Timber Flooring
Floor Sanding and Polishing
Floor sanding and polishing is a great way to really enhance the look of your timber floor as well as increasing its durability. A well-finished timber floor is stylish and complements any style of home.
Avid Floor Solutions can provide the following services.
- Giving advice on all aspects of timber flooring and how to get the look that you want
- Preparation – such as the removal of old floor coverings, leveling the sub floor and rough-sanding
- Installation of all types of flooring
- Sanding and polishing floors with natural and tung oils as well as different types of polyurethanes
- Staining and liming floors
- Repairing sub floors, damaged floors, replacing boards and scratch removal
- Maintenance of your polished floor
Maintaining Newly Sanded Or Polished Timber Floors
After the floor has been finished, it is a good idea to wear socks on the newly finished surface for at least 48 hours. This is because oils may come off your feet and ruin the flooring surface. Leaving at least three to four days after the final coat before moving furniture back into position will help to minimise the risk of damage to the floor. Be aware that the floor surface may take up to fourteen days to fully harden. Avoid using trolleys with small wheels as these damage the finish. It is especially important that you do not lay any rugs for two weeks after the floor has been completed.
There are also some general maintenance tips that you can follow to help keep your newly finished floor looking its best. Some tips are:
- Use mats – as it is possible to walk in sand and grit from outside, placing mats at the front of entrances will help to minimize the risk. So will using rugs or runners in areas that are highly trafficked.
- Avoid direct sunlight – direct sunlight will cause fading over time so it is a good idea to use curtains or blinds to filter the sunlight coming in through the windows.
- Establish a maintenance plan – having a maintenance or cleaning plan will go a long way into helping to keep your floor looking as new.
- Use an anti-static dust mop – an anti-static dust mop is a better option than a vacuum cleaner as it is much less likely to scratch the floor.
Avid Floor Solutions Stocks A Wide Range Of Hardwood Floors
Our range includes many Australian timbers such as:
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We also stock Cypress Pine, Baltic Pine and Kauri Pine (Damar Minyak) in a range of sizes.
Important Notes To Consider When Choosing Timber Flooring
- Size: Typically most hardwood flooring is available in either 80/85x19mm, 130x19mm boards. Some boards can be obtained in thinner, wider or narrower sizes.
- Moisture content of timber: Timber flooring should be supplied between 9 and 14% moisture content. For most locations in Melbourne it is recommended that the moisture content of timber should be between 10 to 14%. Under certain circumstances timber may need to be acclimatised to site conditions.
- Grades: Most timber species are available in two grades. However Avid Floor Solutions supplies some timber species in three grades to ensure customers have access to the broadest choice of timber available. The grade of timber relates to the appearance of the natural characteristics of the wood, such as gum vein, insect holes, surface checks and other natural marks. It should be noted that as timber is a natural product even boards of the same species will differ in colour and markings.
Australiana Grade: Particularly popular due to its rich appearance accentuated by more gum veins, spirals, shakes and marks left by forest insects. Australiana grade timber ensures no two pieces are the same providing a more natural look and feel to the floor.
Select Grade: Generally clearer of markings than Australiana grade, however, some gum vein, surface checks etc will still be evident. This grading is more suited to customers who require a more contemporary look.
Natural Grade: For those who want a very rugged look to their floor, natural grade timber will provide all the natural markings but may also include some production faults such as holes, very large gum veins, miss milling etc. Natural Grade is not available in all timbers. - Colour Variations: Wood is a natural product, dependent on soil, climate, local environment and other natural occurrences for its colour and character. Colour variations should be expected and a part of the natural beauty of timber floors. The final colour or extremes of colour are often indiscernible until after the timber has been sanded and polished.
- Colour Changes: Timber will change its colour when exposed to natural light. You might find areas that are receiving more light will differ from other areas.
- Movement: As timber flooring is a hygroscopic product (variable moisture content), it will move as it adapts to changes of humidity in its local atmosphere. In times of low humidity your boards will expel moisture and shrink, this may cause gaps to appear in the floor, however in times of high humidity the floor will expand and gaps may close.
- Cupping: Cupping can be described as a “dish-like” effect resulting when the top of the boards become drier than the bottom of the boards. When timber loses moisture it shrinks and when it picks up moisture it expands.
Possible causes are:
– Dampness under the floor causing the bottom of the boards to pick up moisture faster than it can be expelled.
– An onset of very dry weather (low humidity), air conditioners or heaters drying out the timber from the top or sunlight through a window which may also dry out the top of the boards.
– The wider the board the more exaggerated the cupping can appear. It is a good idea to run the timber towards the main light source to minimise the visual effect of cupping.
Note: Do not automatically sand a floor flat to remove cupping. Preferably address the cause but if it cannot be fixed then wait for 12 -18 months and see if the cupping dissipates. If not then you may possibly sand the floor flat. If you sand too early and the cause is later resolved you may experience reverse cupping. - Creaking: Most timber floors will make a creaking noise from time to time. It will usually happen after extreme weather changes or if a floor has not been walked on for some time. A new floor will make a creaking sound until it has “settled”. If the floor consistently creaks in a particular area it may need some attention.
Engineered Timber Flooring
The ambience and warmth of natural timber is supplied by Avid Floor Solutions as a pre-finished engineered flooring system designed for ease of installation and stability. The flooring can be stuck directly to sub-floor or floated on a sound absorbing resilient underlay.
A premium quality hardwood wear layer is underpinned by cross ply layers of plantation-grade timber for strength and dimensional stability. The flooring is factory coated with a UV cured finish thus avoiding the unpleasant fumes and dust from on site coating. The coating is the latest in Scratch Resistant Technology that will cope with the daily wear and tear of the most demanding domestic environment.
The range of species is comprehensive with both Australian and imported timbers that are available to suit all decors and designs. The utilization of a 3 – 6mm solid timber face is an environment friendly use of valuable timber, which conserves our natural resource.
Avid Floor Solutions offer an exclusive 25 year structural and a 25 year surface wear warranty when used and maintained as directed by the manufacturer (conditions apply). Engineered timber can be installed over most solid, flat surfaces such as particle board, concrete, strip timber, plywood, ceramic or vinyl. Walk off mats are also recommended for all exterior doorways.
Parquetry
- Block parquetry is laid individually to create an attractive pattern. Contrasting coloured timber species can be used to create depth in the design.
- Parquetry can be laid with strip flooring or a decorative border to create an interesting feature.
- Parquetry is a great solution for heavy traffic areas such as halls, steps, entrance ways and commercial interiors.
- If a small section is seriously damaged, it can be easily replaced. After years of wear the entire floor can be restored by sanding and refinishing.
- Avid Floor Solutions timber products are all certified providing peace of mind that the parquetry is sourced from sustainably managed and legal forestry.
- Avid Floor Solutions timber products has a system that ensures strict tolerances and drying procedures to produce a sound product.
- Avid Floor Solutions follow all, building codes and Australian Standards when installing Parquetry and all hardwood floors.
Parquetry is available in a range of species including:
- Australian Beech
- Blackbutt
- Ironbark
- Spotted Gum
- Tallowwood
Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo Flooring is a versatile, strong and environmentally friendly product. It is available in a range of colours.
Avid Floor Solutions places absolute importance on our environmental impact. Our manufacturers own and maintain the bamboo forest from which the bamboo is harvested. Their cultivation program is second to none. Each bamboo tree is marked for sequence of harvesting, allowing the selection of trees individually, and improving the DNA of the forest. Controlling the proper maturing and harvesting of the bamboo improves the quality of our finished product.
Avid Floor Solutions bamboo has the highest quality aluminium oxide coating from Germany. It has seven UV cured coats to each bamboo board to ensure its scratch resistance.
Our products are 14mm strand woven bamboo that has a 14 Janka rating (hardness) that indicates tremendous durability.