FAQs

V4 Wood Flooring is sold by independent V4 Approved Retailers across the UK. Approved retailers have large format samples on display and can guide you through the process of installing your perfect floor. Find your nearest Approved Retailer Showroom here

V4 Wood Flooring should always be installed by an experienced wood flooring installer following the advice in our installation guides.

Your V4 Wood Floor once correctly installed is guaranteed domestically for 35 years so it is important that you understand how to keep it looking great. You can find out how to care for your chosen floor with our care and maintenance advice. Click here for more.

V4 Wood Flooring is only sold by Approved V4 Retailers who can give expert advice on choosing your floor and offer a full professional installation service. However if you already have an experienced installer and you would prefer just to purchase your floor online you can find V4 Wood Flooring online.

Some years ago V4 made the decision to discontinue purely solid wood floors. Instead the collections include engineered wood floors which offer a far more sustainable use of the precious hardwood timber. V4 Wood Flooring has a solid hardwood top or wear layer which ranges in thickness from 6 – 2.5 mm. This solid wood top layer is backed on an engineered base layer made from a combination of faster growing soft and hard woods. So V4 Wood Flooring is always made using sustainably sourced hardwood top layers on engineered bases as we believe this is the best use of the material and offers the strongest most versatile from of wood flooring.

AB Select/Nature: grade flooring is handpicked to contain small knots giving a cleaner look. Variation in colour, grain and sapwood around the edge of the board is still apparent adding to the natural effect.
CD Rustic: grade flooring allows for a wide variance in colour, tone, grain and knot content. You will see Sap Wood, Heart Wood and natural shakes. Being a natural product you will also get splits and dead knots within the timber which are normal and filled with either a black or brown resin. We strongly recommend you look at our room set photos and featured installations to really appreciate the rustic character in all its beauty.
ABC Mixed: grade is popular in species such as walnut. This grade displays more variation in grain and colour with larger knots and more sapwood well distributed. Small filled cracks and dark streaks are also apparent.

Brushed: A steel brush removes the soft grain from the surface layer creating a textured surface which enhances the beauty of the natural grain. Brushing is often used with stained products.
Distressed: To create this effect various methods are used to give the wood an aged, well used appearance also that of a board milled using rudimentary rustic tools. The skill is in making the distressing look natural.
Stained: Stain is applied by rollers and buffed in to penetrate the top surface of the board and then sealed with either oil or lacquer creating some stand out floors.
Smoked: Timber is stored in drying rooms filled with ammonia vapor or “smoke” for up to 3 days until the wood colour darkens. This means that the floor keeps its rich colour even after refinishing.
Cross Sawn: Random saw marks are made across the grain to add an extra texture to the surface.

We always recommend that the floor installation is the last part of your building or renovation project. Whilst it may be more simple to install fitted furniture like a kitchen on top of a floor it is not a good idea.  A wood floor will expand and contract with variations in climate which is why an expansion gap is created around the perimeter of an installed floor. For this reason we advise against pinning the floor down with heavy kitchen fittings and work tops. If a floor is pinned down then it can cause uneven expansion which in turn can cause the floor to exceed perimeter gaps in certain areas. Ideally the kitchen should be installed and the floor should be fitted up to the cabinets using the kick boards and undercutting of end panels or pillars to cover the expansion gap.

Before taking delivery ensure all wet trades, building work and where possible all decorating is completed and allowed to thoroughly dry out (This may take up to 8 weeks). If you are renovating or building in any form, we strongly recommend your V4 Wood Flooring is installed as the last job. Covering the floor up will not always fully protect it from the traffic, work dust or chemicals used during the process. If you do cover the floor check with the manufacturer of the product as some products can be harmful to real wood flooring.
Windows and doors must be fitted and its crucial the building is weather tight. The Relative Humidity (RH) reading must be between 45-65% and ambient temperature maintained between 18-24ºC. Readings should always be taken and documented.
As a rule of thumb sand and cement screeds can take up to 1 day per 1mm to dry up to 50mm then 2.5 days thereafter. A screed 100mm thick can take up to 6 months to dry out.
Please refer to our installation guides for more information.

The key to a successful installation is your sub floor preparation. Taking the time to get this right will minimise the possibility of movement which often leads to creaking or moisture ingress which can cause a multitude of problems.
To conform to industry standard BS-8201-2011 the sub floor should be sound, level, smooth, dry and free from undulation. There should be checks undertaken to ensure there is no trace of damp rot, fungal or insect infestation and contaminating residue.
Surface irregularities must not exceed 3mm over a 2m area and hot pipes should be well insulated to prevent hot spots as this may cause excessive shrinkage.
Sub floors may appear dry at the surface but moisture can still be present within the substrate. Using a professional moisture reader such as a Protimeter MMS will give accurate readings.
Please ensure the following is adhered to:
- 70% Relative Humidity (RH) for cement based concrete
- 11% Wood Moisture Equivalent (WME) for wooden sub floors or joists.
Liquid or foil Damp Proof Membranes (DPM) are recommended for extra piece of mind when laying over concrete or water based sub floors.
Always use the correct levelling compounds suitable for Real Wood Flooring. If unsure check with the manufacturer.
Please refer to our installation guides for more information.

Acclimatisation is crucial to the installation. The product must to be left sealed in the pack and laid flat in the room it is being fitted for a minimum of 3 days (The longer the better). Never leave wood flooring outside or anywhere cold.  For a full breakdown, visit our full Acclimatisation Guide.
Please refer to our installation guides for specific advice.

Yes V4 Wood Flooring can be used with underfloor heating. As with all wood floors it is critical that the heating is fully tested before installation and the surface temperature must not exceed 27ºC and temperature should not fluctuate excessively as this can cause drastic dimensional changes in the wood, for a complete guide to installation and using under floor heating click here.