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Multi Layered or Engineered Oak Flooring, what does it mean?

Wood is what in technical terms is called a hygroscopic material. This means that it adjusts its form according to varying temperatures and fluctuations in humidity. Under the influence of the changing climate in your home and through the ongoing process of shrinking and swelling, traditional solid floors often start cupping or warping after some time. Engineered wooden floors offer the perfect solution for that problem. Multilayer floors are semi-solid wooden floors, specially designed to minimize the natural movement of the wood (and therefore the deformation).

 

 

Lalegno’s engineered floors are composed of different layers of wood.

  • A top layer, made of solid oak, tropical wood of excellent quality.
  • A stabilizing substructure.

 

 

The different layers are placed crosswise on top of each other, and then firmly glued to one another under high pressure. Thus, all tensions that may arise under the influence of temperature changes or fluctuations of the relative humidity in your home are counterbalanced. This construction is what makes multilayer flooring so solid and very stable. After correct installation in healthy homes an engineered floor barely moves. An additional advantage is that this production process allows us to produce longer and wider planks without compromising the stability.

 

 

Two Multi-Layer Construction Systems
3 Ply Construction

Three separate solid sections of timber make up the 3 Ply board. Solid hardwood top veneer, a Poplar core and a Birch base layer.

2 Ply Construction

A Multiple layer section is made up using layers of solid Birch and Poplar. This sub structure is then joined to a top layer of hardwood veneer, these 2 sections make up the 2 Ply boards, commonly referred to as a Multi-layer board.

Both systems are technically equivalent

The standard Lalegno floors with a total thickness of 10 or 21mm are provided with an all timber support, composed of several layers of MLH (mixed light hardwood) veneer. This system balances floors with this thickness perfectly and is technically easier to produce.

The three-layer system is generally used in semi-solid floors of 15mm thick with a top layer of 4mm. It provides the optimum balance for such top layers in order to compensate for latitude and longitude shrinkage in extremely dry or humid conditions. Lalegno’s three-layer floors get a standard stabilized hardwood support and a backing of hardwood veneer.

                                         

Oak flooring

When we think about wooden floors, one automatically thinks of Oak. That is after all, the classic reference when it comes to flooring.

As a symbol of wisdom the Oak has played a special role in human history for centuries. The wood of an Oak is one of the best known and most widely used. It is hard and durable, yet easily processable. Oak wood has many indoor applications, from ornate furniture to secure support beams. Therefore, it is also a rewarding wood for flooring.

Advantages of Lalegno Oak Flooring

There are a lot of options when it comes to wooden floors, but just about everywhere in the world, oak is at the top of the list. And there are good reasons for that!

We have put together just five of the advantages of oak flooring:

 

  • More beautiful, year after year, there’s no comparing the refined feeling emanating from Oak wood. The grain and structure of Oak testify to a beauty, that only nature itself can make. The piece of nature that you bring into your home when installing an Oak floor, will even become more beautiful over the years and gain character and charm.
  • Hard, wear-resistant and durable, the impressive hardness, wear-resistance and durability of Oak will protect your wallet. An Oak floor will last for many years, is easily renovated and adaptable to changes in your interior style. So you do not have to replace your floor at the drop of a hat.
    Moreover, oak is resistant to insects and fungi. That makes for a better, more hygienic and healthier life at home.
  • Cleaning is fast and easy, unlike some other floor coverings, which can be a real dust magnet and sometimes even cause allergies, (Oak) wood is very fast and easy to keep clean.
  • Adds value to your home, an oak floor not only gives a sense of warm hospitality to your home or office, but also adds financial value to your property.
    Oak floors no longer need to cost a fortune. If you opt for Oak flooring, it’s an investment that can make you money, even if you want to sell your home in the long term.
  • Oak is versatile, Oak is easy to stain and to treat and fits perfectly with any style of interior design. What’s more, it allows you to play with length and width, completely changing the spatial effect of the living space.

 

 

European or Mongolian Oak – A Great Choice

Not all oak are the same.  Worldwide over 50 different species of oak are known.

Lalegno only uses two types for its production:

EUROPEAN OAK (QUERCUS ROBUR)
  • Known to us from the antique furniture.
  • The heartwood of untreated European oak contains a lot of tannic acid and has light to dark brown tones.
  • It has a rather pronounced grain pattern.
MONGOLIAN OAK (QUERCUS MONGOLICA)
  • This is very high quality wood.
  • Untreated Japanese oak is quite light in color. The wood is easy to finish to the desired shade, easy to maintain and durable.
  • It has a less pronounced grain pattern than European oak.

Lalegno has a very wide range of oak floors, both for a classical and a modern look.

Why opt for Lalegno?

Why opt for Lalegno?

Choosing to become the proud owner of Lalegno Engineered Oak Floors, is a decision you make with your heart.  Lalegno is not only the architect’s first choice, but an investment that you will live with in your home for years to come.

No other flooring offers the warmth, beauty, and value of hardwood.  Our wooden flooring enhances the décor of any room, and provides timeless beauty that will increase in value throughout the years.

Lalegno Engineered Multiply Hardwood flooring is the next evolutionary step in this tradition offering better stability and climate-neutrality than conventional solid hardwood. In fact, in a national survey of estate agents, 90 percent said that houses with wood flooring sell faster and for higher prices than houses without wood floors. That’s money in your pocket!

  • Lalegno engineered flooring is STABLE and the most resistant against deformation
  • Lalegno engineered flooring is ideal for NEW HOMES OR RENOVATION
  • Lalegno engineered flooring is very well adapted to use with UNDERFLOOR HEATING
  • Lalegno engineered flooring is GREAT FOR DIY-ENTHUSIASTS
  • Lalegno engineered flooring can be used ANYWHERE IN YOUR HOME
  • Lalegno engineered flooring is DURABLE
  • Lalegno engineered flooring is ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY and made with respect for nature
  • Lalegno engineered flooring offers SO MUCH CHOICE
  • Engineered flooring is EASY TO MAINTAIN
  • Engineered flooring can also be achieved for a LIMITED BUDGET

Environmental Benefits

Environmental Benefits of Wood Floors

Nature’s own renewable resource Wood flooring is the most abundantly renewable flooring material available. The trees used to make wood floors are produced in a factory called a forest by a renewable source of energy called the sun. Sustainable forest management makes it possible to harvest wood without any serious impact on the environment, because trees are a renewable resource that can be replaced time and time again.

Check out the environmental facts about wood floors:

  • Average annual net growth for hardwoods is greater than average annual removals (Source: US Department of Agriculture Forest Service)
  • Indoor air quality is better with wood floors (Source: US Environmental Protection Agency)
  • Wood is a carbon neutral product that produces oxygen during its growth cycle and stores carbon during its service life (Source: University of Wisconsin Wood Products Program Solid Wood Flooring Life Cycle Analysis)
  • Wood floors use less water and energy to produce that other flooring options (Source: University of Wisconsin Wood Products Program Solid Wood Flooring Life Cycle Analysis)
  • At the end of its service life, wood flooring can be burned as fuel or recycled (Source: University of Wisconsin Wood Products Program Solid Wood Flooring Life Cycle Analysis)
  • Wood floors last hundreds of years, so won’t need to be replaced as often as other flooring options (Source: National Association of Home Builders)
  • While it takes most hardwood trees 40-60 years to mature, the inventory planted today won’t be needed for 100-plus years (Source: National Wood Flooring Association)

 

Lalegno
  • Gain a little peace of mind knowing that by choosing oak flooring you are contributing to a greener planet.
  • Wooden floors help to reduce the level of harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere by absorbing and converting it into carbon.
  • Lalegno uses mature wood in our manufacturing process which would eventually release greenhouse gases as it begins to break down and rot. By applying a number of processes we can ensure the CO2 is stored for a longer period of time.
  • Timber creates zero waste, as off cuts from mills can be used as firewood, sawdust has a number of uses such as compost or animal bedding and once the finished products have completed their lifespans then they will decompose as part of the natural cycle, releasing their nutrients back into the ground. Nothing will clog up a land fill for decades to come.
  • The carbon emissions emitted into the atmosphere to produce 1 cubic meter of concrete products are the same as producing 1 cubic ton of timber products.

Wood or Veneer

Wood/Veneer Grades, Textures and Finishes

Wood is a product of nature, and each board is unique.  

Engineered oak flooring is available in multiple grades that describe the type of wood used. The grade of the wood affects the overall appearance of the floor when installed, and is an important consideration when choosing a product. Higher grades are cut from the centre of the oak logs and offer more uniform finishes while the wood that is cut from the outer layers provide more natural looking results. Lalegno South Africa offers Classic grade, also known as Rustic, and Prime grade as standard.

 

Classic Grade

 

Classic grade will display a broad range of colour variation and will contain knots and fillers which delivers a lot of character and a very natural wood look finish. Classic grade is by far the most popular choice in the South African market due to the natural look and feel, and the lower price tag compared to Prime grade.

 

Prime Grade

 

Prime grade is Lalegno SA’s the higher grade of wood flooring readily available in stock. Cut from the centre of the log, this grade of wood has little variance in appearance and has very few knots which are small and unobtrusive. The sap content of Prime grade is also very low. A Prime grade floor will have a more uniformed look and does not offer the same character of Classic grade. Prime grade is also more expensive than Classic grade.

Hessa Coatings Partner

Hessa – Lalegno’s Coatings Partner

“Hesse-Lignal Coatings strives to be a company who are committed to producing products that display the lowest possible ecological impact and therefore make a significant contribution to protecting the environment.  Modern, highly specialized production facilities, coupled with intelligent process control are the defining principles of the production process.  They guarantee all products maintain the maximum level of consistency through constant scrutiny at every stage of the manufacturing process.  They focus on the needs and desires of the customers, and to this end they operate one of the largest research and development laboratories in Europe.  On offer in South Africa is a comprehensive and complete range of products , for each area of the wood finishing industry.  As Industry Professionals, our indepth knowledge of the flooring industry – has resulted in Lalegno aligning itself with the Hesse-Lignal Coatings range of products.”