3 Strip Wood Flooring Options

Those who are about to start a wood flooring project have probably heard about three-strip wood flooring. People often ask what it means to have a one or three strip floor and which one is best. In this article, I’d like to explain it in detail. Generally speaking, three strip engineered wood floors are floorboards that have been manufactured out of several pieces of wood and placed together to form a single plank.

Engineered wood flooring is composed of multiple layers of various kinds of wood which are brought together to form the core on which a hardwood top layer, also called lamella, is applied. Such flooring has several important advantages over hardwood floors, the main being its stability ­– engineered wood floors are not easily affected by temperature and moisture level fluctuations, while solid wood often expands and contracts, developing gaps.

From this perspective, it’s a perfect choice for kitchens, bathrooms and various other areas in your home that are affected by significant changes in ambient conditions. Engineered wood flooring is available in single planks as well as 3-strip options.

With this type of flooring you will be able to lay your flooring really fast and avoid gaps that can occur between individual boards with time. Choosing a three-strip floor, you can finalise your flooring project much faster (almost three times faster), as you’re fitting three boards at once. In this way, the project will be much more time- and cost-effective. Moreover, bear in mind that a board that is broader, like in three-strip flooring, is more stable as compared to narrow planks. This kind of floor is produced using several smaller cuts that are glued together. In this way, a single piece of wood is created, which is obviously much stronger.

In three-strip wood flooring, individual strips are manufactured by cutting grooves or v’s into the top layer made of solid wood. The final effect is that the floor usually looks busy – three planks are laid next to each other, or three strips of the top layer are bonded edge to edge to a single board. Both these options look very attractive; however, the option with v-cut looks more bulky and resembles hardwood rather than the bonded option. Your choice may depend on the visual effect that you’re trying to achieve and obviously your taste.

As far as the choice of the type of wood and finish is concerned, this type of engineered wood flooring, just like any engineered wood flooring type, is available in a whole range of different wood types and finishes. This includes almost black and off-white floors, very natural, oiled finish or shinier, lacquered finish, resistant to wear and tear. Everyone will find something to suit their needs and personal preferences. Three-strip engineered wood flooring is a great, timeless option for those fond of traditional interiors as well as lovers of more modern design.

Should you need any assistance or advice when it comes to any questions related to flooring, if you’re trying to make a choice between traditional, single-plank and three-strip flooring, contact us to find out more about each of these options.

Visit our biggest flooring showroom in North London to explore our vast collection of 3 strip engineered flooring. Talk to our flooring experts to know more.