If you are after stunning but natural floors and have an extra cash to spare then the oak flooring is your solution.
Oak belongs to the hardwood category and it is a top timber material.
If you remember those mini-serials about multimillionaire families then you also remember those dazzling, glossy parquet floors.
Although those movies had virtually no entertainment and absolute zero artistic value, the glamour of the filmed mansions was impressive.
The key structures which movie makers tried to expose were timber steps, columns and endless timber floors.
The home magazines also advertise the oak flooring as an indication of wealth and glamour.
In Australia, the oak flooring is generally made of Tasmanian Oak.
It is a great and renewable resource which has fantastic properties for floors and furniture.
However, as with other timber products, the oak flooring is prone to peeling, breaking and even rotting.
Therefore, a proper care is paramount for this and other timber products.
The oak flooring is one of the hardest timber materials.
This means that it is also least susceptible to a damage.
At the same time, the oak flooring has the properties of other trees such as: flexibility, pliability and that stunning wooden outlook.
There are ways to extend the lifespan of the oak flooring.
The floor polishing methods and the conservation works will revitalise the material for years to come.
It is not uncommon for the oak flooring to impress homeowners and guests for 100 years or more.
However, this level of reliability is subject to a regular maintenance.
Asthma is one of the greatest problem around the world.
Partly it is a genetic disorder, partly it is caused by pollutants and pests.
Floors made of carpets are breeding grounds for mites which can induce asthma problems.
Carpets also tend to trap pollutants and dusts to further induce the disorder.
Today, most people change carpets for timber or laminate flooring.
The oak flooring is the top competitor for this change.
Oak is especially a good product to eliminate a build-up of pollutants.
As a hard and compact wood it has very little chance to trap dust and organic materials.
What's more, the vacuuming of the oak flooring is very efficient as there is no potential for the floor to trap the dirt.
The oak flooring costs around $40 per meter square.
However, there are online distributors (e.g. Connolys) who sell the Tasmanian Oak for as little as $33 per meter square.
If you cannot afford the material then you can try an oak-imprinted laminate flooring.
These are imitations of the oak but they cost as little as $15-$20 per meter square.
Laminates are harder, more reliable and need virtually no maintenance.
It is always an alternative for those who want the look of the oak flooring but are a bit short on the budget.