Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Oct 03, 2007 10:32 am As I understand that hardwood floor must be sit on the batten or plasterboard, floating floors can sit on one layer of the underlay.
One of my friends just got a quote of 1 trip KEMPAS pre-finished timber floating for $95pm laid. But someone tell me the KEMPAS pre-finished hardwood floor only for $75pm laid. Is the Pre-finished hardwood floor usually cheaper than pre-finished timber floating floors? In general, which floor is better? Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 2Oct 03, 2007 11:33 am Hey, what thickness is the floor? The floating is usually around 14-15mm and the hardwood is about 19mm.
If i had the choice, i would go a hardwood. There is more opportunity to sand and repolish if required. Some floating boards only have the opportunity to be sanded 1-2 in their lifetime. Also prefinished means that you can't laquer over the top to seal them properly. It also depends on the type of floor it is being laid on too, if concrete, are they gluing it to the concrete or laying ply underneath? We are going floating floor because we are buildig a house with a slab. it is from the Boral Silkwood range. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 3Oct 03, 2007 1:02 pm **Phoenix** We are going floating floor because we are buildig a house with a slab. it is from the Boral Silkwood range. There is no reason why you can't install solid timber floors over a slab. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 4Oct 03, 2007 1:24 pm We had the experience of gluing a solid floor to the slab. Won't recommend it to anyone. Our dishwasher leaked and the floor had to come up. OK covered by insurance. The fix didn't work all that well and then we had instances of lifting as the glue let go of the slab, not just where the water had got in but accross the entire floor and we could hear the difference in the floor as we walked on it as well as feeling the height difference.
Most installers will not recommend gluing to the slab. We have been advised that we could lay down ply or sheeting and then lay the flooring on top of that but that would make it too high for the carpet etc. That was our experience, so trying to be careful with the next selection for timber flooring we make. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 5Oct 03, 2007 2:37 pm This PDF shows the options for fixing timber to concrete slabs.
http://www.shivermetimbers.com.au/PDFs/Products/ST243_Flooring%20Methods.pdf Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 6Oct 03, 2007 2:44 pm Thanks Mark, will keep it in mind. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 7Oct 03, 2007 3:15 pm Quote: Hey, what thickness is the floor? The floating is usually around 14-15mm and the hardwood is about 19mm. I think the pre-finished hardwood floor is about 12 -14 mm, The raw hardwood floor is about 19mm. Quote: If i had the choice, i would go a hardwood. There is more opportunity to sand and repolish if required. Some floating boards only have the opportunity to be sanded 1-2 in their lifetime. Also prefinished means that you can't laquer over the top to seal them properly. I Agree with you, but why the people choose the pre-finished timber floating event it costs more. Quote: it also depends on the type of floor it is being laid on too, if concrete, are they gluing it to the concrete or laying ply underneath? It can lay on the batten on the slab. Quote: We are going floating floor because we are buildig a house with a slab. it is from the Boral Silkwood range. It is very nice floor, How much does it cost. It comes with the DIY guide and Installation it. The pre-finished timber floating may be more DIY friendly. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 8Oct 03, 2007 3:30 pm We have chosen the spotted gum for its colour and hardness properties (Janka hardness rating of 11). There is a pic of it on my blog.
Pricing depends on whether you are choosing 1 strip 80mm, 1 strip 133mm or 2 strip 166mm. There are 2 varieties, Australiana or Natural Australiana is the select range with less natural imperfections. The pricing we recieved from *** was: Australiana range: 1 str 80mm-$90, 1 str 133mm-$99, 2 str 166mm-$78 Natural range: 1 str 80mm $72, 1 str 133mm-$89, 2 str 166mm-$62 These prices are based on pallet qty's (approx 85m2) It was about $20/m2 for laying. The pricing depends on the species of wood selected. Eg. Aust Beech (Janka hardness rating of 7.5) was $58 for Aust range and $46 for Natural range for the 2 strip 166mm boards. If anyone can do better, let me know as we are looking at placing a deposit on the floor to make sure we get that price. Where did your friend get their pricing? Thanks Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 9Oct 03, 2007 5:17 pm In Sydney, Auburn Harvey norman floor Clearance Center.
KEMPAS pre-finished timber floating 14mm 1-strip $59, 2-strip $55, 3-strip $49. Under layer $5. Larbour 30/pm. You don't need to take a whole Pallet, but a pack( 8 ). If you trust Ebay, you can get the Kempas 1-strip $40-50. But I don't know Kempas better or Silkwood better. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 10Oct 03, 2007 6:17 pm Kempas is the species of wood, but i am not sure who the manufacturer is that Harvey Norman use and if it is Australian wood or an imported species?
Kempas has a hardness rating of 1710 and spotted gum is 2473 (I read it was 11.0 on another website) The harvey norman prices were ok but the installation pricing is a bit high. We are looking at $20 inclusive of underlay and any quad req'd for the install process. I want to see the finished product so will not buy from e-bay . I suppose it's all personal choice, some choose by the colour, we are choosing based on hardness/durability and colour comes second. Flooring is a big expense in a home and we want to get it right....we hope..... Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 11Oct 03, 2007 6:43 pm Quote: I suppose it's all personal choice, some choose by the colour, we are choosing based on hardness/durability and colour comes second. Flooring is a big expense in a home and we want to get it right....we hope..... Not a bad ideal - but as a guide I had Jarahh and Baltic pine in my last place and the jarrah showed more marks than the baltic because the lighter colour did not show as much variation in light reflection of the marks. Strange I know but there you go. Personally I'd go the way you are - durability then colour, but don't compromise on the colour too much. Steve Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 12Oct 03, 2007 7:17 pm Kempas is the species of wood, but i am not sure who the manufacturer is that Harvey Norman use and if it is Australian wood or an imported species?
Kempas has a hardness rating of 1710 and spotted gum is 2473 (I read it was 11.0 on another website) The harvey norman prices were ok but the installation pricing is a bit high. We are looking at $20 inclusive of underlay and any quad req'd for the install process. I want to see the finished product so will not buy from e-bay . I suppose it's all personal choice, some choose by the colour, we are choosing based on hardness/durability and colour comes second. Flooring is a big expense in a home and we want to get it right....we hope..... Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 13Oct 03, 2007 7:24 pm Kempas is an asian timber.
A timbers hardness is really more important if your using a tung-oil on the floor as apposed to a polyurethane finish which provides a more protective top coating. That being said you hardly ever see people putting something down like Tassie Oak ( or the species that make it up) on a floor as its such a soft hardwood. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 14Oct 03, 2007 7:27 pm Dukekamaya ..a soft hardwood... As opposed to a hard softwood? Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 15Oct 03, 2007 8:56 pm **Phoenix** Kempas is the species of wood, but i am not sure who the manufacturer is that Harvey Norman use and if it is Australian wood or an imported species? I think they originally grow and manufacture in Malaysia, but recently manufacture in China with better QC. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 16Oct 04, 2007 7:21 pm Cookiemonster As opposed to a hard softwood? Exactly, Oregan Pine ( Douglas Fir) is considered a 'hard' sofwood - Balsa Wood is definately a 'soft' hardwood. Hardwood and Softwood does not exactly relate to a timbers hardness - or softness as it may be Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 17Oct 08, 2007 12:06 pm Cookiemonster This PDF shows the options for fixing timber to concrete slabs. http://www.shivermetimbers.com.au/PDFs/Products/ST243_Flooring%20Methods.pdf Thanks Cookiemonster, this is very helpful! When we get around to this stage, we are planning to have timber floors just in the family living area (its a pretty large open area) We have asked builders to quote a rebate in the slab in this area so we can fix hardwood floors...one builder suggested that they have to raise the slab in the rest of the house, rather than rebate the family area - does anyone know which is the prefered option? Ruth -Bought house in Melbourne inner burbs, knocked it down & now...we are owner builders! Completed OB project and moved in to our new home with our new baby in May 2009! Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 18Oct 08, 2007 12:17 pm rerob1 Cookiemonster This PDF shows the options for fixing timber to concrete slabs. http://www.shivermetimbers.com.au/PDFs/Products/ST243_Flooring%20Methods.pdf Thanks Cookiemonster, this is very helpful! When we get around to this stage, we are planning to have timber floors just in the family living area (its a pretty large open area) We have asked builders to quote a rebate in the slab in this area so we can fix hardwood floors...one builder suggested that they have to raise the slab in the rest of the house, rather than rebate the family area - does anyone know which is the prefered option? No probs. Concrete slabs have a minimum allowed thickness. So yes, what they have told you is true. They can't make the slab thinner in the family area. They would have to make the slab thicker everywhere else. Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 19Oct 08, 2007 12:29 pm Thanks again Cookie, I must admit your posts have been very helpful over the past couple of months that I have been browsing! Keep it up please!!
Ps. Congrats on getting all your paperwork done - can't wait to see your house go up!! Ruth -Bought house in Melbourne inner burbs, knocked it down & now...we are owner builders! Completed OB project and moved in to our new home with our new baby in May 2009! Re: Pre-finished hardwood floor vs pre-finished timber floating 20Oct 08, 2007 12:45 pm rerob1 Congrats on getting all your paperwork done - can't wait to see your house go up!! You're not the only one! We've been living at my in-laws place for 9 months already! Still have another 12 months to go! 5 adults and 2 kids in a 3-bedroom house. It's cosy! Hi All. I'm currently resurfacing the hardwood floors and when removing the old layers that there's a long dark line running across the boards. Does anyone know what or… 0 12770 Thanks Simon, I guess I'm no concerned with the volume of the noise rather that dead and hollow sound and feel that is associated with floating floors. But I'm not sure… 3 6135 Thanks, that's the motivation I needed to give it a try sooner rather than one day! 4 3001 |