Flooring recommendations

B

bythebay

I am thinking of ripping up the ugly carpet in my newly purchased unit and putting down something that looks like wood. I was hoping for some recommendations - which is the best way to go as far as cost, looks and durability?

What are the options available? I would like to go for something on the cheaper side of things - i.e. imitation wood.

I will be doing about 60 square metres. I'm in Brisbane.

Thanks for your suggestions in advance :D
Michelle.
 
Last edited:
Timber patterned linoleum would be the cheapest. Floating floor would be dearer and if in an investment prop' you would have to think twice as it can only be sanded/refinished once or twice before it needs to be replaced as the laminate is only about 3mm thick. Laminate timber flooring is thicker but more expensive. Direct stick flooring would be the dearest but with a 19mm thickness would impact on your doors and skirts/archs so would need a major retrofit and wouldn't be an option.

I really think it would depend on whether the house is your own PPOR or an IP. You don't want high heels etc cutting chunks out of your floating floor just after it's laid in an IP. Those floors are also very sensitive to moisture so moping is not an option (damp mop only). Often the laminate colours and suppliers change so replacing some boards can be difficult down the track.
 
It's for an IP... so the floating floors are out. I went to the Brisbane home show on the weekend, and I was looking at Andersens "affinity" vinyl flooring. It looks pretty nice, and according to the sales person it is water resistant (can be used in kitchen without problems). I was quoted aboout $60 per square metre layed. Any opinions on this?

Was is the difference between vinyl and lino?
 
I'm a fan of hardwood ply, cheap as chips to lay and after 3 years as a rental it still looks good.

From memory about $19m2 plus laying.
 
I've had floating floor in an IP for around two years. It's still looking good, and is wearing well. It is a very hard wearing surface.

I installed it myself- material cost arounf $45 psm at the time.
 
Ive put in laminate floating floors in both my IP and PPOR. They're great!

Hardwareing (spelling?), look good and cheap! I paid around $25/sqm for the ones in the PPOR which include the underlay (normally $5/sqm). These days you dont need to use glue to put em together however, for the kitchen area I used glue to give that extra layer of water protection.

You can go as cheap as $14sqm but i'd recommend paying around $25 upwards so you get a better board as well as better range to choose from.

Ive have some links below of what it looks like in my PPOR. Tis all complete now, but you get the gist.

edit: forgot to say, they're extremely easy to install yourself, just like a big jigsaw puzzle :D

http://users.on.net/~kinks/pics/Renos/Renovations3/145_4536.JPG

http://users.on.net/~kinks/pics/Renos/Renovations3/145_4537.JPG
 
Bythebay, I agree the affinity vinyl looks nice. It is very much flavour of the month in Brisbane, and it is making inroads into retail use due to its softer underfoot feel. I had considered using it at least in the kitchens of some new homes.......more forgiving when you drop crockery and easier on the legs after a hard day.....However, I am leaning back towards tiling throughout. If you hunt around, you can find Class 4 tiles for well under $20m2 and doing it yourself isn't that difficult.

The disadvantages of vinyl are that it will tear if a fridge or similar is dragged across it carelessly. It will tend to develop pock marks if pointy high heels are used regularly. It will show burn melt marks if someone/dopey tenant drops cig butts on it. Sunlight through windows and doors will discolour it noticeably after as little as 1 year.

Nevertheless, one of the advantages of the vinyl tiles or strips, is that they can be replaced cheaply if damaged.
 
thedude said:
Ive put in laminate floating floors in both my IP and PPOR. They're great!

Hardwareing (spelling?), look good and cheap! I paid around $25/sqm for the ones in the PPOR which include the underlay (normally $5/sqm). These days you dont need to use glue to put em together however, for the kitchen area I used glue to give that extra layer of water protection.

You can go as cheap as $14sqm but i'd recommend paying around $25 upwards so you get a better board as well as better range to choose from.

Ive have some links below of what it looks like in my PPOR. Tis all complete now, but you get the gist.

edit: forgot to say, they're extremely easy to install yourself, just like a big jigsaw puzzle :D

http://users.on.net/~kinks/pics/Renos/Renovations3/145_4536.JPG

http://users.on.net/~kinks/pics/Renos/Renovations3/145_4537.JPG
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info - these look great. Do you know of any tutorials online that show how to lay the laminate boards?

And does anyone know somewhere in Brisbane that I can get them at at a good price? Thanks :D

winstonwolfe said:
However, I am leaning back towards tiling throughout. If you hunt around, you can find Class 4 tiles for well under $20m2 and doing it yourself isn't that difficult.
Click to expand...

I have considered tiles, and although they seem very popular at the moment I think my place needs a fresher, brighter look. I think tiles might enclose it a little too much. I'll post a pic as soon as I can get one :) It's also by the beach so I really want that 'beachy' look.
 
Last edited:
showingfloor.jpg


Here's a pic - doesn't show much but it the only one I have that shows the floor. Do you think it is worthwhile doing the timber look?
 
Before you do anything check with the body corporate as there are rules regarding hard floor coverings and where you can have them.

Cheers
 
bythebay said:
Thanks for the info - these look great. Do you know of any tutorials online that show how to lay the laminate boards?

And does anyone know somewhere in Brisbane that I can get them at at a good price? Thanks :D
Click to expand...

Hi bythebay,

Dont know of any tutorials, however if you go one of the larger hardware stores they generally have a dvd or something of the sort around the laminate flooring section. Me personally, I just asked the flooring shop how to do it and they showed me the basics. Its not rocket science, but there are a few tricks here and there.

Give it a go, the worst that can happen is that you'll waste a few boards costing you about $5 in the whole scheme of things.

Sorry, im not sure who to go to in Brisbane. I know in Adelaide just about every second shop has laminate floowing now, so concentrate on the look your going for and shop around until you get a board you like at the right price.
 
Thanks for the info everyone :)

I've decided laminate boards are the way to go. But I am curious as to how many people here have used them? Would you recommend them for a rental property? How well do they last? They say they are not waterproof - how do you stop tenants mopping them? I'm very interested to hear anyones experiences with them. Would you do it again? Someone told me they feel odd to walk on, and can 'pop' up at times.

I'm looking at using the 'no-clue' ones.

Thanks again :D
 
bythebay said:
Thanks for the info everyone :)

I've decided laminate boards are the way to go. But I am curious as to how many people here have used them? Would you recommend them for a rental property? How well do they last? They say they are not waterproof - how do you stop tenants mopping them? I'm very interested to hear anyones experiences with them. Would you do it again? Someone told me they feel odd to walk on, and can 'pop' up at times.

I'm looking at using the 'no-clue' ones.

Thanks again :D
Click to expand...

Ive used them in my IP and loved em so much, I put them in my PPOR. I would recommend them for rental, they last extremely well, and yes, you can get waterproof ones. You CAN mop any of them! You just dont want excess water sitting on them for any length of time. I would lay them in the next house and the house after that. They can popup if you havent left enough space for expansion.

At this stage, you need to go around to flooring shops and get the shopkeeper's opinions and compare, get their pros and cons etc.
 
Thanks Damon :)

I am a bit worried about buying them, as I have heard some pretty negative things (mostly the water thing and that I will need to replace them after just a couple of years). But I like the look so much, and your good experience has convinced me :)

I'll be off tomorrow to search for them. I bought some samples off ebay that looked pretty good, which gave me an idea of what they look like close-up. I think they came direct from China, and were pretty cheap (about $15/sqm). So I'm not sure how they compare to the ones sold here.

I'll post some photos after it's all done :cool:

Michelle.
 
I used boards in our first IP.

They got wet for 5 minutes when I was doing my own plumbing work and trying to install an el-cheapo tap.

They expanded on the edges (swelled up) and I'd never use them again. Also they shrank in a different part of the house - now I have a 5mm gap all down on line of them. They weren't cheap either & layed professionally (by Harvey Normans contractors)

Just my experience. I see others here have had a different experience.

I stick to wood look vinyl now...although it does tear with the fridge being dragged on it as others have said and a recently moved out tenant let her kids draw on it with biro which won't come out.:mad:

Aimy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
Is wood flooring and airconditioning really a must for Asian tenants? (generally)
Replies
13
Views
2K
Mitch1
M
E
Timber floor dilemma
Replies
8
Views
1K
Emo21
E
D
Polished Pine in rental?
Replies
7
Views
1K
elsLan
E
R
Laminate flooring DIY - Advice needed
Replies
7
Views
1K
Robbiep
R
P
Vinyl flooring Sydney?
Replies
6
Views
1K
Phiber
P
Back
Top