Frequently asked questions

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Yes this is possible but some precautions are needed. We recommend that the floorboards are narrower and thicker say 85-100mm wide by 19mm thick and these boards are laid over a layer of 12-15mm plywood, over the concrete. The alternative is an engineered floorboard which can be laid directly onto the concrete. It is important to condition any solid wood flooring in this situation by fillet stacking it in the house with the heating running. Talk to us about your plans and we can provide specific advice.

Prior to laying a timber floor we will test for moisture vapour emitting from a concrete subfloor. Subject to the result of the moisture test we will apply one or mulitple coats of Selleys liquid-nails vapour-barrier system (VBS). This is a two pot solvent based product which is painted on. It may be that one or more additional coats is needed to achieve the required barrier. A word of warning – you should not automatically assume an old concrete slab is dry. We have moisture tested slabs which have been in place for 20-30 years and they still needed one or more coats of VBS to restrict the moisture vapour coming from the slab to a level low enough not to affect the timber flooring.

Yes, we would likely have a species match and often a size match as well. We can custom manufacture to match an existing size or T&G profile.

Purchasing recycled timber is the most sustainable option as the timber is being re-purposed or reused. In the main, any recycled timber is completely sound but it is often the buildings which are at the end of their functional life and are being redeveloped e.g. for earthquake strengthening or the site is destined for another use. Our new timber options are sourced from sustainable sources. We only buy in New Zealand native timber which has been sustainably harvested under Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) approved forestry management plans. Sustainable options for imported hardwoods are generally overseen by companies operating under the umbrella of the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) www.fsc.org or Programme for the endorsement of Forest certification schemes (PEFC) www.pefc.org.

We are based in Lower Hutt and regularly undertake work throughout the Wellington region as well as the Wairarapa, Manawatu and Horowhenua. We have completed timber floors in Taupo, New Plymouth, Waiheke Island and other locations. We are happy to undertake larger projects further afield including the South Island.

Yes, there is no one standard size in parquet. We have access to many species of timber and have the capacity to custom profile parquet pieces in any size.

Yes, there have been timber floors in kitchens and bathrooms in houses in New Zealand for over 100 years which have functioned completely satisfactorily. We can supply a document to demonstrate compliance with E3 when supplying you with a timber floor.

Yes, we have moved away from solvent based finishes. We recommend hardwax oils or a waterbased polyurethane. Rubio Monocoat oils contain no VOCs and provides a durable finish. Resene ProSelect waterbased polyurethane is a durable and non toxic finish. This means a home owner can usually stay overnight in their home, assuming they have access to another part of the house without crossing the floor being sanded and finished.

No, this is not correct. Dry timber will take on moisture when exposed to atmosphere moisture or rain. A modern insulated and heated home will likely operate at 8-11% moisture. Timber that has been stored in an open sided warehouse or allowed to get wet will likely be sitting at 14-20% moisture or higher. The rate of movement for a 135mm wide floorboard is approximately 0.4mm per 1% change in moisture. Therefore 135mm wide floorboards at 16% installed at a house operating at 9% will likely reduce in width by 2.6mm as the moisture content adjusts to the new environment. If you engage us to supply and fit a timber floor, we would manage this process for you.

We can organise delivery of all orders. We use standard couriers for overnight delivery on small orders, a builder’s courier or our own truck for deliveries in the Wellington region and mainline transport companies for New Zealand wide deliveries.

Floorboards are measured across the face of the floorboard not including the tongue. If the floorboards are in your floor you measure from one join to the next. In an older floor there may be a range of widths so a useful technique is to measure across ten floorboards and then divide by ten to get an average.

Yes, if you have paitence and finishing carpentery or capable DIY skills you’ll be able to install your own floor. If you are missing one of these two characteristics you’ll likely struggle. Naturally we would prefer to understake the installation for you.