Thread: timber flooring - HELP(newbie)

G'day Ryan,

I've just gone through that exercise and am having spotted gum solid boards put down just after Xmas. We have timber floors though, so it's 'only' costing about $70 per m2 to lay and glue. I'd much prefer the solid timber which cvan be sanded back if needed. The floating floors I've seen only have a tghin veneer layer of timber on the top. They are nice but to me they look and feel like that timber look vinyl. That's why I'm going solid timber. It's about $70 per m2 to buy so that's around $140 laid.

Can't help you on the concrete but maybe do a search in here as well, it has been discussed.

Another option is overlay flooring.
Its solid timber similar to normal flooring but is only 12 to 14mm thick.
Have never used it. Floating flooring loses me as I dislike the idea of thin veneers being the very top layer of a floor.

my area is big - abt 150m2

and yes if i was to go with hardwood - i would prefer 2 go with the battons with secret nailing without the glue!

gumby could u pls tell me which company u hired to install ur floors?

It's guy who i know through work. Nice bloke and does a good job.
I'll send you a private message with some details.

thanks gumby!! *kiss kiss*!

anyway...im still hoping for peeps to tell me the lowdown on floating floors?

im keen but hesisten because of the THIN layer of hardwood?

its certainly much cheaper .....in my senerio...its abt 70 bucks cheaper to lay floating with means saving of 10500 on a 150 sq m area!

My experience is if you do not use glue, the boards will creak when they are walked on.

I installed them myself and used secret nail PLUS zero nails (but a cheaper Bostich brand) and they came up a treat.

Its so easy to install, my wife even had a go!

I have just done a floor in the cheapy veneer. It was a German brand (escapes me at the moment) but it is of the "Click" Variety.

Costs about $35 a metre, and you get the plastic and foam underlay stuff included in that price, oh, and a bag of wedges.

Basically, I wasn't in favour, but SWMBO liked them, and she has let me buy some toys recently, so guess who won?

The thin veneer made me feel a bit lairy about them, but the way the salesman kept scratching keys on them, and the fact that a section in the showroom had been down for 5 years and looked fresh (compared to the nailed & glued type - which looked V. tatty and needed a sand & recoat) convinced me that they were worth the effort.

You get a video to show the gumbies how it is done, seemed to make sense, though I made a few changes to their suggestions, and they worked for me. The installation is quite straight forward, though I would suggest that you put down 2 layers of the foam insulation, as it helps to deaden the "Clunk Clunk" walking effect a bit. As a bonus, two layers of foam allows the flooring to be at the same height as my adjoining tiled hallway without a step (no trip hazards).

The only point I need to make is that I have done a smallish room so far (~12 sq. Metres) which is nothing like 150+, and you may need to look at expansion strips and the like.

If you are worried about the veneer wearing out, look at the fact that you can fully replace it 3 times before you arrive at the same cost at the glued/screwed variety - and you don't need to sand and seal every couple of years!

As for the creaking issue, I was told that a light dusting of talc swept into the boards can overcome that problem by providing some lubrication at the joins. In extreme cases you can glue the boards, but I personally can't see the need, plus it then commits you to replacing the WHOLE floor if a piece gets damaged. If it isn't glued, it really is a piece of the proverbial to unclick the whole floor to recover and replace the damaged element.
That's my 30 cents worth, but I know for a fact that some other viewers will have a range of opinions.

Hope this helps.

G'day.
lay down a poly moisture membrane.
You need 15mm ply tiger bolted to the concrete.
Secret nail and glue (Bostik Ultraset) 12mm or 19mm solid Australian hardwood ( Not tassie oak crapp). Sand & seal.
The floor will out live you, me, your kids, their kids as well.
If you do Floating floor, be prepared to replace it in about 4 to 8 years depending on traffic.
remember.....You get what you pay for.
Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor
grafton

Originally Posted by glock40sw

G'day.
lay down a poly moisture membrane.
You need 15mm ply tiger bolted to the concrete.
Secret nail and glue (Bostik Ultraset) 12mm or 19mm solid Australian hardwood ( Not tassie oak crapp). Sand & seal.
The floor will out live you, me, your kids, their kids as well.
If you do Floating floor, be prepared to replace it in about 4 to 8 years depending on traffic.
remember.....You get what you pay for.
Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor
grafton

tats what im afraid!...dont wannt spent 15K on a floor tat will only last 4 yrs!

any1 know wheres the cheapest place where i can purchase jarred? or other dar-wood timber floors?

i was quoted abt 60 bucks per square metre from some asian shop

There is a place in melbourne in the south eastern suburb (Oakleigh) which sells flooring.
I went there in may this year to renovate my floor.
They were and still selling jarrah floor board (13mm thick) by 80mm for $4.2/lineal meter
I calculated that it is $52/m2 which is relatively cheap compared to what I have found
The wood is very nice and you only need to quickly sand it with a 220 grit or more
Their address is:

Tiles Importers
Natalia street
Oakleigh

Unfortunately their service is not that good

Originally Posted by EMistral

There is a place in melbourne in the south eastern suburb (Oakleigh) which sells flooring.
I went there in may this year to renovate my floor.
They were and still selling jarrah floor board (13mm thick) by 80mm for $4.2/lineal meter
I calculated that it is $52/m2 which is relatively cheap compared to what I have found
The wood is very nice and you only need to quickly sand it with a 220 grit or more
Their address is:

Tiles Importers
Natalia street
Oakleigh

Unfortunately their service is not that good

13mm? are u refering to jarred HARDWOOD?
unfortunately im thinkin of goin with floating....

the installation of hardwood is just too much for me atm!

but thanks for the heads up...will go down there tomorrow to chech it out

yes it was 13mm of solid jarrah timber
not the 2mm layer of jarrah