Another floor board question

For those within the flooring industry.

Personally I am over the look of polished floor boards.

I have noticed on a number of UK home and design shows, they finish their timber flooring with a modern mat finish, which basically looks very close to natural timber.

Does anyone here know what products they use for this finish and also any advice regarding the finish.

Cheers
 
I've always preferred an oil finish - gloss floors look a bit cheap to me. Tung oil has become a pretty generic term - I suspect there is much more 'tung oil' produced than there are tung trees. It's a matt finish and needs a wax coating in high traffic areas. I assume all flooring guys would do it if requested.
Scott
 
When I used it on my previous PPOR, I didn't do the wax coating (Gemini Wax is the brand people talk about).
The tung oil finish wore in the traffic areas, but I didn't really mind that. I like timber to look like timber.
 
Try Treatex Hardwax Oil, Satin or Matt.

My favourite product at the moment - looks super and wears well.

You can buy it from Whittlewax (ask for Giles), it seems expensive up front, but because you get great coverage and it only requires two coats it is fairly equitable with the water based polys now on the market.

www.whittlewaxes.com.au

Cheers
 
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Cheers Scott,

exactly what I was after. I feel the same with regard to polished floors. Cheap and dated

There is nothing "cheap" about solid timber floors. If they were cheap, everyone would have them. You can still pay up to $170 per square meter for some species (laid and finished, that is) Dated...maybe, depends on the person.

Problem with an oil finish, as someone else as depreciator alluded to, is that it is not very hard wearing and requires to be reapplied on a semi-regular basis.
 
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my preference, if for satin finish, i use cabothane + hardener addative for this, but the last home i owned we went with full gloss seven coats, but the timber was ash, light coloured timber, was like walking in a glass sheet when i was done, :D
 
I went for the satin look. I think it looks impressive due to the drastic change from floor coverings. Things will change again and people will look for a new finish. My floor polisher has already noticed people trying new things.New spins on polished concrete is popular using diferent methods and chemicals. Same for floor boards. Some rub certain products into the timber and then rough sand over it. Trial and error will produce the next craze.

My first IP has very dark stained rough floor boards. Very very cool and nothing would look as good in this house.
 
Thanks JJ, on most tenders I am lodging, the estimators are stipulating that we use Treatex Hardwax Oil for things like school Gym floors. I think the zero toxicity is very attractive.


Hi Namtrak, hoping you can give me some advice.

I will be using some 170mm recycled mesmate in a feature lounge room. The place I bought the timber from had a specific mixed colour stain that i was after, which was then finished by the treatex product you mention which looked fantastic.

The question I have is with regard to laying the board. I understand due to the size that the boards will have to be face nailed. The lounge is a concrete slab. Will plyboard and trowelled glue be ok, or will i have to go with battens. If ply is ok what size would you recommend.

Cheers MC1
 
Yep ply is fine You need to lay the ply perpindicular to the floorboards. I think the minimum is generally 15mm thick.

And also remember to waterproof the slab.

With direct stick to concrete there is no nailing, so it is feasible to just secret nail the flooring - but it is not recommended by the manufacturers. The practice has been perfected in WA with the predominance of sand sub-soil and concrete slabs. I have a booklet somewhere describing the process.

Is it necessary to stain the floor? Messmate is pretty rich in colour as it is.

Cheers
 
Hey Namtrack, I have a floor I need some advice on. It's a pine floor and has has the usual gloss finish. I want to get it refinished. And I want a very dark stain applied.
I won't be doing it myself, but I need to be able to tell the flooring guy exactly what I want him to use after he has sanded off the gloss finish.

Scott
 
Yep ply is fine You need to lay the ply perpindicular to the floorboards. I think the minimum is generally 15mm thick.

And also remember to waterproof the slab.

With direct stick to concrete there is no nailing, so it is feasible to just secret nail the flooring - but it is not recommended by the manufacturers. The practice has been perfected in WA with the predominance of sand sub-soil and concrete slabs. I have a booklet somewhere describing the process.

Is it necessary to stain the floor? Messmate is pretty rich in colour as it is.

Cheers


Thanks for that namtrack,

Just a little confused with regard to the nailing. I was told that for 170mm top nailing is a must. They must have assumed it was going over chip board.

With regard to the stain, Because its a feature room I'm going with a 3 part mahogany to one ebony. It gives it a greyish look that suits exactly what I'm doing.

The other areas will be QLD spotted gum
 
Hey Namtrack, I have a floor I need some advice on. It's a pine floor and has has the usual gloss finish. I want to get it refinished. And I want a very dark stain applied.
I won't be doing it myself, but I need to be able to tell the flooring guy exactly what I want him to use after he has sanded off the gloss finish.

Scott

What sort of pine? Assuming radiata - then a walnut, ebony, mahogany type stains will get it darker. There are also some finishes that are the stain/finish in one. I can do my homework and check which ones.

You should check with the flooring guy about his/her experience staining floors - it is a difficult job to do correctly.

Cheers
 
Thanks for that namtrack,

Just a little confused with regard to the nailing. I was told that for 170mm top nailing is a must. They must have assumed it was going over chip board.

With regard to the stain, Because its a feature room I'm going with a 3 part mahogany to one ebony. It gives it a greyish look that suits exactly what I'm doing.

The other areas will be QLD spotted gum


Traditionally, yes top nailing is a must - however direct stick has opened the field a bit. I am about to direct stick a couple of floors here - one will be 130mm wide boards. Being on ply, I personally would take the opportunity to top-nail it and have the peace of mind.

You can probably tell I'm not a fan of staining but I'm also not a fan of Collingwood - so what do I know!! :)
 
For those within the flooring industry.

Personally I am over the look of polished floor boards.

I have noticed on a number of UK home and design shows, they finish their timber flooring with a modern mat finish, which basically looks very close to natural timber.

Does anyone here know what products they use for this finish and also any advice regarding the finish.

Cheers

Going back to your original question, Bona have a product I was looking at today called Bona Naturale which maintains the complete integrity of the floor. I haven't seen it in-situ yet but it does looks promising. The Bona rep is dropping down this way in a couple of weeks I could talk to him then, or failing that I could give you his number

Cheers
 
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