Sound Proof Your Flooring With Sound Proofing Underlays

Posted on April 16, 2012 by admin

As attractive and appealing as hardwood timber flooring can be, there is one significant disadvantage that comes with installing timber floors into highrises and units – sound proofing. Due to the density of timber floor boards, and that hardwood timber floor boards are usually a thiner floor covering, more noise is carried through timber floor boards than say  carpet .

Timber FlooringHowever, as with most issues faced today, there is a solution to solve the problem, and for this particular problem there is, of course, a solution in sound proofing or acoustic underlays. Through installing sound proofing underlays under your floor boards you will be preventing footfall noises from transferring from floor to floor, and any other noises from being transferred between floors.

How it works is that the sound proofing underlays are installed between timber and your concrete which is then used as a noise barrier. The sound proofing is a layer of rubber and vinyl that is highly flexible. Installation of the sound proofing can reduce the amount of sound transferred between the hardwood timber flooring by up to 70%.

Sound proofing or Acoustic underlays are suitable for a range of different types of buildings such as; units, flats, apartment blocks, hotels, schools, libraries, hospitals, and many more. They can also be installed between almost any types of flooring, but are usually only  installed in buildings where body corporate require sound proofing due to the ease of noise transferring between floors.

Any hardwood floor specialist or timber floor installer in Brisbane should be trained and qualified in installing sound proofing underlays. Hardwood Floors Queensland provides this service, along with a range of other services. Visit www.hfq.com.au or contact them by phone to talk to a hardwood floors specialist to solve your noise problems.

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Different Types Of Wood Flooring Finishes and Polishes

Posted on March 30, 2012 by admin

When it comes to polishing your newly sanded wooden floors, the next step is to choose what type of polish or finish you would like to use, and with the wide range of polishes available, this can be a tough decision as you want to be sure to get it right the first time. There are multiple different hardwood floors finishes available including; Solvent based Polyurethane, Water based Polyurethane, Tung/Modified Oil, and many more.

Timber Floor PolishAs mention above a timber flooring polish available is Solvent based Polyurethane. This type of polish is the most commonly used timber flooring finishes in Queensland, and all over Australia. A solvent based Polyurethane is a polish that forms an eye catching and attractive plastic- like skin on the timber surface that brings out the richness of the darker timber flooring. It is extremely hard wearing  and is the most suitable coating for high traffic areas. However, this type of  finish due to its long drying time can often contain more dust in the final coat than water based finish, also the smell of the product while drying is very strong and in most cases will see you out of your house for a few nights.

A Water based polyurethane is as the name says; it is water based, non-toxic, and is the most environmentally friendly polish. The advantages of using this type of finish is that it leaves no odour so you won’t find yourself suffering from headaches, and it dries quickly leaving a shorter time for dust to settle into the coat, or having to live elsewhere why the flooring dries. Similar to the Solvent based Polyurethane, it also tends to leave a plastic – like skin on the surface, Water based finish also tends to yellow less over time use this finish if your looking to maintain the natural colours of the timbers.. However, unlike the Solvent, It is not suitable for all timbers as it will cause some of the lighter colours to bleed out tannens.

Another finish, as mentioned is the Tung/Modified Oil polish, this type of polish is the only one that will allow your flooring to expand and contract, without affecting the veracity of the polish. The disadvantage this finish has over the above finishes is that it is less durable, and will most likely need to be reapplied at a sooner date than the Polyurethane polishes. It is not as popular as it once was but can be a good natural alternative.

All of the above timber flooring polishes are available in three different finishes; a Matt, Satin, or Gloss. All of these types of polishes and finishes should be available through any quality hardwood floor specialists, and timber flooring specialists in Queensland.

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Different Types Of Wood Flooring

Posted on September 30, 2011 by admin

When renovating a home, inside and out, one of the main aspects to consider, that can make or break the look of a house, is the type of flooring that will be placed within a house. Renovators will often have to tossup between wood floors, laminate, carpet, or tiles.

One of the most common types flooring is timber flooring, due to the finished look it presents and the positive effects it has on a house. Yet, then comes the question – what type of wood flooring to install within the house. Examples of timber flooring include; Tongue and Groove and parquetry.

Tongue and Groove flooring is a type of hardwood timber flooring, that is installed by being nailed down to the existing concrete slabs, timber joint, plywood, and/or old timber strip flooring. The board widths can be up to 80mm in width, if they are to be secret- nailed. Or if the renovator is after a wider board width, they are also available in 130mm width, yet it must be top-nailed, which may not look as attractive, as the top of the nails are visible to the eye. Furthermore, the Tongue and Groove flooring can be sanded and then polished with three coats with your choice of finish. This type of flooring is very attractive to the eye, and ideal for any house hold.

Another type of flooring is parquetry flooring. This type of flooring is a hard wearing flooring that can be applied over concrete, plywood, particleboard, and/or old timber floors. Parquetry flooring in Brisbane is available in two different styles; block parquetry and mosaic. Block parquetry is a type of wood that is laid down in a pattern using contrasting coloured timber.

On the other hand, the mosaic timber is of a more traditional parquetry. This style uses “finger” timber tiles, which simply means shorter and smaller pieces of wood which are then laid down on the floor, changing directions with every other “finger” of timber.

There are many different designs and patterns a renovator can choose from, or if one would like, they can choose to customise their own pattern, creating unique flooring. Visit www.hfq.com.au to view all of the patterns Hardwood Floors Queensland has to offer, a Brisbane’s hardwood flooring specialist.

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