Need Timber floor advice - PLEASE help!

[tax_man]

Hello,
I am renovating my 2-storey brick veneer house in Sydney and want to put timber floors on one room downstairs and 3 upstairs. I have been to a million shops and am totally confused!!

1. Can someone *please* tell me is Kempas pre-finished solid timber floor reaaally that bad? Will it split and crack in 6 months time regardless of where I buy it from??

2. I have been offered select grade Kempas pre-finished solid timber installed for $62-$65 from 2 different shops. Other shops tell me that if I really want "the quality stuff" I need to pay more than a $100/sqm!! That much of a difference..??!?!?!

3. I will be happy with any light colored floor (blonde or reddish/brownish doesnt matter as long as it is light in color). If Kempas is really that bad what else can someone recommend?

4. lastly and MOST importantly, can somone tell me where I wont be ripped off?! and still get a quality product in Sydney?

5. Lastly because I am not a timber expert, I find it hard to compare two similar-to-me looking floor boards in 2 different shops at diff prices so I am thinking that I might go with Boral Silkwood flooring (floating 14mm with 4mm timber) - At least I get a brand name product.
I plan to buy it from Laws auctions for a cheeeap price ($38/sqm, natural grade). Can anyone give me any opinions on that?

Thanks a million!!

[Dirty Doogie]

I used prefinished kempas flooring a few years ago. It was 6mm veneer of real timber bonded to a plywood base in strips and was laid in a similiar way to floorboards.

I did discover a few problems.

1) seams opened up between the panels after a period of very wet humid weather

2) the clear coating was impossible to retouch invisibly in a few places where it got scratched

3) the veneer actually dented where a heavy point load rested on it (a large cabinet) and left a compression mark similiar to the sort of thing you get in carpet.

In short I wasnt overly impressed. These days I would tend to select a product that doesnt have a ply backing.

Doog

[batcat]

Is the product from Laws auctions 'first grade' - or are you buying problems, warped/cracked/not to size. Cheap seconds product can cost you more in the long run.
There is a heap of different styles of floating floor, I feel your pain, it took us awhile to finally decide.
We lay one about 5yrs ago, and have had no problem with it. Love the look of it and the ease of cleaning.
I posted a couple of pics here https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...t=49497&page=2

[glock40sw]

G'day.
Buying a "Brand name" product from auction removes the warrantee on the product from the manufacturer.
You have to buy from a recommended stockist to get the warrantee.

Remember, auctions of timber usually means damaged to second class material.
Have a yarn to Mick at Hardwood Floors, Victoria road. Marrickville.

[Dusty]

Hello,


Thanks a million!!

Define Ironic.. a Taxman offering a million thanks.

Wouldn't that be more like $535,000 thanks. After your cut, of course

Welcome to U-Beaut

[Gaza]

only reason laws is selling it is that there is something wrong with it.

early batches of silkwood had trouble maybe broal is trying to off load it.

Kempas is cheap asian crap no matter where you buy it from its still rubish.

When buying a floating floor / enginered floor make sure that it has a hardwood core not a soft wood like pine. cheap asian floaters have pine. You can pick up kempas single strip floater from the asians importers for 35 bucks m2 or a better product from large company like ready floors for 80 bucks.

pre-finshed 19mm soild timber is differnt again only problem is that most time it is set lengths of around 2000mm which is not the best.

just buy an ozy hardwood in 12/19mm and get it sanded after installion in long run it may cost a few thousand more but will last a life time.

[mick61]

G`day fellas I am in a similer situ.I was thinking of putting laminate or formica floating floor over a pine floor,any suggestions welcome.
Mick

[Dusty]

G`day fellas I am in a similer situ.I was thinking of putting laminate or formica floating floor over a pine floor,any suggestions welcome.
Mick

Yep. Sand and polish the Pine flooring.

[OBBob]

I don't think you can beat real timber flooring ... and you could get that in some grades for $100/m you were looking at.

[mick61]

G`day Dusty the problem is my house has an extension the original flooring is hardwood then we have pine.The join is disgracefull maybe I could tidy that up.
Mick

[Wongo]

I will do whatever Gaza says.

I am about to order some recycled “real” T&G floor boards for Ironwood. They cost no more then $60-$70 per m^2.

Did I say that floating floor has no characters too?

Good luck.

[Gaza]

I will do whatever Gaza says.

I am about to order some recycled “real” T&G floor boards for Ironwood. They cost no more then $60-$70 per m^2.

Did I say that floating floor has no characters too?

Good luck.

cheers mate.

if buying from ironwood at lilyfield ask for chris or lee make sure they give you free delivery.

[Dusty]

G`day Dusty the problem is my house has an extension the original flooring is hardwood then we have pine.The join is disgracefull maybe I could tidy that up.
Mick

Already sent you a PM, before reading this. But I'm sure something can be done to improve the appearance of the join without too much fuss.

[123]

I might be able to help you out,

1. Dont go with kempas in a solid pre-finished flooring, will always have problems with it. in a floating floor no you wont have any problems if it is a good product. the only product i would recommend would be Readyflor (read about it here www.marquesflooring.com.au) they have very good warranties. the cracking that people are talking about it called checking, you mainly get this in humid area,s but it mainly occurs during the manufacturing process, ie. with readyflor it will be spotted before it gets to you.

2. as above, dont buy solid pre-finished kempas,

3. If your still worried try sydney blue gum or karri in Silkwood

4. anywhere that sells Readyflor or Silkwood, email me personally once you get prices and i will let you know if your getting ripped off

5. Silkwood is a good product, yes they had problems as first, they have since spent 25 million dollars on the product (you would think it would be right now) If you stick to either of the two products you wont have a problem. most of the other ones you cant actually re-sand they think you can but you cant. the reason is the coatings contain aluminium oxide, rejects all future coatings. (readyflor and Silkwood dont have this style of coating.)

oh and dont buy from auctions, you loose warranty, and that price isn't actually cheap. the flooring that boral sell to auctions has major defects in it.

if your wondering where i got all this from, i have a timber flooring business in QLD we have been around since 1986 - www.marquesflooring.com.au

let me know if you need anything else!

P.S if you find it hard to find something i can sell you Readyflor from here out of a warehouse down there!

[Wongo]

I just bought 30 metre square of WA Karri from Ironwood for $55 per metre square. That is very cheap. 80mm board, T-G, I am very happy with it.