Wood Flooring

The manufactured structure of this floor is Engineered.

Engineered Structure
Unlike solid hardwood floors which are typically 18-20mm thick boards cut out of a tree as one unit, engineered hardwood floors are composed of several layers of wood (usual three to five) bonded together using cross-grain lamination. The top layer, typically 4 – 6mm thick, is the part that is visible when the flooring is installed. It is adhered to the layered core, which may be constructed from the same wood specie or from less expensive hardwood like Burch or softwood species like Pine. The additional layers and the way they are connected dramatically increase the stability of the planks and reduce the natural tendency of hardwoods to expand, contract, warp, or cup due to changing room temperature or moisture in the air or sub-floor.

There are a several reasons engineered flooring provide a superior option to solid wood flooring. Engineered wood can be installed using the ‘floating’ installation method, reducing installation times and increasing ease of repair. In most cases they are also adequate to be used over Under Floor Heating, due to their stability.



For more information on board structure click here.

This product is available in the following dimensions:

20 x 190 x 1900mm

Dimensions
Thickness (mm) x Width (mm) x Length (mm)

Thickness - Refers to the total thickness of the plank. Our solid floors are usually between 18mm and 20mm while our Engineered are usually between 14mm and 21mm in thick.

Width - Width is the extent from side to side and refers to the breadth or wideness of a plank. Our most common flooring widths range from 90mm to 290mm wide.

Length - Length is the longest extent of a plank, measured from end to end. Our Engineered floors are usually all the same length ranging from 1800mm to 2400mm, although some engineered products come in variable lengths. Most of our Solid floors are available in random lengths, and depending on floor specie and/or manufacturer usually between 500mm and 1500mm or for longer lengths, anywhere between 1200mm to 2700mm.

Wear Layer - The term “wear layer” refers to the top portion of a plank and its thickness will impact the amount of times a product can be refinished. On solid hardwood floors this is normally the section above the tongue of the plank. In an engineered product, the wear layer is only as thick as the hardwood specie layer at the top of the product, usually 4mm or 6mm. Most manufacturers produce engineered products with enough wear layers to allow for at least one refinish.

This product is garded as Rustic.

Rustic Grade
Rustic grade also known as Character Grade is a grade full of character and excitement, it contains vibrant colourful patterns, knots and variation. The floor can display a variety of knot sizes, colours and shapes, heavy grain markings and figuring. Due to the abundance of raw material, for most species we sell, this wood flooring type will offers the best price, although provides the same quality, stability and wear property as of the cleaner grades.

A small quantity of sapwood will be apparent in most orders. Sapwood can appear as lighter or darker patches in a wood floor and is most visible in darker finishes like fumed or heat treated. Sapwood is not of an inferior quality but can, if preferred, be removed by our wood fitter, if arranged in advance and the fitting service is provided by us. Please note that this may require additional packs to be purchased to compensate for the additional wastage.



For more information on board grading click here.

This product can be pre-coated with a finish of your choice.

UV Finish
UV is an abbreviation for Ultra Violet. These are coatings which typically contain no solvents, are 100% solids, and which cure instantly when exposed to UV light.



For more information on board finishes click here.

This product can be installed using the following method/s:

Floating Installation (Engineered Structure only)
Using the floating method of installation will require the pre-laying of an underlay in order to provide a cushion between the floor and the subfloor. Use one that combines a built in DPM on ground and basement levels or above concrete sub-floors and an acoustic option in multi occupant buildings to provide sound reduction between floors. This method will only lend itself to engineered boards although wide engineered planks are not recommended to be used for this method. Once the underlay has been fitted, the installers should start laying the planks on one end of the room and leave a 1/2inch gap around the entire perimeter to allow for expansion. In this method no nails are used and the board’s ether connects using a click system or the tongue and grooves are glued together. The only downside with floating floors is that they are more likely to “creak” and the PVA glue that is commonly used can break down over the years, and the joints work loose.

Nail-Down Installation (18mm thick and above only)
Nail-down installation is the most straightforward installation methods, and is only advised if you have a wood subfloor. This installation method is typically performed by a professional as it requires certain skill and level of knowledge as well as the use of specialist tools, therefore not recommended for the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) enthusiasts. When installing over plywood or composite board the direction chosen to lay the planks does not matter; however, if the new flooring is nailed down over existing floorboards, the new planks must be installed at a 90° angle to the original floorboards. This is done to ensure stability and to avoid the risk of excessive movement, buckling or warping. Commonly used with tongued boards, the installers should start at one end of the room and leave a ½ inch gap around the entire perimeter to allow for expansion. They should carefully select several of the straightest boards and once they have been nailed in place, go back and nail the same boards through the tongue, pre-drilling and nailing at a 45° angle. After the third row or so is in place a manual or pneumatic floor-nailer can be used. The floor nail or cleat used should be ring-shanked or jagged and no less then 2.5 times the thickness of the boards. They should be set into each floor joist or batten, assuming 16 inch spacing and an additional nail between each set. This should result in a spacing of every 8" to 10" as recommended by the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). Boards must have a minimum of two nails each. No two connecting boards should end on the same line so the installer should alter lengths, to stager joints 6 inch apart. Often the last row will not fit a full strip of flooring and should be cut so the installer is able to hand nail the last row, leaving enough space for a ½ inch expansion gap between the wall and the wood. For better aesthetics the installers should run the boards through the doorway and continue into the adjacent room, although it may not be possible in all property types or room layouts.

Glue-Down Installation (Recommended)
Glue-down installation requires the use of an adhesives or bonding agent applied directly onto the subfloor. It can be used on both concrete and wooden subfloors. Some of these adhesives are designed with under floor heating in mind and can be used for both solid and engineered floors. Laying over a concrete subfloor will first require a two part epoxy liquid Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) to ensure no damp rises into the new floor. The Glue-down installation method can provide an extremely stable floor when done properly, although it will require a slightly longer overall installation process. As with other installation methods, the installers should leave an expansion gap around the perimeter and follow the same laying pattern. This method can be used for wide planks although it is mostly common for parquet flooring.



For more information on floor installation, acclimatization, sub-floor preperation and more please visit our advice pages