flooring. These details make an initial conversation much more useful.

Solid and engineered wood: what is the difference?

Solid flooring is made from a single piece of timber. Engineered flooring has a real wood surface over a layered construction. Both can offer the appearance and texture of timber, but they are not interchangeable in every setting. Product construction, board thickness and installation method all matter. If you are considering underfloor heating, check compatibility and operating limits with the flooring and heating manufacturers before ordering.

The subfloor comes first

A successful installation depends on what sits beneath it. The existing base needs assessing for condition, level and moisture, and the proposed floor needs a suitable installation method. Tell your installer if you have recently had building work or a new screed laid. A visual inspection alone cannot establish that a subfloor is ready: the appropriate checks depend on its construction and the flooring specification.

Choose the finish in your own light

Small samples can look quite different at home. View them beside your walls and furniture in daylight and evening light. Think about board width, laying pattern and how the floor will meet adjoining rooms. Ask what cleaning products the chosen finish requires and how future maintenance would work. A floor should fit your routine as well as your interior.

What to include in your flooring enquiry

For a home in Bognor Regis or elsewhere in West Sussex, send DJM the approximate room size, postcode, photographs and your preferred timescale. Mention existing floor coverings, access restrictions and any heating beneath the floor. An assessment can then establish the preparation and work involved. If an existing timber floor is present, it is also worth discussing whether restoration could achieve the result you want.