Wood Floor Installation & Floor Fitting

FlooringFirst fits engineered wood, solid hardwood, parquet, laminate, LVT and SPC flooring for homes and businesses across London. Our fitters assess the subfloor first, recommend the fitting method that suits the floor and the property, then handle the preparation, installation and finishing details needed for a complete job. We work with homeowners, landlords, property managers and commercial clients, and we can supply the flooring or fit boards you have already bought.

Planning a new floor? You can book a free site visit. We inspect the subfloor, measure the area, talk through flooring and fitting options and provide a written quotation, with no obligation.

Wood flooring we fit

Different floors need different subfloor conditions, fitting methods and preparation, so it helps to choose the product and the installation method together rather than one after the other.

Engineered wood flooring

Engineered wood has a real timber surface over a layered core that limits movement. It suits many London properties and comes in straight plank, wide board and patterned formats. Depending on the product and the subfloor, we fit it in one of three ways:

• fully bonded with adhesive
• floated over underlay
• mechanically fixed over a suitable timber base

It is also the main real wood option for rooms with underfloor heating, as long as the specific product is approved for the system. Our engineered wood supply and fit service covers choosing boards and fitting them in one job.

Laminate, LVT and SPC

Laminate is normally floated over an underlay. It needs a dry, stable and reasonably flat base, with correct expansion allowances at walls, fixed objects, doorways and thresholds. LVT and SPC suit rooms where water resistance and easy cleaning matter, and they come as glue down, click or rigid core systems. Glue down LVT shows every flaw in the base, so levelling is essential. We cover both in more detail under laminate flooring installation and LVT supply and fit.

Hardwood floor installation in London

Solid hardwood is timber through the full thickness of each board. It lasts a long time and can be refinished in future, but it reacts more strongly to moisture and humidity than engineered flooring does. Before fitting, we assess the condition and moisture of both the boards and the subfloor. The expansion allowance and fixing system then depend on the board dimensions, the subfloor and the manufacturer's fitting specification.

Whether you want oak or another hardwood, the fitting method follows the base you have:

If you are still choosing boards, our solid oak flooring supplied and fitted service covers the options. Unfinished timber will need sanding and a lacquer or oil after fitting, which we can also arrange.

Parquet floor fitters in London

Parquet takes far more setting out than plank flooring, because a small error at the start grows with every row across the room. Our parquet fitters work out the centre lines, pattern direction and perimeter cuts before the first block goes down. We fit:

• herringbone
• chevron
• traditional parquet blocks
• engineered parquet
• straight and brick bond layouts
• decorative borders where they suit the room

Bonded pattern floors carry any movement in the base straight through to the surface, so subfloor flatness matters more with parquet than with most other floors. Engineered parquet gives you the pattern on a more stable layered board, while solid parquet has the traditional construction. Our parquet flooring installation service goes through both.

Which wooden floor suits your property?

No single floor is right for every room. The choice depends on how the room is used, the existing subfloor, foot traffic, moisture, underfloor heating, maintenance and the look you want.

These are starting points, not fixed rules. The product specification and the conditions at the property decide what is suitable. If you have not chosen a floor yet, we can talk through the options at the site visit, before any fitting system is settled on.

The subfloor comes before the new floor

Many installation problems start below the visible floor. Before fitting, the base needs to be dry, flat, stable and clean enough for the flooring and the fixing system. A site assessment may turn up work such as:

• levelling uneven concrete
• repairing loose or damaged floorboards
• reinforcing unstable timber areas
• sub flooring installation, such as a plywood overlay where the timber base needs improving
• moisture testing
• applying a damp proof system where appropriate
• removing incompatible old flooring or adhesive
• fitting acoustic or thermal underlay (see our floor insulation and soundproofing work)

Preparation is quoted according to the actual condition of the property, not added automatically to every job.

Concrete subfloors

Concrete has to be checked for both moisture and flatness before wood or bonded flooring goes on it. A floor that looks dry on the surface can still hold enough moisture to cause problems with timber or adhesive. If readings fall outside what the flooring system allows, extra moisture protection may be needed before fitting starts. Low areas, ridges and damaged sections may need levelling or local repair.

Timber subfloors

Existing floorboards and sheet subfloors should be structurally stable before another floor is laid over them. Loose boards, movement, damaged sections and large changes in level need dealing with first. A plywood overlay is often the answer, particularly under parquet and other bonded floors.

Wood floor fitting step by step

Every project is different, but a typical installation follows the same sequence.

1. Site survey and measurements

We inspect the rooms, measure the area, look at the existing subfloor and discuss the flooring you plan to use. This is also when practical details come up, such as door heights, skirting, thresholds, adjoining floors and access.

2. Subfloor preparation

Any preparation in the quotation is finished before installation begins. That can mean levelling, local repairs, plywood, moisture protection or removing existing finishes.

3. Flooring acclimatisation

Where the manufacturer requires it, the material is stored under the specified site conditions before fitting. Requirements differ between products, so there is no single acclimatisation period that fits every floor.

4. Installation

The floor is fitted using the agreed system. Expansion allowances, board alignment, adhesive application and mechanical fixing all follow the flooring and installation specification.

5. Doors, thresholds, skirting and beading

A floor has to work at the edges as well as across the middle of the room. Where they are included in the quotation, we can complete:

• door and frame trimming
• thresholds
• profiles between different floor finishes
• skirting
• perimeter beading

6. Finishing and handover

Unfinished timber may need sanding and an oil or lacquer after installation, which links to our wood floor sanding and restoration service. Pre-finished flooring normally needs no surface finishing on site, though adhesive curing times and the manufacturer's instructions still apply before normal use. We explain any aftercare when the work is complete.

What a professional wood floor fitter checks before laying

Whether you call them wood floor fitters, installers or floor layers, the work that separates a good floor from a problem one happens before the first board goes down.

Anything that needs doing beforehand is set out in the written quotation, so it is clear what is included.

Wood flooring supplied and fitted in London

With supply and fit, one company advises on the flooring, orders it, prepares the base and fits it. With fit only, you buy the flooring and we fit it. We offer both across London, including the City of London.

If you want to see what is involved for a particular material, our pages on engineered wood supply and fit and solid oak supply and fit go through the process.

How much does wood floor installation cost in London?

The fitting price depends on the flooring type, the pattern, the installation method, the room layout and how much preparation is needed. Our service price guide shows current starting points for fitting. These are guides rather than fixed quotations, and extra work such as levelling, removing old flooring, moisture protection, finishing, door trimming, skirting and beading may be charged separately.

A site visit is the most reliable way to work out the real cost, because two rooms of the same size can need very different amounts of preparation. The biggest differences usually come from:

• flooring type
• straight plank versus herringbone, chevron or another pattern
• condition of the subfloor
• glue down versus floating or mechanically fixed installation
• number of doorways and awkward perimeter cuts
• existing flooring that needs lifting
• stairs or changes in level
• skirting, beading and thresholds
• moisture or insulation work
• whether unfinished timber needs sanding and finishing after fitting

We provide a written quotation once we have assessed the project.

Wood floor installation for London homes

We fit floors in flats, houses and residential developments across London. Older properties often need more attention below the new floor than a recent build. Existing boards may have moved, old floor coverings can hide uneven areas, and neighbouring rooms often have different floor heights or subfloor construction. None of this rules out a new floor, but it should be identified before the flooring is ordered and fitting begins.

Commercial and office wood floor installation in London

Commercial jobs come with different priorities. Foot traffic, opening hours, access, furniture, curing times and how much disruption the premises can take all influence the specification and the programme. We work with commercial clients on offices and other London premises, and can discuss:

• durable flooring options for heavier use
• phased installation
• subfloor preparation
• access and working schedules
• finishing and curing requirements
• future maintenance

The right system depends on the floor and on how the premises operate. Our flooring services for businesses cover this in more detail.

What our wood floor installation service includes

FlooringFirst has been operating since 2004 and carries out both residential and commercial flooring work across London. Our installation service can include:

• a free, obligation-free site visit
• subfloor assessment
• flooring and fitting method advice
• supply and fit options
• subfloor preparation
• engineered, solid wood and parquet installation
• laminate, LVT and SPC installation
• skirting, beading and thresholds
• sanding and finishing where required
• aftercare advice

Get a wood floor installation quote in London

If you already know which flooring you want, we can assess the property and advise on the preparation and fitting method. If you have not chosen yet, we can go through the differences between engineered wood, solid hardwood, parquet, laminate and LVT before you commit to a product. Call FlooringFirst on 020 8830 9782 or book a free site visit for your London flooring project.

Frequently asked questions about wood floor installation

How long does wood floor installation take?

A straightforward room can be fitted in one or two working days. Larger areas, parquet patterns and jobs needing substantial subfloor preparation take longer. The schedule depends on the specific floor and the preparation involved, not on room size alone.

What does a wood floor fitter do?

A wood floor fitter assesses the subfloor, prepares it, sets out the layout and fits the flooring using the right method for the product. The work also covers expansion gaps, door and threshold details, skirting and beading, so the floor works at the edges as well as in the middle of the room.

Can wood flooring be installed over concrete?

Yes. Engineered wood and certain other wood flooring systems can be installed over a suitable concrete subfloor. The concrete first has to meet the moisture, flatness and preparation requirements of the flooring and the installation system.

Can you prepare the subfloor as part of the installation?

Yes. Where needed, FlooringFirst can include levelling, repairs, plywood overlay and moisture control in the quotation.

Can wood flooring be installed over underfloor heating?

Many engineered wood, LVT and SPC products are designed for use with underfloor heating, but compatibility has to be confirmed for the individual product and the heating system. Solid timber needs more caution because temperature changes cause more movement.

Should engineered wood be glued or floated?

Both can be correct. The better choice depends on the board construction, subfloor, manufacturer's instructions, room requirements, acoustics and any underfloor heating. We assess these before recommending a fitting method.

Do you supply and fit wood flooring in London?

Yes. We offer supply and fit, as well as fitting flooring you have bought yourself, after checking that the product suits the property and the proposed installation method.

Do you install floors in commercial properties?

Yes. We work with residential and commercial clients throughout London and can plan the installation around how the premises operate.