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Choosing Conservatory Flooring

06 January 2015

When you plan a conservatory installation, you do so as a whole: selecting the style and design, as well as the size, dimensions and materials that will come together to create your ideal living space. The flooring that you choose will become a fundamental part of the design and, with so many options to draw from, the type of material that you use will play a large role in determining the overall feel of your conservatory. Do you want a comfortable and welcoming space that extends the warmth of the home out into the garden? Or do you prefer a fresh and sleek open space that would make the perfect place for breakfast times in the summer? How you intend to use your conservatory will define the flooring that you choose. And, with everything from marble to hardwood and carpeting to underfloor heating available, there is an option to perfectly suit your needs.

Interior Floors

With many different types of flooring to choose from, selecting the style and material for the interior of your conservatory is a decision that is going to be influenced by a whole range of factors. Although everybody wants to ensure that their new conservatory will look as appealing and aesthetically pleasing as possibly, other factors that will need some time and consideration spent on them include the maintenance, durability, and the cost of the materials.

Natural Hardwood

Traditionally favoured for interiors, modern hardwood flooring can now also be installed in a conservatory if specially treated and produced. Because a conservatory increases the chances of fluctuations in room temperature and humidity, flooring that has not been appropriately treated may warp or shrink and become uneven, so always ensure beforehand that you have selected the right materials for the job.

Laminate Flooring

Once seen as the budget option, laminate flooring is nowadays manufactured to a remarkably high standard. This makes laminates amongst the most popular materials for conservatory flooring. Along with the cost benefits, a laminate flooring is protected and waterproof, very easy to manage and keep clean, and can be produced to imitate virtually any other surface – from marble to hardwood – to great effect.

Cork

Soft and springy and naturally textured, the bark of the cork tree makes for comfortable and eye-catching flooring. The spongy texture is great for children, and its naturally insulating properties give your conservatory a warm and rustic feel. Cork flooring is coated to increase its natural water resistance. And because the bark can be harvested without cutting down the tree, cork products are ecologically friendly, and support the cultivation of new cork forests.

Stone Flooring

Elegant and durable, stone flooring will bring an added level of sleek sophistication to your conservatory. Although a stone floor can make your living space feel cooler underfoot, it is heavyweight and easy to maintain, and both rugs and underfloor heating can be used to bring extra warmth to your conservatory.

Granite

A robust and naturally water resistant stone, granite can make a beautiful – if quite expensive – choice of flooring for your home's conservatory. This volcanic rock forms crystals as it cools, giving a granite flow a natural sparkle and lustre when polished.

Limestone

Although a naturally soft and porous rock, limestone is nevertheless a popular choice of flooring for conservatories. Its pale and textured surface creates a spacious feel that brightens any area. Coated limestone tends to be more water resistant, though in doing so, some of the texture may be lost in the finishing process.

Marble

An expensive looking marble flooring can transform a conservatory from a functional living space into a luxurious focal point for the home. Although ongoing care is needed to ensure that the marble maintains its surface gloss and durability, a well installed flooring made of this patterned stone will remain looking brand new and unblemished for years to come.

Ceramics

Like stone flooring, ceramics can provide a resilient, easy to maintain option for your conservatory flooring. However, they are equally susceptible to becoming cold. Generally produced as tiles, ceramics are lighter, easier to install, and often more affordable than stone, whilst retaining much of the look and feel of a hard floor surface.

Glazed Ceramics

By glazing ceramics, tilers are able to produce flooring that is not only long-lasting and resilient, but also waterproof, and available in any number of colours or designs.

Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain is an incredibly robust and water resistant material that is manufactured under intense pressure. Porcelain tiling will last many years and withstand constant use and heavy footfall. Some porcelain tiles are finished with a stone effect, making them the ideal substitute for heavier, quarried materials.

Quarry Tiles

Whereas once a quarry tile may have been fashioned from quarried stone, the ceramic option is made from clay, and can typically be chosen in a range of natural colours and tones.

Terracotta Tiles

Terracotta is a warm and earthy ceramic that is both softer and less dense than other, glazed ceramics. Whereas this can make terracotta a more porous and easier to damage if not maintained, it is also naturally more insulating, providing your conservatory with a warmth not only from its reddish hue, but also to the touch.

Underfloor Heating

If your flooring is cold, that will effect the temperature of your whole conservatory. When stone or ceramic flooring is used, underfloor heating is always advisable. The two most common methods of heating a conservatory floor are wet heating and electric. In the first case, pipes are embedded below the flooring and hot water is channelled through them, raising the temperature of the tiles above. Electric heating works along the same principle, but utilises insulated matting with electric heating elements to generate warmth. As both wet underfloor and electric underfloor heating are installed prior to the floor being laid, it is necessary to decide early on which method you would prefer to use.

Summary

Finding the right surface for your conservatory flooring is as much a matter of you budget constraints and personal preferences as it is in understanding the physical properties of the materials. And the best news is that there is usually a solution to ensure that your first choice of flooring can be made to work for you, whatever your needs.