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Ask most people to picture a lacquered floor, and they imagine a glassy, high-shine surface that belongs in a show home from the 1990s. That picture is out of date. The most sought-after lacquered engineered wood flooring today wears a soft, matte finish that looks far closer to raw timber than to varnish, yet still handles the knocks of everyday life. That shift matters because the finish you choose decides how your floor looks on day one and how it ages over the next twenty years. Get it right, and you have a surface that protects itself, suits contemporary interiors and brings real quality to your home. Here is how lacquered finishes work, why matte has become the premium choice, and how our Heritage collection gives you the protection of lacquer with the natural look of oil with our revolutionary Fusion Hybrid finish. Summary: Lacquer is a protective layer that sits on the surface of the wood, guarding it against spills, scratches and daily traffic. Lacquer comes in different sheen levels: gloss, satin and matte. Matte finish wood floors are now the contemporary premium choice. A higher shine shows scratches, dust and footprints more readily, so matte floors often look better for longer in a busy home. Traditional oiled floors look natural but need regular re-oiling. Our Fusion Hybrid finish keeps that natural matte look without the upkeep. Fusion Hybrid offers up to fourteen times the wear resistance of a standard oil-wax floor, and a thick wear layer of our 20mm herringbone parquet means the floor can be sanded and resealed for decades. What sets lacquered engineered wood flooring apart A lacquer is a protective coating that sits on top of the timber. Oil soaks into the wood and feeds the grain from within, while a lacquer forms a hardwearing layer across the surface. That surface layer is what makes lacquered flooring such a dependable choice for family homes and busy spaces, like kitchens, hallways, living rooms and dining rooms. The benefits of a quality lacquer floor are easy to see day to day: Spill resistance. The sealed surface buys you time to wipe up tea, wine or muddy paw prints before they reach the wood. Scratch protection. A lacquered surface stands up to chair legs, shoes and the general traffic of family life better than an unsealed floor. Low fuss. Lacquer flooring asks for little more than regular sweeping and the occasional clean with the right product. Here is the part most buyers miss. A lacquer floor is not automatically a shiny floor. Lacquered flooring is made in a range of sheen levels, and the level you choose changes the character of a room completely. Two floors can use the same protective lacquer, yet one can gleam, and the other can look as natural as bare oak. The sheen, not the protection, is what your eye reads first. Flooring Sheen levels explained Sheen level The look Shows marks and dust Best suited to Gloss Bright, reflective, formal  Most visible Traditional or statement pieces Satin Soft sheen, gentle light Moderately visible Traditional interiors Matte Natural, close to bare timber Least visible Contemporary homes and high-traffic areas Why matte finish wood floors became the premium choice For years, a high-gloss floor was a sign of something new and expensive. Tastes have moved on. A glossy surface can now read as dated, and at worst, it can be mistaken for laminate, LVT or vinyl. Matte finish on hardwood floors has taken its place as the mark of a considered, natural and properly premium interior. There is a practical reason behind the trend, and it is one most flooring guides skip over. Shine shows everything. A reflective surface picks up footprints, dust, hairline scratches and the smudge of bare feet, all of which catch the light. A matte finish scatters that light instead of bouncing it back, so the same everyday wear is far harder to notice. The result is counterintuitive but worth understanding. Two floors can carry identical protection underneath, yet the matte one will look fresh for longer in a real, lived-in home. For matte finish engineered hardwood flooring, that means less visible upkeep and a surface that flatters the wood rather than competing with it. Matte finishes also let the timber speak for itself. An open-pore matte surface keeps the grain visible and the texture honest, so the floor looks like wood rather than a coating laid over wood. For anyone choosing matte finish flooring to anchor a calm, contemporary scheme, that authenticity is the whole point. It is the difference between a floor that announces itself and one that simply feels right underfoot. Oiled or lacquered? You may not have to choose When people research engineered wood flooring, oiled or lacquered, they are usually weighing two trade-offs. Oil gives a beautifully natural, matte look and feel, but it needs re-oiling every so often to stay protected. Lacquer gives stronger surface protection and lower upkeep, but has traditionally meant accepting more sheen. For a long time, that was a real either/or. Choosing oiled or lacquered engineered wood flooring meant deciding which compromise you could live with: the natural look that asks for attention, or the easy-care surface that gives up some character. A hybrid finish changes the question entirely, because it brings the strengths of each into a single surface. How Fusion Hybrid delivers protection and a natural look Our Heritage collection is finished with Fusion Hybrid, the first collection to feature this superior technology in the UK. It combines the durability of a lacquer with the natural, matte appearance and feel of an oil-wax floor, so you no longer have to trade one for the other. The finish is open-pore and ultra-matte. It preserves and protects the timber while enhancing the natural grain, so the floor keeps the warm, tactile quality people love about oiled wood.  Beneath that natural look sits real performance: Up to six times more coating protection than a standard oil-wax floor. Up to fourteen times greater wear resistance, so the surface stands up to daily life. A solvent-free, allergy-friendly formulation that is safe for family homes and busy commercial spaces alike. No re-oiling routine to keep on top of, unlike a traditional oiled floor. Feature Traditional lacquer Traditional oil Fusion Hybrid Look Often higher sheen Natural, matte Natural, ultra-matte Surface protection High Lower High Re-oiling needed (Domestic setting) No (general maintenance only)  Yes, periodically No (general maintenance only) Everday upkeep Low Higher Low Grain visibility Can be masked Excellent  Excellent   This is what we mean by the best of both worlds: a refined matte finish on hardwood floors, paired with the protection and easy upkeep that a busy household needs. Are hardwood floors hard to maintain? It is one of the first questions renovators ask, and the honest answer is that modern hardwood floors are far easier to live with than their reputation occasionally suggests. The finish is the deciding factor. Much of the "high maintenance" reputation comes from older oiled floors, which need periodic re-oiling to stay protected. A matte lacquer or a hybrid finish removes that task. Day to day, a Fusion Hybrid floor requires regular sweeping or vacuuming and an occasional clean with a suitable wood floor product. So if low effort sits high on your list, a matte, protective finish is the route to a real wood floor that looks after itself. You get the look of natural timber and the convenience of a sealed surface, without the seasonal re-oiling. Built to last, and to hold its value A quality lacquered floor is a long-term fixture, not a short-term finish. The Heritage collection is built on an extra-thick 6mm oak wear layer, which means the floor can be sanded back and resealed many times over the years rather than ripped out and replaced. With care, that is a surface measured in decades (dare we say centuries in some settings), not seasons. The collection brings this performance to two timeless parquet patterns: a classic lacquered herringbone flooring layout and an elegant chevron, available across a range of light and darker oak shades. These are the floors that quietly define a room and keep defining it long after trends have come and gone. There is a value argument here, too. A floor that still looks considered and cared-for years from now is part of what makes a home feel well specified and properly finished. That lasting impression is exactly the sort of detail that adds quality to a property over time, which is why a hardwearing, matte lacquered floor is as much an investment as it is a design choice. Choosing your floor You no longer have to choose between a floor that protects itself and a floor that looks natural. A matte, lacquered finish gives you both, and Fusion Hybrid takes that further by pairing an ultra-matte, oil-like surface with the wear resistance a family home or busy space demands. If you are weighing up lacquered engineered wood flooring for a renovation, see how the finish looks across real oak tones and parquet patterns in our Heritage collection, or explore the full range of engineered wood flooring collections to find the floor that defines your space.

You have the keys, a budget that already feels tight, and a list of jobs longer than the hallway. The good news for a first-time renovator is that adding value rarely means spending the most. It means spending in the right order, on the things a future buyer notices first and looks at longest. Affordable flooring sits near the top of that list, because the floor is the single largest surface in almost every room and the first thing the eye lands on when a door opens. Here is a practical set of renovation tips for getting real value from a modest budget, with a clear look at why a good engineered wood floor at an entry-level price will usually serve you better than carpet or laminate. How to Add Value Affordably Spend where buyers look first: floors, light and layout return more than expensive extras. Buy flooring for the long run. Affordable engineered wood can be sanded and re-sealed for decades, while laminate and carpet get thrown away. Get the running order right. Fix the basics, then lay the floor, then fit the kitchen. Use one floor to link open-plan spaces for a larger, more expensive feel. Our Harmony collection could be perfect for this. Refresh before you replace: paint, handles, and lighting are the cheapest wins. Order samples and view them in your own light before you commit. Start With the Floor: Why Affordable Flooring Is the Smartest First Buy Think about how homes are sold today. Estate agent photos and property listings are shot wide and low, so the floor fills the bottom third of every image. A tired carpet or a scuffed laminate quietly drags down a whole room in those photos, while a clean run of real wood lifts it. That is why affordable flooring is an efficient place to start. You are improving the biggest visible surface in the house and the one that shapes the first impression of every viewing. A quick word on the word "affordable". It should describe the floor's cost over the years you live with it, not just the price on the receipt. This is where most first-time buyers get caught out.  “Floors are not just a finish, they are a value signal that is felt physically when your feet touch the surface. Buyers subconsciously and/or consciously use them to judge the quality, upkeep, and “move-in readiness” of a home.  Hardwood in particular is consistently one of the highest-return upgrades to a home. In the UK,  Rightmove data indicates homes with wood floors achieve around 2.5% higher sale prices. In stronger markets such as London and the South East, that uplift can reach up to 5%. On that basis, a worthwhile investment, and one that is fit for family life in the meantime.” -  Stuart Cottle, Product Manager (Atkinson & Kirby) Choose Flooring That Lasts, Not Flooring That Is Cheap Today The cheapest floor at the checkout is often the most expensive floor over the life of a home. Carpet flattens and stains in the busy areas. Laminate has a printed photographic surface, so once it chips or wears through at the edges, it cannot be repaired, only ripped up and replaced. Engineered wood works differently. It is a real hardwood top layer bonded to a stable core, so it can be sanded back and resealed when it eventually shows its age, and then it carries on for years more. Across fifteen years in a family home, you might fit carpet or laminate two or three times over, while a single engineered floor is simply refreshed once. The 'budget' option can end up costing you more. Here is how the three stack up on value rather than price. Flooring type  Typical lifespan in a busy home Can it be refreshed instead of replaced? How it looks after 10 years Effect on resale appeal Affordable engineered wood (e.g Principle) 20+ years Yes, sanded and re-sealed  Real wood that gains character Strong: buyers value genuine timbers Laminate 7 to 10 years No, the printed surface cannot be sanded Worn edges and chips start to show Neutral: reads as a temporary finish Carpet  5 to 8 years No, cleaned but not renewed Flattened and marked in walkways Low: many buyers plan to pull it up   This is the case for affordable engineered wood flooring as an entry point rather than a stretch. The Principal collection is the most affordable range in our engineered wood flooring collections, built specifically for everyday homes and active family life. It comes in light and natural tones, in 14mm and 18mm thicknesses, so you get the look and longevity of real hardwood without the premium price tag. The takeaway: judge a floor on cost per year, not cost per square metre. Get the Renovation Order Right One of the most useful flooring renovation tips has nothing to do with the floor you choose and everything to do with when you fit it. First-timers tend to decorate first and lay the floor last, which is the wrong way round. A sensible running order protects your spend and gives a more seamless finish. Fix the unglamorous basics: damp draughts and dodgy wiring to ensure you protect everything before you fit on top later. Settle the layout and improve natural light; this is cost-effective to change at the start vs later down the line. Lay the floor; this is the largest surface area, and everything sits on it  Fit the kitchen and any built-ins, sitting units on a finished floor, looks neater and ages better  Decorate and style your room with paint and soft furnishings; these are the easiest things to change.   Laying a continuous floor before the kitchen goes in is worth discussing with your fitter. Running the boards wall to wall, with the units on top, means you can change a kitchen years down the line without leaving an ugly gap where the old run stopped. It photographs as one large, finished room, too. Create Flow With One Floor Across Open-Plan Spaces Knocking through or opening up a kitchen and living area is a popular value-adding move, but the floor is what makes it read as one generous space rather than two small ones bolted together. Change the floor covering at every doorway, and the eye stops at each threshold, which makes a home feel smaller and more piecemeal. Carrying a single floor through the ground level is a low-cost way to suggest a higher-spec home. If you want a pattern to zone areas without breaking that flow, the Harmony collection is designed for exactly this, with matching colours across plank and parquet so you can define a dining zone or hallway while keeping the colour continuous. Use the same colour from the kitchen to the living room for a larger feel. Introduce parquet in one zone for interest, in a matching tone. Avoid switching to a different covering at every door. How to Increase Home Value Without Overspending Big structural projects grab attention, but the steady returns usually come from cheaper, sensible improvements. If you are working out how to increase home value on a first-timer's budget, start with the jobs that are quick, visible and easy to live with. Repaint in warm neutrals. A few tins of paint reset a whole room. Swap tired fittings. New handles, taps, sockets and switches cost little and look considered. Improve the lighting. Layered lighting and brighter bulbs flatter every surface, including the floor Tackle the boring basics. Sorting draughts, sealing gaps and basic efficiency work rarely show in photos but reassure buyers and surveyors. Tidy the entrance. The hallway and front door set the tone before anyone sees the rest. None of these is showy, and that is the point. They make a home feel cared for, which is what turns a viewing into an offer. Future-Proof Your Choices: Refresh, Do Not Replace The instinct for a first home is to stamp your personality on everything at once. Resist it on the permanent surfaces. Bold tiles and statement carpets date quickly and are costly to undo, so save strong personal taste for the things you can change cheaply, like paint, cushions and art. For the floor, a calm and natural tone gives you the most freedom. It works with whatever style you land on later and appeals to the widest set of future buyers. The Natural collection offers warm, honey-toned oak for that grounded, unprocessed look, while the Climate collection leans lighter and airier for a calmer, Scandi-inspired feel. One Last Tip: Order a Sample Before You Commit Flooring looks different in a showroom, on a screen and in your own front room. Light changes everything. A floor that looks warm in a south-facing photo can read grey in a north-facing room, and you only find that out once it is down. Before you buy anything, order samples and live with them for a few days. Lay them by the window, look at them in the morning and at night, and put them next to your sofa and your walls. It is a free step that saves an expensive mistake. Make Your First Renovation Count Adding value to a first home is less about grand gestures and more about smart, ordered decisions: fix the basics, get more from your light and layout, and put your money into surfaces that earn their keep. The floor is the clearest example of all three at once. Start with a floor that is affordable to buy and built to last. Browse the Principle collection for practical, everyday engineered wood, explore our full range of wood flooring collections for more inspiration, then order a free sample to see your favourite in your own home.