Caring for wooden floors

Warmer than stone or tiles, wood can be painted, sealed or stained in darker shades or scrubbed for a paler look. Choose boards with the appropriate moisture content for the room - this depends on whether you have underfloor or central heating and double glazing. Boards vary in length and width - wide boards are particularly well suited to a rustic look. Make sure reclaimed boards or parquet are all from the same source and are the same dimension or you will have problems when laying it.

Types of wood
Wood can be used in any room in the house and is easily softened with rugs and runners. Hardwoods such as oak are hardwearing and versatile but are subject to colour changes as they react with sunlight and chemicals. Paler hardwoods like ash are suited to a sophisticated sitting room, dining room or bedroom. Beech has similar properties but its warm reddish colouring makes it a good choice for kitchens. Of the softwoods, larch is durable and moisture resistant, making it suitable for a hallway or even a bathroom.

Laying a wooden floor
If laying a good-quality hardwood floor, get a specialist to do it because if it isn't laid properly it is often impossible to correct without starting from scratch. Manufactured strip flooring, on the other hand, is fairly straightforward to install.

Care and maintenance
New wooden floors, apart from those painted, should be sealed. For general cleaning use a generic hardwood floor cleaner. Mop, brush or vacuum regularly but don't use excessive amounts of water or, washing-up liquid as it leaves a sticky residue. Avoid damaging it by putting felt pads under chair legs and removing castors from furniture. Parquet floors are best cleaned with water, not chemicals. Polish with natural oils such as Osmo oil or Johnson's Liquid Traffic Wax. Beeswax and turpentine improves appearance and provides protection.

Painted floors reflect light and are a good solution for a less-than-perfect wooden floor. They are best used in a room which does not have through traffic, such as a bedroom or a bathroom.

Floorboards can be lightened and cleaned with Trip Trap Lye, a traditional Swedish treatment.

Old boards can be stripped, washed with a coat of diluted white emulsion and sealed with satin varnish for protection.

Apply oils with a soft brush, then polish with a soft cloth.