Flooring Update - Floating Timber and Luxury Vinyl Flooring
When managing cosmetic renovations and updating properties for lease or sale we are often asked to advise on flooring choices.
A good question to which there are a several different answers. The quickest, easiest and cheapest option is often carpet which can have the benefit of easily covering some issues with the concrete slab or timber floor.
We will do a blog on our view of sensible carpet choices later. Today we will look at the popular and currently on-trend timber flooring.
What you see is usually a loose floating floor that sits on top of your actual concrete or timber floor. It is generally not solid or even real timber but a composite or laminate look-alike. You can get beautiful real timber installed as a floating floor but it is a more significant investment and usually not considered for rental properties. In this blog we will consider the far more common and affordable laminate products.
The timber look of the laminate is created by a photograph of timber which is sandwiched between the lower structural layer of the product and a clear polymer wear layer that sits on top. The wear layer that protects the photograph is to some extent sacrificial and its thickness and quality varies dramatically between products. Since it is a photographic reproduction, you can also choose from a stone or ceramic tile look as well as the various timber styles.
Like everything in life there are a range of qualities and prices to choose from when considering floating flooring. The performance especially in the long term will generally vary significantly with price.
Options from the cheapest and easiest up to the more expensive and more complex are discussed below.
1) Standard floating laminate
This is the type of modern flooring that you will most commonly see in both new and renovated properties. It can go directly over many existing floors without any preparation. It is typically a wood-derived fibreboard (MDF) backing with the photo layer on top protected by the clear wear layer on the very top.
They are typically around 12 mm thick and are laid on a 2 mm underlay with a 10 to 12 mm gap all around the edges of the room to allow for expansion as the boards heat and cool. This gap between the new floor and the existing skirting boards is usually covered by a small timber scotia-style moulding that usually matches the floor colour/pattern.
In better installations this moulding stops at the door frames and the frame is undercut with a special saw to raise the height of the frame and the expansion gap is hidden under the raised bottom of the door frame. Sometimes in a major renovation the existing skirting boards are removed and replaced to cover the gap or the skirting is undercut to allow the new boards to sit underneath but both these options of course add to the time and the cost.
The 2 mm underlay is the minimum required under this flooring and it may have be thicker or denser if there are specific acoustic requirements.
It is worth mentioning that in strata properties you may need body corporate approval and you may also be required to lay any floating floor on a sound-proofing underlay to minimise the noise transmission to the units below. The thickness and density of the required acoustic underlay will vary with the thickness and construction of the building’s floor and it will add to the total cost.
This laminate is generally the cheapest option but it is not waterproof and the protective wear layers are usually thinner and less wear resistant than on the more expensive products. There is large a range of qualities and prices for these standard laminates. They all look lovely when new but they are more easily damaged and we have seen them scratched, worn and water damaged especially the cheaper ones in both owner occupier and rental situations. They are a very cost-effective solution especially if the existing floor is sound because they can be laid straight over it.
Given that they are just floating the floor can be lifted and damaged planks replaced and then re-laid in a worst-case scenario. It is usually recommended that some spare planks are purchased in case of damage. There is no protection for landlords against wear and tear through normal use and generally also no protection against accidental damage by a tenant. Most landlord insurance policies will only cover malicious damage by a tenant and that can be very hard to prove.
Whilst there are higher quality options the standard laminates could be the most sensible choice in some situations.
2) Waterproof floating laminate
Identical to the standard laminate above except that the wood-based backing is considered to be waterproof. This is obviously a more expensive product and most often offers slightly better wear and abrasion resistance as a part of the deal. It is usually still wood-based but the fibreboard is made using water resistant polymers/glues so that it won’t swell or distort when wet. Again quality varies and some people believe that in many cases you are getting a highly water-resistant floor but maybe not one that is actually waterproof.
This would be the minimum quality product to be recommended in areas where it might get wet like kitchens. Unlike the non-waterproof option, it can be safely mopped by tenants and owners. We know owners who regularly mop their non-waterproof laminates because it is “the right thing to do” even though they know that they are not waterproof!
3) Hybrid floating laminate
The latest and best floating laminate at a higher price than the previous options. It is generally not made using any wood products. It is considered to be a hybrid between vinyl tiles or planks and the original floating floors. It can also usually be laid over many existing floors without any preparation. It is rigid and thick enough to float and not have to be glued down like the thinner vinyl tiles or planks. Typically, half the thickness of the wood-based laminates and it does not need the 2 mm underlay, so it is only a 6.5 mm or so step up from other rooms as opposed to the 14 or 15 mm thickness of the cheaper products. It still may need to be installed with an acoustic underlay.
It is totally waterproof and will not be damaged by water. If you are looking for a floating floor in rooms that will defiantly get wet like laundries or bathrooms this might be your minimum quality choice. It is also dimensionally more stable and only needs a 2 to 3 mm expansion gap around the edges. This gap will still need to be covered but sometimes there are smaller scotia moulds available which are not so obvious. This smaller gap is sometimes neatly filled with a soft filling compound instead of being covered by a moulding.
Hybrid laminates usually offer better performance all round with significantly thicker and often higher-technology wear layers and superior clip-together sealing between boards. All floating boards clip and lock together on all 4 sides. Cheaper products have cheaper locking profiles which can sometimes be damaged during laying which may cause problems with the joints later. These newer hybrid products usually offer better locking structures.
Lots of water (floods, burst water lines, overflowing baths etc.) can still cause issues for any floating floor as water can get past the expansion gap and find its way underneath even the waterproof boards causing issues. This is rare of course and should be covered by your landlord insurance.
4) Vinyl tiles, planks or vinyl sheeting
Better than the floating floors in some ways but they are not rigid and need to be glued down perfectly and so will usually need thorough preparation of the existing floor which makes these choices more expensive again. Sometimes existing vinyl tiles can remain but they will need to be sanded to provide a key for the glue. Usually, the existing floor will need to be covered completely by a hardboard layer (4.5 mm Masonite) which is glued and nailed into place.
These products are the modern take on the traditional rubber or vinyl tiles and the good quality ones are very wear resistant, waterproof and can be made in the shape of tiles or larger planks with the appearance of timber, stone, ceramic tiles or whatever. They are especially recommended for large areas where they offer higher durability over floating floors as they will not lift or roll up especially when furniture is moved across the floor. If damaged a single piece can easily be removed and replaced without the expense of lifting and re-laying a large area of the floor. There are a very large range of qualities right up to commercial grades with very thick wear layers which may outlast anything else in a home.
In older properties you may have vinyl floor tiles or similar containing asbestos or the glues that were used may also contain it. Before doing any work on an older tiled floor please seek appropriate advice.
In Conclusion
Whether you are planning to update or to renovate your home or investment property these are just some of the many different flooring options available to you. We are happy to put you touch with the experienced retailers and floor layers that we use for our clients as well as share our experiences and thoughts on different flooring brands and products.
Please do not hesitate to contact us on (02) 9871 3888 or at ask.us@northwood.com.au if you need more information on flooring or renovation advice generally especially if you are planning to update your property for sale or lease.
Stay tuned for our next post on landlord insurance for your rental property.
