Hornbeam strip floor now a regular seller at The Good House

The colour of the picture may appear on your computer screen quite different from what it looks like in reality. Please come and visit us in Richmond to see samples of this beautiful timber.

We could almost call it "White Oak", because Hornbeam is such a light coloured timber but it also has this marble wave effect across the grain, so specific to European Oak. In fact Hornbeam is a natural undergrowth of Oak forests in the centre and North-East of France. It is a tough and sturdy little tree reaching up to 25 meters, with a wavy and tight grain that makes the logs and the boards really hard to split, thus it does not crack at all.

Being actually harder and denser than Oak, Hornbeam as a flooring is widely used across Europe for sporting venues, such as squash courts, due to its very good rebound properties and light colour.

Its fine grain and smooth texture makes it perfect for contemporary designs. In conjunction with our range of FOCUS designer fireplaces, it's a stunner!

Mat or very low sheen finishes are best suited to this timber floor, in order to keep its amazing colours as light as possible. Glossy finishes tend to turn yellow very quickly when exposed to the sun, therefore prefer mat acrylic or oil based finishes.

Hornbeam is not recommended in wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens as it tends to retain moisture. In combination with oak, walnut or darker local timbers, it makes wonderful patterns for a more classic and stylish look.

Standard widths are 70mm, 90mm, 110mm and 130mm. it comes in random length up to 2m, with 90% over 1m.

As an undergrowth of Oak forests, Hornbeam is mostly sourced from sustainably managed Oak forests, under a PEFC agreement. Learn more about it by clicking on the PEFC logo in our timber floor web pages.

We will assist you in any aspect of style and installation. Feel free to contact us for a free quotation.

And visit our website to discover the three other main products we import from France: Roof tiles, Traditional and Designer fireplaces, and European casement windows.

At The Good House, we look forward to sharing your vision.