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:

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

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. 
 

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

🍃 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 🍃 🍁 

Some of the current trends that we note in timber flooring is a cyclical resurgence in chevron and herringbone styled floors. Long plank herringbone is the current trend setter as the modern interpretation of these parquet styles and features in a variety of new projects in both commercial and residential spaces.

We’ve especially seen an increase in the use of engineered flooring over the past five to seven years, with approximately 90 per cent of our projects now specifying engineered flooring. With New Zealand’s colder winters, underfloor heating is more commonly used, which requires an engineered product.

​It’s the best of both worlds – you still get the look and feel of solid oak with the added benefit of the plywood backing. Colour wise, there’s a discernible decrease in grey shades, whereas neutrals and ‘nude’ look timbers are increasingly sought after.​

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.

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!

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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Air Circulation
Avoid leaving rooms with timber flooring locked up for long periods of time during warmer weather. Any wood flooring requires some air circulation to prevent boards from shrinkage. If you are out for the day or plan to be away on holiday. An easy measure to prevent this is ensuring that the house is ventilated during this time. Oven like conditions can be created when houses are closed up and this is where you may start to see signs of board shrinkage, splitting and cupping in your flooring.
 
Underfloor Heating
Preferably, the underfloor heating should be turned on 2 weeks before the timber flooring is laid. Once the flooring is installed, the concrete SLAB temperature should never exceed 27 degrees Celsius!!
Ideally the slab temperature should sit around 24 - 25 degrees Celsius. Once the floor has been finished it is best to slowly alter the temperature, moving it either up or down by 1 degrees Celsius per day to begin. A sudden change in temperature will damage your flooring and failing to follow this recommendation, can cause the floor to expand, shrink, split or cup.

For best performance, the heating system should be operating at all times, all year round to avoid the floor cooling and taking on moisture from the environment.  If the underfloor heating does not run at a constant temperature all year round, more movement should be expected in the timber flooring, with gaps appearing and closing up from season to season.
 
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We are your expert timber flooring specialists, specialising in solid and engineered wood flooring! If you would like more expert timber flooring advice, contact us!