Wood and other natural flooring

• How to buy kitchen flooring
• Effective flooring and worktop combinations
• Kitchen flooring facts
• Kitchen floor tiles
• Industrial-style flooring
• Wood and other natural flooring
• Flexible kitchen flooring
• Flooring shopper's checklist
• Useful flooring contacts

Solid wood, renewable and recyclable boards can be a real plus when it comes to selling a house. However, solid wood may move and curl if used in a kitchen, as it's both moisture- and heat-sensitive - if you want your floor to stay the same, choose other materials. It can, however, be finished in polyurethane lacquer, or natural linseed oil, which sets hard, seals and protects the wood for many years, making it more durable.

Engineered wood comes in a variety of widths and finishes and is perfect for achieving a natural wood look, at a lower price. The boards are created by layering a softwood or plywood base with a wood or wood-effect top layer. The central core stops the top and bottom layers moving, meaning that, unlike solid wood, engineered boards are less likely to gape or warp when they come into contact with water.

Laminate flooring is ideal for kitchens. Super durable, available in all manner of finishes (from wood- to stone-effect), and often with antimicrobial and antistatic properties, it's a strong contender for use in a high-traffic area. Prices do vary hugely, and you will get what you pay for - be aware that choosing cheap laminate may result in ill-fitting, bouncy boards so it's always a false economy.

Cork flooring has come a long way from the curly orange tiles of the Seventies. Modern cork flooring is available in a wide range of colours, designs and finishes. Tough and naturally antibacterial, it's great for people with allergies, too. As well as being very comfortable underfoot (due to it's airy properties) it also has exceptional acoustic benefits, and is an eco-friendly option, too.

Bamboo flooring has a higher fibre rating than any hardwood, incredibly durable and is less likely to gape than other solid woods. Usually pretreated by the manufacturer, it can be stained or left its natural colour, then sealed with a gloss or matt lacquer. It's also an incredibly eco-friendly product, as it releases 35 per cent more oxygen into the atmosphere than trees, and is a fast-growing grass, so it can be harvested every 3-5 years.

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