Renovating your home with wooden flooring not only adds value to your home, but it’s also hardwearing and looks fantastic. But only if you do your research and make the best choice. When working with wood quality can vary, and you very much get what you pay for.

So, what should you be looking for when selecting wooden flooring?

Don’t be tempted by bargain basement prices. If you find cheap wooden flooring, especially hardwood, then there’s probably a reason for the low cost. Not all wood is the same. Insist on high-quality wood at all times.

This simple checklist will help you select the right quality flooring:

• Ask the merchant to open a box in front of you so that you can inspect the wood.

• Check to make sure the grade you have chosen is represented in the box and isn’t something else entirely. Different grades will have different looks, each with its own characteristics.

• A high standard of finish has been applied. Too much and the wood will take on a plastic look. This also applies to the bottom of the joints, this prevents premature aging of the wood.

• The V joints should be small and consistent. If they are too deep then dirt and dust will gather, and make the floor difficult to clean and maintain.

• The boards should be straight and of equal thickness. This can be tested by laying a few boards out on the floor. They should fit together perfectly and be of equal thickness.

• Make sure that UV protection has been applied. This prevents bright lighting and the sun from making the wood take on a yellow color over time. There will always be a degree of discoloration, however, the impact will be more without the UV coating. Especially in pale wood.

• Consistent color. This can be checked by selecting several boards from the same box to ensure consistency. It’s also advisable that you open a second box to check consistency with the first.

• Make sure that a quality cutting method has been used during production. Dry sawn is generally accepted as the proffered method. It offers a better quality of board over other methods of cutting.