Any question you may have about us, what we offer and/or what we do, we’ll endeavour to answer to the best of our ability. We are here to put your mind at rest on any burning issues. This may range from technical advice thorough to delivery details.
A few of the common questions that we answer on a regular basis are detailed below. You may just find what you’re looking for. If you still require additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact us using the link below.
Ask Rafe OlsenEngineered wood flooring is loosely defined as a multi-layer product that has a solid hardwood top surface. Layers are formed at 90o to one another to provide a structurally solid product. The majority of engineered floors (including all of ours) are tongue and grooved to make fitting a breeze.
Excellent question! Solid hardwood flooring can be wonderful. But, it can also be awful. Solid planks tend to be much more temperamental all the way through the manufacturing and finishing process. They’re much more susceptible to atmospheric changes and can react with volatility when coated with stains and oils. On the surface they appear the same as engineered flooring but underneath they lack the stability.
When you have selected the flooring you would like to see, using either the predefined finishes or the bespoke flooring creator, simply click on the ‘order sample’ button to add that selection to your basket. Then just checkout as if making any other purchase.
Delivery dates and lead times vary greatly dependant upon what you have ordered and, if applicable, what finish. For more information, please see our page on Lead Times & Delivery.
This will be dependent upon what has been ordered. Small parcels and samples will generally be delivered on a 24hr courier service. Larger flooring orders will normally be delivered using the pallet network. For more information please see our page on Lead Times & Delivery.
Of course, no problem at all. Payment can be made over the phone or by BACS if you prefer these methods over using the Paypal web portal. We accept all major credit/debit cards except, American Express.
The Rafe Olsen returns policy isn’t straight forward. For many items we are happy to exchange or refund goods returned to us within 30 days. However, this does not apply to our flooring. Rafe Olsen flooring is produced on a bespoke basis, this means that it is strictly non-returnable. This is why we strongly recommend ordering samples before finalising any flooring orders. The fact it is bespoke doesn’t affect your rights on any damages or failures of the product. Please read through the details on our Terms & Conditions of Sale page.
All flooring is measured in square metres (m2). To calculate this multiply the length of the room by the width of the room. For example, if your room was 4 metres long by 3 metres wide, the calculation would be: 4m x 3m = 12m2
Rafe Olsen flooring is only sold in full pack quantities. This varies slightly across the different board widths.
It is necessary to build in an extra 10-15% on top of your total required meterage as a buffer for wastage and cuts. It is an acceptance within the flooring trade that up to 5% of your floor may be deemed unusable purely because of the nature of timber products.
Yes, you can. But…..there are considerations to think about. Despite the Rubio Oil providing an excellent barrier against liquids once fully cured, continual immersion in water will severely damage the flooring over time. Liquid stood on the floor for a short time before being mopped up will pose few problems but long term wet patches will eventually degrade the surface and damage the timber below. Examples to avoid could be: a pet’s water bowl or constant dripping beneath a sink.
Yes, you can. But…..there are considerations to think about. Despite the Rubio Oil providing an excellent barrier against liquids once fully cured, continual immersion in water will severely damage the flooring over time. Liquid stood on the floor for a short time before being mopped up will pose few problems but long term wet patches will eventually degrade the surface and damage the timber below. Examples to avoid could be: where people step out of the bath or shower and/or around a basin.
Absolutely! We’d love to hear about your plans for your home/office or any other space you’re renovating. Rafe Olsen can provide insight on trending colours, advice on which planks would suit you best, the ideal way to lay your flooring and we can work off architects plans to ensure all of your profile and accessories needs are met. We can try to answer any other queries about preparation and maintenance as well. If there is anything we can’t help you with, we’ll be sure to try and point you in the right direction!
Yes, you can. But, we’d prefer you not to. There are some very fine underlays on the market at the moment but our personal feeling is, engineered flooring is at it’s best when stuck down to the substrate floor. It generally makes the flooring feel more secure under foot and unless you’re planning to take it with you if you move home, there is no real advantage to a ‘floating’ floor.
Installing Rafe Olsen flooring over the top of underfloor heating isn’t a problem. This statement is based on two major assumptions: the underfloor heating system is buried beneath a screed layer and the correct adhesive is used to adhere the flooring to the sub floor. We offer an adhesive specifically for the job here.
This is a question that cannot always be answered easily. As a guide you will need profiles to cover the perimeter expansion gap around the room and wherever your floor meets an existing floor (normally doorways). For more detailed information about the topic, please see our Accessories page.
A sensible cleaning routine is normally more than sufficient to keep your Rafe Olsen flooring looking its best. There are extra duties that can be performed to increase longevity. For more information on these and other maintenance topics, please see our dedicated page here.
Generally, yes, without problem. The oil top coat that we apply is incredibly resilient and hard wearing but there are some occasions where extremely heavy footfall may call for a slightly different surface finish to what we use as standard. Either way, it isn’t a problem to provide our flooring for commercial use, we’ll always ask about usage at the first point of contact.
We can. B2B is easily accommodated. Rafe Olsen can produce VAT invoices for accounting. Delivery to site or business premises can be performed at no additional cost.
