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Timber Grades: What's the difference?

5/4/2022

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Light Feature, Rustic, Reclaimed Grades.. What do these grades mean?

Timber grading relates to the visual character of timber flooring; the size and frequency of naturally occurring wood features in each board. Boards with larger and more frequent features will be graded differently to boards with smaller and less occurring features.

Because timber is a natural product, some features are seen across all grades. For example, gum veins, knots (to differing degrees) mild gum pockets and sapwood. The presence of these features don’t necessarily detract from the overall look of the floor but add personality and individual character to your floor
Some Things to Know About Timber 'Grades'
  • Grading guidelines don't cover timber colour or colour variations. This is dependant on timber species and the location of where the timber is grown.
  • A different grade doesn’t mean you’re getting an inferior or more superior floor. Regardless of the grade for flooring you choose, all grades are suitable for flooring installation and relates to the appearance of the floor.
  • All timber flooring can have features of gum veins and knots. 
  • Some natural wood features aren’t allowed within the realms of 'timber grades'- This is the case when it will affect the structural integrity of the boards. Eg. Fractures, splits, termite galleries or decayed wood.
Selection Tip: When looking at individual board planks, it’s hard to translate that to the overall flooring look, so we recommend requesting a couple of planks to give you a better idea of the grade you’re selecting. ​
How the boards and lengths are laid on the floor is up to your floor installer; so if you have any specific requests, mention this when discussing your project requirements.

Need more help selecting the right timber grade for your project? Speak to one of our flooring specialists.
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Why are Expansion Gaps Necessary?

4/4/2022

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Being a natural product, timber flooring expands and contracts when it heats, cools and is exposed to moisture. This can cause issues if sufficient space hasn't been allowed for and the timber is constricted from this natural movement.
 
With timber flooring, it's industry standard to allow an expansion gap during installation. This is usually around 2-4mm around the perimeter of the floor to prevent these issues. Usually expansion gaps are hidden by skirting boards or beading.
While timber flooring products have come a long way in their construction, expansion gaps are still needed to accomodate changes to a home's relative humidity levels. When this is sitting high, moisture from the air is absorbed into the flooring boards and can result in boards swelling.

​While these changes may be minor, swelling will occur during prolonged periods of wet weather or humidity. Allowing expansion gaps protects your flooring from greater damage like cupping and peaking between boards.
 
Depending on the type of flooring product you choose for your home and your home design, expansion gaps can differ in size. For example, while engineered flooring is cross laminated and reduces the width expansion when compared to solid flooring, there may be lengthwise movement that still needs to be allowed for. 
 
Speak to one of our flooring experts to discuss your project, we’re just a call away.
Images: William Zhao, Unsplash
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What You Need to Know About Different Timber Species

3/8/2021

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There’s a wide selection of timbers that can be used for timber flooring- from native timbers to more widely used American or European Oak. Some species maintain relative consistency with their appearance; while others can be more diverse and contrasting from their variation of colours, tones or grain appearance.

​Things to Consider When Choosing a Timber Species For Your Floor:
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  • Species vs Colour
If you’re looking at a particular species, request a sample of more than one board, as colours can range from board to board, and this can give you a clearer expectation of the variations that can occur in your project. You might find that there's a different species that’s more suitable to what you’re trying to achieve.

Or are you trying to achieve a look that you’ve seen online?

​Keep in mind that images don’t look the same in print and online vs. in real life due to the age of filters and photo editing. To prevent any unexpected surprises, asking for samples across a few different boards of the same timber can ensure you’re happy with the variation within that flooring product before you have the timber installed.
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  • How 'Sapwood' Can Affect your Final Finish​
Sapwood is ‘the outer layer of timber just beneath the bark’ and it’s appearance is often lighter in colour to the rest of the timber. Part of the beauty of having a timber floor is the natural variation you get within each species so your floor will be completely unique to you and your project. You can see some projects below that have some sapwood appearing in the overall floor.
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Helpful tip: Even if you find a large showroom sample of your preferred timber selection, it’s just an indication of the species colour and the natural variation you can expect. Timbers can vary in appearance due to their age, the growing region and individual trees.

Images: Aleksander Radovanovic, Unsplash  Projects Used: Solid American White Oak Flooring
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Pet proofing your timber flooring

15/2/2021

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According to the largest general survey of pet owners released by Companion Animals New Zealand (CANZ), New Zealand has some of the world’s greatest pet lovers. Results showing that 41% of New Zealand households having a cat and 34% of households having at least one dog. 
​

Here are some pet-proofing tips on how to enjoy your timber floor with your furry creatures.
Best timber flooring for pets
Feeding
Dogs can have a high level of ammonia in thier saliva and urine which can cause staining or discolouration on timber floors. Keeping dog bowls on a tray can minimise water splashes, limiting feeding areas outdoors or in spaces that are easier to clean or not timber finished can also reduce possible damage.

Cleaning
It’s inevitable to have some accidents with toilet training, older pets or cats knocking over vases and the like. Cleaning these spills promptly will reduce the damage or discolouration that can occur to your floors.

Grooming
An excitable dog running around a house with your children is fun but can leave scratches in your timber floors. Keeping pet’s claws trimmed will minimise scratches to your floor surface.
Keeping dog bowls on a tray or limiting feeding areas to outdoors or in spaces that are easier to clean, can minimise water splashes and floor damage.
What's the best timber flooring for pets?
How flooring choices can make a pet home life a little easier:

Floor colour
Choosing flooring products with natural grains/variations and lighter tones draws less attention to any scratches or dents that are dealt to your flooring. Try looking at rustic and feature grades for your flooring choice.

Texture
There are a large range of flooring effects and textures that you can choose from, wire brushed to band-sawn to hand-scraped. Any scratches or dents made from pets can add character to these textured finishes. 
Wood Species
Each species of timber has a different hardness. When it comes to most household applications, timbers classed as ‘moderately hard’ is appropriate.

The table below lists some examples of species hardness ratings by the AFTA.
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Floor Finish
While a floor finish doesn’t improve the hardness of a floor surface, here’s some things to consider in what finish you choose for your home.

Polyurethanes can be slightly more stain resistant, but if your pets scratch the floor, a re-sand and coat would be needed to re-treat the floors. 
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Oils and Hardwax finishes can give you a little more freedom with applying oil to scratch marks. But, regardless of the floor finish, any spills and messes will stain, if they aren’t cleaned up quickly. Regular care and maintenance of your oiled floor will make it easier to keep clean.


We’ve had pets for years and still love our timber floors. If you have pets and want to discuss the best flooring options for your home, send us an email and one of our flooring specialists can help you find the best floor for your needs. 

CANZ Survey: https://www.companionanimals.nz/publications
Images: Project Georgina St | Karolina Garbo | Pexels
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How many re-sands can I get from engineered flooring?

8/2/2021

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How many sands can you get from engineered timber flooring?
Engineered flooring is becoming increasingly popular in homes across Auckland. Being sustainable and having a higher resistance to climate changes, it's easy to see why it’s becoming a preferred choice. 
 
When deciding between solid and engineered, clients often ask how many re-sands they can get comparatively with each option.
In a previous blog post we covered what the key differences and benefits are between the two options. You can read that post here: What's the difference between engineered and solid oak flooring?  

When it comes to re-sanding, there are some key similarities which affects the number of re-sands you’ll get from your flooring. Many are under the impression that solid is superior to engineered. 
 

How many re-sands can you get from solid and engineered wood flooring
Solid and Engineered flooring both connect together with a tongue and groove joint. (This is often nailed down to the subfloor to secure it.) 
 
The re-sandable part of solid flooring is measured from the top surface - to the top of the tongue and groove joint. So, whether you’re sanding solid or engineered, you can only sand down to this T&G joint and you’ll usually take off about 1-2mm per re-sand. 
 
The re-sandable part of solid flooring is typically around 5-6mm. Engineered flooring has a 3-6mm layer of solid hardwood, which is glued to an engineered base of layered ply or birch. So the re-sandable part of both options is comparatively the same.
 
The thicker the hardwood layer above the T&G joint, the more re-sands you’ll get. This top layer can depend on board width and varies between brands. If you're trying to get a thicker top layer, you’ll pay for this in the cost of your flooring product.
 
So realistically, you can expect to get 3 - 4 resands from both solid or engineered flooring options.
 
If you’re thinking about getting your existing floors refinished or want to discuss a new flooring project, feel free to call us and speak to one of our flooring specialists for tailored recommendations for your project.
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What's the best timber flooring for bathrooms and wet areas?

22/1/2021

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best timber flooring bathrooms auckland
A common question we receive from clients: What timber flooring is best for bathrooms? 🚿 #bathroomgoals

We don't recommend timber flooring in wet areas for obvious reasons; timber is prone to absorbing moisture, which can compromise its' integrity as well as its appearance.

One important factor to consider is how much water you expect to come in contact with the floor.
If you have small children or expect to splash a lot of water on the floor, timber flooring wouldn't be the best solution for wet areas. Any surface water should be wiped up immediately and you would want to ensure that the area is well ventilated at all times to assist with the drying process.

However with diligent care and maintenance of spills or splashes, you can choose a flooring product that can work for you. Speak to our flooring experts for advice on your #BathroomGoals

sheppard and rout bathroom design timber flooring
Bringing timber elements into the bathroom while choosing a waterproof flooring solution is one way that you can keep a timber element in your wet areas as shown in this elegant bathroom by the Director of Sheppard and Rout Architects, Timothy Dagg.
best timber flooring bathroom wet areas
incorporate timber and tile bathroom floor
bathroom flooring inspiration timber flooring advice
Incorporating tile and wood into your bathroom design can create a unique look to your home, while meeting the needs of your family. Images: carresol_parquet, design_interior_homes, sheppardandrout
Need more expert advice about timber flooring in your home? Shoot us an email or send us a message on the gram... @timberfloornz

Please Note: Timber Floor Solutions takes no responsibility in moisture damaged or water damaged flooring. Please speak to us about your specific flooring project and ask our experts on their recommendations for your home. 
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Indoor plants + Timber Flooring

18/11/2020

 
Timber floor care with indoor plants

​Because having your own indoor plant jungle🪴 shouldn't stop you from having the floor you love 💚 ⁠🍃 

​
⁠Water damage is one of the worst things that can happen to your flooring, resulting with warping or buckled boards as well as permanent marks or stains.

​How to protect your timber flooring and enjoy your indoor jungle:

🍃  A simple way to prevent excess moisture on your floor is to use waterproof saucers, trays, pots to catch any excess water from reaching your timber floor.
🍃 Air Circulate: Not placing your plants directly on the floor and by using plant stands allow you to circulate air underneath the plant, reducing any chance of trapped condensation and easily spotting if you have overwatered a plant, so you can clean up the spill promptly.

🍃 Keep your pots secure, be mindful of gusts of wind, curious pets and children that might knock your pots over, that may leave soil and moisture unattended on your floor for long durations.

🍃 Using felt pads on the bottom of pots will protect your floor from any unwanted scratches⁠ from relocating pots. Also avoid dragging or sliding your pots along the floor.

🍃 Hydrate and water your plants with care and wipe up any spills immediately.

🍃 Regularly sweep or vacuum around pots to remove any soil or leaves to prevent any floor scratches 🍃 🍁 

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Tips on caring for your timber flooring with plants
What you need to know about indoor plants and wood floors
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How indoor plants affect timber flooring
Protect timber flooring from indoor plants
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What happens if I put plants on timber flooring
Plant interiors
Best way to store plants on timber flooring
Can I put plants on timber flooring
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Indoor plant benefits
Images: Annie Spratt, Ceyda Çiftçiye, Fabio Hanashiro, Huy Phan, James Lindsay, Judah Guttmann, Kelly Sikkima, Daria-Shevtsova, Inga-Seliverstova, Ksenia-Chernaya, Prudence Earl

Protect your timber flooring during winter

24/10/2020

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⁠Protecting your timber flooring doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here's how to care for your flooring during winter.


Manage Heat + Humidity Levels
Changes in humidity can be a contributing factor to wood floors potentially swelling, shrinking, cupping or gapping between boards.

Using a dehumidifier or similar helps to achieve a consistent humidity level; but aim for an average relative humidity of around 40-70% and an average indoor temperature between 18-25 degrees celsius. Your indoor average shouldn't exceed 35 degrees celsius. So while heating your home may feel great, remember to keep the temperature at a moderate level to prevent damage to your flooring.
Protect Against Moisture 
Wipe up spills and/or puddles from wet shoes immediately. Have a damp cloth tucked away for a quick clean-up. Remove wet shoes and make use of walk off mats in the entryways of your home.


Regular Maintenance + Clean 
Regular cleaning of your floor with appropriate product (as per your flooring finish) can help to make your floor more resistant to outside elements. Oiled floors with a fresh clean, look better over time and have a fresh layer of protection.
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Images: Danielle Dolson, Timothy Buck
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Child safe flooring: What's on the market?

28/2/2019

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Choosing flooring options for your nursery? Love the look of timber flooring? Interested in having timber flooring throughout your whole house, including children's rooms? 

Timber flooring adds value to your home and if allergies are a concern to you, this is a great option as it's less likely to attract dirt or dust mites than other flooring options such as carpet.

With so many options of timbers, colours and finishes, the selections are endless. However, some can contain nasty chemicals or VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) that can have harmful effects from long term exposure. 



Child Safe Nursery Flooring
Nursery Safe flooring is possible for your home
VOC’s (Volatile organic compounds) are the chemical substances (including both man made and naturally occurring chemical compounds) that evaporate into the air from certain solids or liquids as they dry at room temperatures. Harmful VOC’s typically may not be acutely toxic for humans but have compounding long-term health effects.
​We understand the importance of the health of your children and family. Thankfully, there are products on the market that allow you to get your desired timber floor in your home without compromising the health of your family, especially in rooms such as your baby's nursery or kids rooms.

This can be achieved by choosing a formaldehyde free timber flooring product and selecting a VOC free or low VOC flooring finish to create a healthy floor for your loved ones.

If this is something you are wanting to achieve, let us know and we can arrange a no obligation quote to meet these requirements! 

As timber flooring specialists, we look forward to helping you achieve your desired flooring goals!


Healthy flooring options for babies room
Don't compromise the health of your family for the look of timber floors
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How to minimise uv sun damage to your timber flooring

21/2/2019

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How To Minimise UV Damage to Timber Flooring
Down here in New Zealand, we’re getting a reputation for having harsh UV rays.

​A recent Houzz article mentioned that: ​"The combination of low ozone, distance from the sun, lack of pollution and high surface reflections (all that water!) means that our peak UV rays are some 40 per cent greater than comparable latitudes in the northern hemisphere.” – 13 Smart Ways to Minimise Sun Damage In your Interiors.

​This means that our car bonnets and precious skin are not the only things we should be concerned about. Timber flooring often bears the brunt of this damage which is known as ‘aging’ or ‘weathering’. Prolonged and direct UV exposure can often result in the tone of your floor softening or accelerating the darkening of wood colours.
The combination of low ozone, distance from the sun, lack of pollution and high surface reflections (all that water!) means that our peak UV rays are some 40 per cent greater than comparable latitudes in the northern hemisphere.” – 13 Smart Ways to Minimise Sun Damage In your Interiors

However, there are some ways that you can reduce the effects of sun damage. Filtering sunlight through curtains, blinds, outdoor awnings or UV treated windows/doors are ways to slow down any colour changes and help to control the gap widths between boards.
Tips to Protect Your Floor from UV Damage
Use Curtains + Blinds
 
Sheer curtains fabrics can soften the sun light that reaches your flooring and adds some extra protection especially in north facing rooms that are exposed to more sunlight. The bonus is added privacy during the day without completely blocking out the glorious daylight. Keeping blinds or curtains closed during the hottest parts of the day will make sure that sun exposure will not change your floor colour prematurely.
 
Consider UV Films
Some window films can substantially reduce the amount of UV rays that enter your home, without hindering your views. Make sure to check which companies promise solar protection and not just a tinted window.
 
Open up Your Living Space
Installing outdoor awnings not only means visibly opening up living areas in your home but helps to block those damaging rays off the windows or doorways to your beloved timber floor!
Protect Wood Flooring from Sun UV Damage
Change the Furniture Layout
Regular rotation of your furniture and rugs is not only a quick and inexpensive option but allows the floor to age more uniformly than developing patches of differing colours. This could be as simple as moving a rug or moving a sofa to the other side of the room.
You may have purchased a home with existing timber flooring or maybe you’re installing new flooring. While it is possible to minimise the suns effects and prolong the colour of your floor through the above suggestions, it is expected that all timber floors will fade over time from UV exposure.
 
Resources:
https://www.houzz.co.nz/ideabooks/70702251/list/13-smart-ways-to-minimise-sun-damage-in-your-interiors
https://polycure.com.au/can-minimise-effects-sunlight-damage-timber-floors/
​
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We specialise in the installation and finishing of solid and engineered timber flooring.
Expert Advice, Quality Workmanship, Stunning Results.
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  • about
    • Sustainability
    • Building Code Changes
    • Request a Quote
  • products
    • Oak Flooring
    • Engineered Flooring
    • Solid Flooring
    • Floor Finishes
  • projects
  • floor care
  • blog
  • media
  • say hello
  • ig