Answers to Common Questions from Sydney's Timber Flooring Experts

It’s possible but there are limitations to be aware of. 

There can be access issues as you’ll need to stay off the newly finished floors for at least twenty four hours. 

We can discuss this in more detail and work out a plan when we get together during the in-home estimate.

We are long-standing members of the Australian Timber Flooring Association and either meet or exceed their guidelines for every aspect of our business.

We are a fully licenced carpentry company.

Please refer to our trading hours

Solid wood flooring is solid real wood all the way through. Engineered flooring on the other hand, is only real wood on the top layer and the lower part, the base, is plywood.

Solid wood floor is, generally speaking, more durable. They can be sanded up to 5 times over their lifetime. 

On the other hand, engineered floors top layer can vary greatly. But there are some engineered floors that have a similar wear layer to solid wood flooring and can sustain a similar amount of sanding.

Engineered timber flooring can be more stable in low and high moisture level environments vs solid wood. They can also be directly glued to concrete slabs, without needing a sub-floor solution.

During our home visit, I'll be happy to show you samples of all the options so you can make the best choice for your home.

There are some differences between different types of engineered floors. One is the thickness of the top layer of wood. Thickness of the real wood layer vary from 0.6mm to 7mm. The very thin engineered wood can’t be re-sanded. Anything over 3mm looks very similar to solid wood flooring if it’s a quality product.

Good quality engineered flooring has a base made of 7 – 9 multi-directional layers of high quality plywood like birch. Cheaper engineered flooring only use 3 layers of cheap quality imported plywood. The more layers and the better quality the ply, the more stable and durable the floor will be.

When it comes to engineered flooring, you get what you pay for. We will be happy to show you samples at various price points and quality when we meet for your in-home estimate.

Possibly. If you have very deep scratches and gouges, it’s usually better to replace the damaged boards. That way you’re not excessively grinding down the floor to remove the scratches. Your floors will only be able to be sanded and refinished three to five times it their lifetime.

When we meet at your house, we’ll investigate and provide a recommendation.

Anything made from wood expands and contracts over time. Particularly between seasons as temperature and humidity change. This continual movement is what causes gaps in your floor. 

If it’s a new glue-down installation using floor boards we can trowel fill the floor with a special putty to hide the gaps. We can explain more about this procedure while we are doing your free in-home quote.

It depends on two things:

1. How is it installed? – Floating floors cannot be sanded for several reasons. However, a floor that has been nailed or glued to a flat sub-floor may be able to be refinished depending on the answer to part two.
2. What is the wear layer? – In some cases, engineered floors can have a very thin top layer of wood. It’s too big of a risk to use sanding machines on wear layers if they are too thin.

If you aren't sure of how thick your top layer is or how your floor is installed, give us a call and let us come out to inspect it for you.

In a perfect world, you would wait a full week before walking on your floors if you’ve had a finish applied. We would love to recommend that, but we know that is usually impossible. 

Water-Based Finishes: Cure time for this system is about 7 days. It will be dry enough to put furniture back carefully after 24 hours. Rugs can be put back after 7 days. You will be able to walk on it in socks after 2 to 3 hours. Shoes can affect the finish until it is completely cured.

Hardwax Oil:  Furniture can be carefully placed back after 24 hours. Your rugs and other coverings like mats etc. can be put out after 7 days. Can be walked on in 8 hours. Again, please walk in socks during the curing period.

When you move your furniture back, be extra careful. Don’t drag furniture across the floor. Also, be sure to use felt pads under all furniture.

Give your new floors two weeks to cure before moving large area rungs back into place.

Water-based finishes have UV protection that slows it down. But no matter what type of finish you use, there will likely be some fading in areas exposed to direct sun.

A good way to slow the fade is to move around your rugs and keep your blinds closed during the sunniest part of the day. Since this isn't always practical, we suggest using a higher grade of finish with UV inhibitors added for floors that get direct sunlight.

We will leave you detailed cleaning and care instructions as we finish up. 

How long your new timber floor lasts depends on several things. 

Do you wear shoes indoors? Do you have pets with sharp claws? Are you regular with the sweeping and cleaning? Do you have mats at all entrances and on high-traffic areas? Will you use felt pads under chairs?

If keep your floors in good shape, you may be able to get 20 or more years out of them. It all depends on the amount of care and attention they receive.