Gold Coast Timber Floor Installation 101: Basics Of Floor Installation
As experts in the construction business, we at Australian Construction realised that many owners of various facilities have questions about our Gold Coast timber floor installation processes. We have taken on many timber floor installation contractor jobs, and we thought we are in the best position to share our knowledge.
Today, we will show you some of the most basic things you need to know about timber floors—how the installation is done, what the pros and cons are, and how you could choose the best timber floor installation.
Common Types of Timber Flooring
There are many types of timber flooring that you can buy, including vinyl and bamboo. However, we want to focus on three only. These are hardwood, engineered wood, and laminate timber.
1. Engineered Wood
Engineered wood for the floor is made of softwood and hardwood. The softwood is sandwiched between two layers of hardwood. Basically, the hardwood on the outside is used as a laminate.
In the wood flooring industry, engineered timber is also called floating floors. The reason they are called so is that they are already prepared in the factory. All you have to do is to install them, and they are now ready for walking.
One good thing about this type of wood is that it comes with tenon and mortise joints. You just snap them together. They are easy to install, and this is what makes them attractive.
2. Hardwood
Hardwood is the most expensive of all timber flooring, and examples of these are mahogany, teak, ash, birch, and many more. Although they are expensive, they are the most durable of all.
Hardwood is expensive because they take decades to grow and get ready for harvesting. Solid hardwood is great if your flooring will be subjected to heavy use. They are also more fire-resistant than softwoods.
3. Laminate Timber
The laminated floor is one that is made to look like real timber. It is made of four layers of wood that are pressed together, like plywood. The coating is a laminate that is made of plastic, and this plastic is durable.
It is still wood and made of timber, but the coating is what really makes it appealing. There are hundreds of options as far as design is concerned, and they also come on various forms and sizes. Like engineered wood, they come with joints and you only need to snap them together to install them.
Methods of Timber Floor Installation
There are two main types of timber floor installation. The first a direct stick and the second one is called floating.
1. Direct Stick
In this method, the wood is glued to the floorboard. You can do the same if your floorboard is made of concrete. They can also be nailed down.
Pros of the direct stick:
- No hollow noise
- Can be sanded if you want to
- Looks really good
- Resistant to water
Cons of the direct stick:
- Requires a high level of skill to install
- Needs a really detailed floor preparation process
- Cannot be easily replaced
2. Floating
Floating is a process where the timber is not glued. Instead, they are just joined together, and they are laying freely on the floor substrate. On many occasions, the substrate has a bed plastic layering. Some use foam underlay.
Pros of floating:
- Easy to install
- No substrate preparation needed
- Easy to replace the boards
- Cheaper to install
Cons of floating:
- Cannot be polished or sanded
- The look and surface easily wears out
- Can trap moisture
If you choose Australian Construction, we will give you recommendations as to the better type of installation that you need. We will base this recommendation on how the floor will be used.
How to Choose a Gold Coast Timber Floor Installation Contractor
Now that you know the types of timber flooring and the two ways they are installed, how should you choose a contractor?
License – the first thing you have to look for is a license. While floor installation may sound easy, it really isn’t. A lot can happen in your wood flooring, and these things are because of incorrect installation.
A licensed company will do a good job because they are protecting their right to operate. Choose a contractor that has not only a license but one who also has licensed engineers like us.
Transparency – when choosing a contractor, get one whose price quote is transparent. The last thing that you want to happen is for this contractor to ask you for more money.
Some will also do some things that are beneath your expectations. Transparency allows you to understand what you are paying for, and it tells you what final output you should expect.
Reputation – another key thing that should be included as your deciding factor is the company’s reputation. Take the time to investigate how this company has serviced its clients. Did they do a good job? Did the client get his money’s worth?
There is no reason to rush your selection of a Gold Coast timber floor preparation contractor. What I recommend is that you take the time to search for contractors near you. Create a checklist, and see if the contractors meet the checklist.
Once you have a shortlist of three contractors, the final deciding factors are your budget and what the contractor can do for you. As always, you want to work with a contractor who has been in the business for so many years. You also want to work with a contractor whose reputation is unblemished.
Summary: Gold Coast timber floor installation
Give us a call at Australian Construction if you need any timber floor installation service. We have been in this business for 20 years, and we have serviced dozens of clients who wanted a timber floor.
We specialise in large-scale projects, such as hotels and restaurants. We also do gymnasiums where wood is the primary choice for flooring. The great thing about our service is that we also offer many other kinds of construction services, such as industrial painting and floor preparation, both of which will complement the floor installation process.