Ordering Flooring Samples

A photo can only tell you so much. Wood changes with the light in your own room, next to your walls, your furniture and the floor you already have. That is why we would always rather you held a piece of the real thing before you commit to a full floor.

Every floor on the site comes with two sample options. Which one you want depends on how closely you need to look before you decide.

Free sample

Pick the free sample and we will send you a swatch of the actual board, up to 20mm. It is a real piece of the floor, so the colour, grain and finish are exactly what you would be buying rather than a printed guess. For most people comparing a few shades, a handful of free swatches laid side by side is enough to rule options in or out.

Order as many as you are weighing up. There is no charge and no obligation to buy afterwards.

£4 sample

Some floors are hard to judge from a small piece. Herringbone and chevron patterns, wide rustic-grade oak, and heavily brushed or reactive finishes all read differently across a larger area. For those, choose the £4 sample and we will send a bigger piece, up to 200mm, so you can see how the grain and finish carry across the board.

At four pounds it barely covers the cutting and postage, but it saves you ordering a whole floor on a hunch. It is the one to go for if you are doing a full room, matching an existing floor, or specifying for a client.

How to order

1. Find the floor you like and open its product page.
2. Choose your sample. Add Free Sample for a quick colour check, or Add Sample (£4) for a closer look at pattern and finish.
3. Add it to your basket and check out with your delivery address.
4. We pack and post it, and email you to confirm it is on its way.

If you already know the ranges you want to compare, call the team on 020 8830 9787 and we will get the samples out to you without you having to hunt through the site.

When they arrive

Both sample types are dispatched within 48 hours of your order, so you are not waiting around to get started. After that it is down to normal postal times, and we will email you the moment yours has been sent.

Getting the most from your sample

Once it lands, live with it for a day or two before you decide. Lay it on the floor rather than holding it up to the wall, and look at it in the morning, under your evening lights, and on a grey afternoon. Wood can look like three different floors across a single day, and the finish matters as much as the colour. A matt oiled board and a lacquered one in the same shade will feel completely different underfoot and under light.

If you are torn between two, keep both down for the week and see which one you stop noticing. The floor you forget about is usually the one you can live with for twenty years.

Not sure where to start?

If you are staring at hundreds of oak floors and they are starting to blur into one, that is normal, and it is exactly what we are here for. Tell us about the room, the light, and the look you are after, and we will pick out a shortlist worth sampling.

Call us on 020 8830 9787, or fill in the "Need help choosing" form and one of the flooring team will come back to you with suggestions and get the samples on their way.

Quick FAQs

What is the difference between the free sample and the £4 sample? 

The free sample is a swatch of the real board up to 20mm, which is plenty to check colour and finish. The £4 sample is a larger piece up to 200mm, which is worth it for herringbone, chevron, wide boards, or any floor where the grain and pattern matter across a bigger area.

How many free samples can I order? 

As many as you are choosing between. Order a few, lay them side by side, and narrow it down.

Is the £4 refunded if I buy the floor? 

No. The four pounds covers the cutting and postage on the larger piece. It is not taken off your order.

How long will my sample take to arrive? 

Both types are dispatched within 48 hours of your order. After that, it is normal postal times, and we email you as soon as yours is on its way.

Will the floor look exactly like the sample? 

Very close, but wood is a natural material, so there is some variation in colour and grain from board to board. That is part of the look rather than a fault. The sample shows you the shade and finish honestly, and a real floor will have a bit more character across the whole room.

Can I order a sample of any floor? 

Sample options appear on the product page for each floor. If you cannot see the one you want, call us on 020 8830 9787, and we will sort it out.

I still cannot decide. Can someone help? 

Yes. Tell us about your room and the look you are after on 020 8830 9787 or through the "Need help choosing" form, and we will point you to a shortlist worth sampling.