Frequently Asked Questions

Engineered wood flooring is constructed from multiple layers of real wood — a hardwood wear layer bonded to a stable core of cross-ply timber or plywood. Solid wood is milled from a single piece of timber throughout its entire thickness.

Engineered wood is more dimensionally stable than solid wood, making it better suited to central heating, underfloor heating, and environments where humidity levels fluctuate. Both are genuine wood products, but engineered wood’s construction means it can be used in a wider range of situations with less risk of expansion, contraction, or cupping.

Yes — engineered wood can be sanded and refinished, but only as many times as the wear layer permits. The number of sanding passes depends on the thickness of the hardwood top layer. Sanders & Fink engineered floors are available with wear layers from 3mm to 6mm, with thicker layers allowing for more refinishing over the floor’s lifetime.

As a general rule, a 4mm wear layer can typically be lightly sanded two to three times before the layer is exhausted. Always consult a professional floor sander who can assess the floor before proceeding.

A well-maintained engineered wood floor from Sanders & Fink should last 25 years or more — often the lifetime of the home. Longevity depends on the thickness of the wear layer, the finish applied, foot traffic levels, and how well the floor is cared for.

Oiled finishes allow for spot repair and periodic re-oiling, which can significantly extend the floor’s life. With proper care — including protection from grit, sharp furniture feet, and excessive moisture — an engineered wood floor is a genuinely long-term investment.

Yes — all Sanders & Fink engineered wood collections are compatible with underfloor heating (UFH), both water-fed and electric systems. The multi-ply construction of engineered wood handles heat transfer better than solid wood, making it the preferred choice when UFH is installed.

It is essential that the system is commissioned correctly, brought up to temperature slowly, and that the surface temperature does not exceed the recommended maximum. Always ensure the subfloor and screed are fully cured and at equilibrium moisture content before installation.

The maximum recommended surface temperature for Sanders & Fink engineered wood flooring used with underfloor heating is 27–28°C at the floor surface. This is the surface temperature of the floor itself — not the flow temperature of the heating system.

Exceeding this limit can cause the wood to dry excessively, leading to shrinkage, gapping, or cupping over time. A thermostat sensor placed beneath the floor is the most reliable way to monitor and control surface temperature.

Sanders & Fink engineered wood is available in a range of overall thicknesses, typically from 14mm to 20mm. Thicker boards tend to feel more substantial underfoot, are better suited to glue-down installation over screed, and are more forgiving over minor subfloor imperfections.

For floating installations, a minimum of 14mm is common. For glue-down to screed — especially with underfloor heating — a board of 15mm or more is often preferred. Your retailer will advise the most appropriate specification for your installation type.

The wear layer is the solid hardwood veneer on the top surface of an engineered board — the part you actually walk on. It is the only part of the board that can be sanded. A thicker wear layer means a longer service life and more refinishing potential.

Sanders & Fink boards are available with wear layers ranging from 3mm to 6mm. A 3mm wear layer is suitable for residential use with normal traffic, while a 4mm to 6mm layer offers more scope for sanding and is better suited to high-traffic areas or commercial environments.

Yes — engineered wood can be installed in a kitchen, and it is a popular choice for open-plan living spaces where kitchen and dining areas flow together. Because engineered wood handles moisture better than solid wood, it is more tolerant of the humidity fluctuations common in kitchens.

However, it is not waterproof — standing water, persistent leaks, or steam from dishwashers should be avoided, and spillages should be wiped up promptly. For high-moisture kitchens or utility rooms, consider Sanders & Fink Pro Loc LVT as an alternative.

BC Rustic is a grading classification used for Sanders & Fink engineered wood boards, referring to the character and appearance of the hardwood surface. A BC Rustic grade features rich, natural variation in colour and grain, with prominent knots, mineral streaks, and live-edge character marks — all of which occur naturally in the timber.

This grade celebrates the inherent personality of the wood rather than minimising it, making it particularly well suited to characterful interiors, farmhouse settings, or spaces where a lived-in, natural aesthetic is desired.

Vintage DE is a premium grading that combines the character of a rustic grade with a more refined, curated appearance. DE refers to the character range — boards include natural features such as colour variation and subtle grain movement, but with fewer and smaller knots than a full rustic grade.

The result is a floor with warmth and individuality that still reads as refined and contemporary. It strikes the balance between the consistency of a prime grade and the personality of a rustic, making it one of the most popular choices across the Sanders & Fink range.

Sanders & Fink timber is responsibly sourced, meaning our supply chain is managed with consideration for environmental impact, forest management practices, and traceability. We work with suppliers who can demonstrate responsible forestry practices and chain-of-custody controls.

This means the timber in our floors originates from managed forests where replanting and long-term sustainability are part of the sourcing process. If you have specific questions about the provenance of a particular collection, please contact us or speak to your Sanders & Fink retailer.

LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile or Plank) is a broad category of resilient flooring with a decorative photographic layer protected by a clear wear layer. SPC (Stone Polymer Composite) is a type of LVT with a rigid core made from limestone powder and PVC — it is extremely dense, dimensionally stable, and highly resistant to indentation. WPC (Wood Polymer Composite) is another rigid-core LVT variant, but with a foamed core that is softer and warmer underfoot than SPC.

Sanders & Fink Pro Loc uses an SPC core, chosen for its superior stability, hardness, and performance under foot traffic and temperature variation.

Yes — luxury vinyl flooring with an SPC or WPC core is genuinely waterproof throughout the board itself. Unlike wood-based flooring, LVT does not swell, warp, or delaminate when exposed to water. This makes it suitable for bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms, and other wet areas.

However, ‘waterproof flooring’ does not mean a waterproof floor installation — water can still ingress through gaps at edges, around fixtures, or at transition points if the floor is not installed with appropriate sealing and detailing. The subfloor below must also be protected from moisture.

Yes — Sanders & Fink Pro Loc LVT is suitable for bathroom installation. The SPC core and vinyl construction make it impervious to moisture, and it will not be affected by steam, splashing, or the humidity levels typical in a family bathroom.

For wet rooms with continuous water exposure — shower areas with no tray, walk-in wet zones — it is important that the substrate is fully tanked before installation, perimeter joints are appropriately sealed, and the product is installed correctly to prevent water bypassing the floor. Consult your installer for wet room specification.

SPC stands for Stone Polymer Composite — a rigid core material made by combining limestone powder, polyvinyl chloride, and stabilisers under high pressure. The result is an extremely hard, dense, and dimensionally stable core that resists indentation, temperature fluctuation, and moisture far more effectively than traditional flexible vinyl or wood-based products.

In practical terms, SPC core means the floor will not expand and contract significantly with temperature changes, will not dent under furniture or appliances, and can be installed over slightly imperfect subfloors without telegraphing unevenness. This is why Sanders & Fink Pro Loc uses an SPC core.

Yes — Sanders & Fink Pro Loc SPC LVT is compatible with underfloor heating and has no maximum surface temperature restriction, unlike engineered wood flooring which must remain at or below 27–28°C at the surface. This makes Pro Loc an excellent choice for rooms with UFH where temperatures are harder to control precisely, or where the heating system is designed to run at higher outputs.

As with all flooring over UFH, the system should be brought up and down gradually, and the subfloor must be fully commissioned before installation begins.

The wear layer on LVT is the clear protective layer above the decorative film, and its thickness determines how resistant the floor is to scratching, scuffing, and abrasion. For residential use, a wear layer of 0.3mm (300 microns) is a standard minimum. For heavy residential use or light commercial environments, 0.5mm or above is recommended.

Sanders & Fink Pro Loc is specified with a commercial-grade wear layer suited to family homes and busier environments. Your retailer can confirm the exact specification and advise based on your use case.

LVT and laminate can look visually similar but are fundamentally different products. Laminate is made from a fibreboard core with a photographic layer protected by a melamine wear layer — it is not waterproof and will swell and fail if exposed to standing water. LVT is made from vinyl throughout and is genuinely waterproof.

LVT also tends to feel warmer and softer underfoot than laminate, and is quieter when walked on, particularly with SPC core. From a longevity perspective, quality LVT like Pro Loc significantly outperforms laminate in wet or moisture-prone environments.

In many cases, yes — LVT can be installed directly over existing hard flooring such as tiles, concrete, or existing vinyl, provided the surface is flat, firm, clean, and free from movement. Any high spots or deep grout lines that exceed 3mm variation in a 1.8m span will telegraph through the new floor and must be corrected.

LVT should not be installed over carpet, rubber, or soft underlays. For floating click-lock installation such as Pro Loc, the combined height of the existing floor and new product must also be considered in relation to door clearances and thresholds.

Yes — all engineered wood flooring should be acclimatised in the room where it will be installed before fitting. The standard recommendation is to leave the boards in their unopened packaging in the installation room for at least 48 hours, allowing the timber to adjust to the ambient temperature and humidity.

For rooms with underfloor heating, the system should be running at its normal operating temperature during acclimatisation. Failure to acclimatise properly can lead to expansion or contraction after fitting, resulting in gapping or buckling. Always check the specific acclimatisation requirements for your chosen Sanders & Fink product.

The subfloor must be flat, dry, structurally sound, and free from contamination before installing engineered wood. The industry standard for flatness is no more than 3mm variation across a 1.8m span — any irregularities beyond this should be corrected with a self-levelling compound.

Moisture content is critical: a timber joist subfloor should read below 12% MC, and a concrete or screed subfloor should have a relative humidity below 75% (or 65% for some finishes). A moisture barrier or damp-proof membrane is often required, especially for ground-floor installations. Always refer to the installation guide for your specific product.

Sanders & Fink engineered wood can be installed using either method, depending on the product and the subfloor type. Floating installation — where boards click or tongue-and-groove together and move as one mass — is faster and suitable for most residential subfloors. Glue-down installation, where the boards are bonded directly to the subfloor with a flexible wood flooring adhesive, gives a more solid, squeak-free result and is the recommended method over concrete or screed, particularly with underfloor heating.

Some products support full-spread gluing, others spot or bead adhesive — always refer to the product’s installation guide for the correct specification.

An expansion gap of a minimum of 10–15mm should be left at all fixed perimeters — walls, door frames, pipes, steps, and any fixed obstacle — when floating engineered wood. Wood is a natural material that expands and contracts with changes in humidity and temperature, and if it cannot move freely it will buckle or push against the walls.

This gap is typically concealed by skirting boards or beading. For glue-down installations, smaller expansion gaps may still be required at doorways and thresholds — always consult the installation guide for the specific product.

A moisture barrier or damp-proof membrane (DPM) is strongly recommended for all ground-floor installations and for any installation over concrete or screed, regardless of floor level. Even if the subfloor tests within acceptable moisture limits at the time of installation, seasonal fluctuations can cause moisture levels to rise.

A DPM provides a buffer against rising damp and protects the floor’s structural integrity over its lifetime. For floating installations, a combined underlay with integrated moisture barrier is a common solution. Always check the installation guide for specific requirements.

Oiled engineered wood should be cleaned regularly with a damp (not wet) mop or cloth, using a pH-neutral cleaner formulated specifically for oiled wood floors. Avoid general household cleaners, soap-based products, or anything containing wax, silicone, or harsh detergents — these can strip or contaminate the oil finish.

For day-to-day maintenance, dry sweeping or vacuuming to remove grit and debris is the most important habit, as fine particles act as an abrasive underfoot. Sanders & Fink recommend using the floor cleaner from their finishing products range, available through your retailer.

No — steam mops should never be used on engineered wood flooring. The combination of heat and moisture that steam mops deliver can penetrate the wood surface, cause the boards to swell or warp, break down the oil or lacquer finish, and ultimately damage the floor beyond repair. This applies to both oiled and lacquered engineered wood finishes.

Use only a lightly dampened mop or cloth with a recommended wood floor cleaner. Excess water — from any source — should always be avoided on wood flooring.

An oiled engineered wood floor typically needs a maintenance coat of oil every 12–24 months in a normal residential setting, though high-traffic areas such as hallways or kitchens may need attention more frequently. The floor will indicate when it needs re-oiling — the wood starts to look dry or dull, water no longer beads on the surface, or the colour appears faded in worn areas.

Regular re-oiling replenishes the protective finish from within the wood, keeps the floor looking its best, and extends its lifespan considerably. Always use a maintenance oil compatible with the original finish.

One of the key advantages of an oiled finish is that scratches and localised wear can be repaired in situ without sanding the entire floor. Light surface scratches can often be addressed by cleaning the area, lightly abrading with a fine wire wool or Scotch-Brite pad, and applying a small amount of maintenance oil worked into the grain.

For deeper scratches, a wood filler in a matching colour may be needed before re-oiling. The repair blends into the surrounding floor because oiled wood has a natural, matte appearance. For significant damage, consult a professional floor care specialist.

Avoid anything that contains bleach, ammonia, abrasive particles, or acidic or alkaline chemicals — these will damage the finish and the wood fibre. Wax-based polishes and silicone sprays should also be avoided on oiled floors, as they create a surface layer that prevents the wood from breathing and makes future re-oiling impossible without stripping.

Soap-based floor cleaners leave a residue that dulls the floor over time. Steam mops, wet mopping, and any standing water should be avoided. Always use cleaning and care products recommended for your specific floor finish.

Sanders & Fink floors are sold exclusively through a network of specialist flooring retailers across the UK. We do not sell direct to consumers. To find your nearest stockist, visit our Find a Retailer page — our retailers can show you samples, provide advice, and arrange supply.

Specialist retailers are best placed to offer accurate technical guidance and ensure you choose the right product for your installation.

Yes — samples are available through your nearest Sanders & Fink retailer. We strongly recommend viewing samples in your own home before ordering, as natural wood and LVT can look significantly different in showroom lighting compared to your own space.

Contact your nearest stockist via our Find a Retailer page to request samples or arrange a consultation.

No — Sanders & Fink does not sell direct to consumers. Our floors are available exclusively through our network of specialist flooring retailers. This ensures you receive proper advice, can view and handle physical samples before buying, and have access to professional installation guidance.

To find your nearest stockist, visit our Find a Retailer page.

Yes — trade pricing, technical documentation, and product specifications are available to registered trade partners through our trade portal. If you are a flooring retailer or interior professional interested in stocking or specifying Sanders & Fink, visit our Trade Partners page to register or log in.