De Marque Oak Parquetry Accessories from Preference Floors

Stair Nosing

Both Tongue & Groove and Click Stair nosing is available to support our range of engineered Oak products. Stair nosing can be supplied directly from Preference Floors to suit your colour selection and to suit local building regulations. If stairs are involved in your project it is wise to spend time discussing this matter prior to purchase.

Trims & Scotia

An extensive range of Scotia colours and aluminium floor trims are available. These elements form an integral part of all floor installations and especially when floating installations are required. As per our warranty guidelines, all floating installations require perimeter expansion and transition trims. It is wise to spend time discussing trim requirements prior to purchase.

Method of Engineered Plank Construction Lay-Up

The manufacturing of engineered flooring is designed to be more resource efficient with use of up to two-thirds less of our valuable Oak resources when compared to solid timber floors. Pre-finished engineered flooring is dimensionally more stable than solid timber flooring and enables quicker installation with less site related trades required to complete the flooring installation.

Multi-ply

Provides a core usually manufactured from mixed hardwood with each veneer (approx. 2mm) running in an alternate direction to provide enhanced radial and longitudinal stability. The wear layer of solid oak is then bonded to the top of the multi-ply core.

Recommended Cleaning Products

Proper maintenance is often the most overlooked aspect of a timber flooring project. Preventative maintenance includes the installation of adequate mats at all entrances and felt protectors on furniture legs to prevent scratching. On-going maintenance includes proper cleaning methods and the use of professional cleaning solutions or equipment.

Bona and Loba products are readily available from specialist timber floor and carpet resellers.

What to Look For

Selection Process

Oak is a natural product and due to the many facets involved in the manufacturing process, each batch, whilst reasonably consistent, will display possible grade and colour batch variations. Quality guidelines are established with our manufacturing partners to set boundaries on variations of colour and grade.

Importantly, always check and confirm your selection when your final purchase is being made. The samples are just that, they are a reflection of one piece of nature at a given time. Store samples will often deepen or lighten depending on the surface colour and exposure to both direct and indirect UV.

Pre-installation

To avoid unwanted surprises please make sure the batch you received at the site is consistent with the specification before installation. Ideally, make sure someone checks the colour prior to installation. Do not assume your reseller or installer has checked the colour before delivery to site. It's easy to assess an issue at this stage and fix any obvious errors, in many examples the site installer may have no idea what was originally expected. Don't take a risk, open a few cartons to satisfy yourself, if in doubt make immediate contact with your point of purchase.

A new floor installed over an existing floor that has squeaks and movement will not fix structural sub-floor problems. The sub-floor in both new and or existing construction requires careful assessment to make sure the new floor is suitable for installation. Remedial activities such as levelling, re-fixing joist and bearers, replacing rotten timber are common considerations when tackling new floor projects. A flat, secure and dry substrate is essential to achieve a quality outcome.

Installation Methods

Installation methods include both the Tongue & Groove Direct Fix method and Click assembly for floating installations.

Both methods are excellent however cost and time are typically considered. Tongue & Groove Direct Fix requires a higher budget and will take longer to install. This method of installation will provide an improved acoustic outcome and feel along with minimal expansion requirements.

Patented Click floating installations are very popular because they are a convenient and cost-effective method for modern construction. To improve acoustic performance they require a quality 2mm acoustic underlay with a moisture vapour barrier to improve transmission sound, lessen impact noise, and impede moisture ingress.

Most importantly Click floating installations require perimeter and room to room expansion/transition trim to per individual room. They are recommended in our installation guides and if left out by the installer will impact on the floor performance and our warranty provisions. Please discuss this matter when talking with your reseller or designer.

Care & Maintenance

For all engineered oak flooring correct maintenance and cleaning is required to keep your floor looking great. Preventative maintenance includes the installation of quality mats at all entrances and felt protectors on furniture legs to prevent scratching.

If other trades are still active at the site it's wise to place a protective covering over the floor while construction continues. This should avoid site related damage. Do not tape covering directly to surface coating. Do not leave protective covering in-situ for an extended period of time. Humidity will build up under the floor protective covering resulting in damage to the floor coating. Our coating warranty will not cover this type of damage.

On-going maintenance includes proper cleaning methods and the use of protective cleaning products to keep the floor looking good. A correctly maintained timber floor should almost never need to be sanded back to bare timber. Avoid using any generic floor cleaning solutions regularly sold as a floor cleaner. Generic floor cleaning solutions will damage the floor coating. Bona or Loba floor care products are a safe and reliable way to keep your floor in great shape.

For more information, please visit www.preferencefloors.com.au.