Timber Flooring

About Timber Flooring

Wood flooring is highly sought after, especially for open-plan living areas in New Zealand. The reason is apparent - it can look spectacular, add to a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and convey a sense of spaciousness. Moreover, it’s much easier to clean and maintain than carpets and similar floor coverings. 

Timber flooring is not the most affordable option in New Zealand, but it pays off in durability, appeal, and hard-wearing properties. Once it starts to show the signs of aging, it can be easily refreshed and its original look restored. Timber flooring is also versatile, with a number of species to choose from, and can be stained in any colour to match the interior style and decor. 

Advantages of Timber Flooring 

• Durability: Hardwoods are enduring and strong, and can last for many decades in New Zealand, even in spaces with heavy foot traffic.
• Value: A higher initial investment pays off in time, also adding a lasting market value to the property.  
• Versatility: There are numerous choices for design, pattern and finish, from simple styles to parquet flooring. 
• Aesthetics: A few other options can compete with a well-made timber floor.
• Ease of maintenance: Timber floors don’t accumulate a lot of dust, debris or dirt, making cleaning a breeze. 
• Acoustics: Hardwood floors have better soundproofing properties than other floors. 
• Air Quality: A timber floor features no grout lines, fibres or embossing that can attract and hold allergens.

Timber Flooring Application

Timber flooring will look great in any home in New Zealand. However, some areas require more robust species and more maintenance in order to keep the floor in good condition.

Using hardwood for the kitchen floor is a popular choice in New Zealand due to its comfortable feel, elegant look, and warm flair. Polished timber floors also bear more value than ceramic tiles. However, prolonged exposure to moisture can damage the floorboards, making them swell. 

For that reason, timber floors in bathrooms and kitchens might require sanding and re-sealing sooner than those installed in the living area and bedrooms. Using large floor mats, especially in front of the sink, can help to extend that period. 

Kwila flooring is more resistant to moisture than some other hardwoods and less prone to swelling, making it an excellent choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. Bamboo floors are another suitable option in New Zealand. 

Types of Timber Flooring

Solid timber flooring comprises floorboards made from a single piece of wood, typically hardwood. Along with a striking texture and organic appeal, solid timber offers a quality that lasts for decades - with proper maintenance even more than a century. Once installed, it only needs to be refreshed once every 7-10 years in New Zealand. 

Engineered wood flooring features a base made of plywood, fiberboard, or recycled timber flooring mixed with adhesives to create a substrate. The base is topped with a layer of genuine timber, known as “veneer”. Engineered timber floor is hard to distinguish from solid wood by appearance, and it excels in resilience to humidity and heat. A thick veneer can be sanded and re-sealed several times.

Types of Flooring Timber 

Blackbutt: A popular hard timber species features a straight-running grain, while its pale shade provides an ideal surface for staining. 

Kwila: A South-East Asian species of tropical hardwood is extensively used in New Zealand for timber decking, but Kwila flooring is a great option for indoors, too. It’s distinguished by its gold to reddish-brown colour, sturdy, durable, and not prone to shrinking or swelling.

Rimu: Yellow to reddish-brown in appearance, Rimu floorboards feature a fine texture with a medium-density structure.

Ironbark: Characterised by rich hues and coarse texture, ironbark can be found in a range from greys to reds.

Macrocarpa: This popular decorative softwood timber is recognised for its golden colour and sometimes speckled appearance. It’s easy to work with and very popular in New Zealand.

Jarrah: This slow-growing hardwood is a popular choice for traditional and rustic interiors, due to its specific rich red hues and grain features.

Oak timber flooring: A broad range of varieties include everything from Tasmanian to French and American oak flooring. It’s one of the most popular choices worldwide, with creamy light-brown hues, delicate grain and subtle growth rings.

Spotted gum floors: The main advantage of gum floors is the range of available shades and undertones, which allows for versatile design solutions. 

Timber Floorboards Installation Methods

Floorboard Nailing

The most popular method for installing timber flooring in New Zealand is nailing the planks to a plywood subfloor. It’s the simplest technique that doesn’t require expert skills. Special flooring nails and a flooring mallet are necessary in order to minimise vibrations. 

Timber Floorboard Stapling

A large pneumatic stapler shoots staples to secure timber flooring to a graded plywood subfloor. This method is an advanced version of nailing, which allows quick and easy installation but also requires professional skills.  

Adhesives

This method is suitable for situations in New Zealand when a new timber flooring is installed over an existing tile or timber floor. The surface of the subflooring and/or existing flooring must be sound for the adhesives to work correctly.

Floating Wood Floor

Floating timber floor installation means that the planks are snapped together on top of another flooring material or a cork flooring pad. This method is suited to engineered timber flooring.

Things to Consider Before Choosing Timber Flooring

Timber flooring can greatly enhance the décor. It’s important to carefully choose the type, colour and texture of timber floorboards, to take out the most of its visual properties. 

The surface finish adds to the overall aesthetics but also helps protect wooden flooring. Oiled finishes provide a natural feel, while lacquered finishes bear a classy look and protect the surface from damage better. 

Timber flooring needs to be dry mopped, with occasional damp mopping. Harsh cleaners should be avoided. 

If you need assistance to find the right timber flooring for your home or office, ArchiPro provides a connection to various professionals in New Zealand, ready to assist with all requirements and questions. Simply click "Contact supplier" on the product's page, or visit the supplier's website directly from the product's page.