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Flooring Specialist terms explained — Harlow glossary

Subfloor Preparation(Prep)

Levelling, drying and stabilising the surface beneath the floor covering. It is invisible in the finished job, it is where the labour actually goes, and it is the first thing removed from a quote to make the price competitive.

Acclimatisation(Acclimatise)

Leaving timber or engineered boards in the room for a period before fitting so they reach the ambient moisture content. Skipping it is the direct cause of boards that gap in winter or buckle in summer — and it is not a defect the manufacturer will cover.

Expansion Gap(Expansion gap)

The deliberate clearance left at the perimeter so the floor can move seasonally, hidden by the skirting or beading. A floor fitted tight to the walls has nowhere to go and lifts in the middle.

Engineered vs Solid Wood(Engineered)

Engineered board has a real wood wear layer over a stable plywood core, so it tolerates underfloor heating and moisture far better than solid timber. Solid wood can be sanded more times but is the wrong choice over most heated floors.