Distressed Wooden Flooring: Tips and Tricks

When it comes to distressed wooden floorboards, there are two types of them. The first type is the floorboards that look distressed, worn and torn due to high traffic, heavy footfall, some sort of damage, extensive use, and little to no maintenance and care. This is, in fact, not a look that should be enjoyed or neglected. Such damage wear and tear not only looks very bad on every wooden floor but also can lead to major issues and soon or late pressure you to replace the whole floor or invest money in very expensive and complex repair services. So maybe you wonder, who on earth can enjoy the “distressed” look?! Well, here is where the second type of distressed flooring comes into place. The one that, contrary to the “naturally” distressed floorboards due to use and time, actually adds a unique appearance that many people will enjoy, adds a lot of character and distinctiveness to the floor, and ensures some convenience and functionality. Are you intrigued? Let’s find out more!

There is no doubt that one of the best ways to add a lot of character and charm to any room in the house is through wooden flooring with a distinctive design and style. It can be the focal point of every space when “distressed” professionally, real wood floors look amazing. However, it is important to take into account that distressed and damaged floors due to use and a bunch of other reasons cannot compare to the professionally achieved “distressed” look. The letter one can add up a lot of visual and style value to space. The first group simply need help, care, and professional treatment.

However, we are sure that it is not a regular thing to think of “distressed” and wooden floors in one sentence as a positive thing. In this case, things are different. When it comes to interior ideas and inspiration, professionally distressed wooden floors have no competition in the context of creating a rustic, unique, beautiful, very cosy, and creative atmosphere and ambience. Wooden floors that look artificially “old” are made that way for a reason, the reason is to beautify any room of the house. So if you want to spice things around the house, or you simply want to go for the old-world charm in your interior, distressed wood flooring will not only contribute to the idea but also won’t break the bank as it costs only a fraction of the price of real antique furniture and design pieces.

How distressed wood flooring is made?

Nope, you didn’t guess it, manufacturers of distressed hardwood floors do not simply use the floor in a hardcore way to create a specific look and style and then sell it. The secret is as simple as that – it is all about the professionally created finish and how it is applied to achieve the look. It sounds simple, yet the process requires mastery, knowledge, and experience. Experts with all the required skills use various techniques and finishes to create a floor’s surface that represents a weathered look, and vintage charm. Well, don’t be a snob about that it is not antique wood flooring, but this is for good, we promise. After all, you can enjoy the look of old wood without worrying about the floorboards breaking under your feet at any moment. In a nutshell, you pretty much get the aged and unique appearance, but at the same time, you enjoy a strong, hard-wearing, durable, and long-lasting construction made out of real wood materials.

In contrast with that, reclaimed wood is always an option. Reclaimed wood is pretty much a pre-loved wooden flooring that is now sold to new owners who practically enjoy the vintage and antique look. It sounds like an amazing idea, especially if you want to be more eco-friendly. However, it is still a very expensive project and can take a lot of time to find the right set of flooring.

Besides being brand new while looking old-world charming and also very affordable, artificially aged wooden flooring is also easy to find and purchase and comes in a great variety of colours, textures, styles, and finishes that can match perfectly to any interior anywhere.

So how the “distressed” look is created? For creating this sort of design, professionals use some specific techniques and tools to achieve the hand-scraped effect. While this effect can also be factory-made, it is not the same thing. By doing the process on hand, you can ensure a very authentic, unique, one-of-a-kind look and effect.

To add up to the effect, even more, some experts go further by adding a “smoky” effect to the floorboards, which is achieved by altering the density of the wood’s natural colour values. Usually, achieving the smoked effect is done before the floorboards are hand brushed to achieve the distressed look. No matter if you decide to go simply with the worn look, only with the smoky one, or choose both at once, the most important thing for enjoying these effects is starting with a high-quality wooden base. So make sure to choose to work with manufacturers and suppliers who source and work sustainably, consciously, and ethically.

Colours and Styles Available

As already mentioned, distressed wood flooring comes in a great variety of colours and styles. Additionally, such floors can still be finished as the conventional hardwood ones and you can achieve different finishes and effects. Still, waxing and oiling the floor remain the most popular products in case the aged and worn hardwood floors as they emphasize the beauty of the texture and the natural look.

Why do we call distressed wood floors ones with a lot of character and uniqueness? It is not only the brushed effect and technique, but it is also the fact that the hand-brushing technique brings out the best of wood – the depth of its natural colour and undertones, also its natural designs and patterns such as swirls, knots, etc. Indeed, there is no better way to make sure you have a one-of-a-kind wooden floor. The overall final effect depends on how deeply the hand scraping goes, so you have the freedom of choosing how lightly or deeply your floor is treated.

One of the best advantages of distressed wood floors, no matter the colour and level of effect you will go for, is the fact it is a great choice for families as it is very forgiving. Easy-to-maintenance and unlike highly glossy floor surfaces, distressed floors are good at camouflaging stains and scratches due to their design. After all, the whole point of this type of flooring is having and enjoying this well-loved look.

How to match distressed wood floors to your interior?

A highly versatile piece both in terms of the variety of colours and styles it comes in, but also in its nature, distressed wood floors can be installed anywhere and everywhere and look amazing in any ambience. It can be used in different rooms to match the interior, as well as in domestic and commercial settings. So no matter if it comes to your office, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, or living room, distressed wood can always be the perfect solution.

Handscraped wood floors look equally elegant and unique no matter the interior style. You can match them to anything, from cutting-edge modern, urbanistic and industrial interiors, to more classic and traditional settings. This artistic type of flooring seems to be created to match antique and vintage interiors, which is true, but you can easily be made in an essential part of the interior you’re your contemporary home too, just make sure to play around with different colours and finishes that will bring the floorboards to living.

As you can guess, the most common interiors that distressed wood flooring complements, are those styles as shabby chic, rustic, farmhouse, and country. You can go even further and use the same technique used for creating the floor to artificially add age and character to other elements of the interior design, furniture pieces in particular.

Shabby chic is a great way to enhance the beauty of your distressed wooden floor. With its soft and mild tones, cosy fabrics, the tribute to nostalgic items, furniture pieces passed down to generations, and memorabilia, the distressed floor is the final touch that ties everything up and creates an inviting, cosy, and welcoming atmosphere.

Looking for ideas for your holiday home? Well, there is no better place for distressed wood flooring, indeed. Perfectly matching the nautically themed style, and specially installed in a beach or coastal vacation home, nothing can create such an authentic and pleasant feeling as the look of hand-scraped wood that perfectly mimics the weathered by the sea breeze appearance.