Flooring

Install a new floor for a quick, cost effective upgrade to kitchens and all areas of the house, or office. Our Living Spaces Carpentry team is always up-to-date with the latest products which provide plenty of new look options. From the latest vinyl flooring products, floating floors to traditional hard wood floor boards, installing a hard wearing, easy to clean flooring solution is the perfect fit for any home. We have the experience and skill to ensure your flooring project is completed on-time, within budget and with minimal disruption. Contact Living Spaces carpentry for more information on how we provide the perfect flooring solution for your home or office.

Kitchen Renovation on the Central Coast

Solid Timber Flooring

PROS

  • Attractive, stylish & appealing – brings the warmth of timber to a room
  • Smooth finish
  • Durable and long lasting – can last more than 100 years if they are maintained well. Unlike other flooring materials that last 10-20 years
  • Wide variety of colours & shades
  • Can be refinished or re-sanded to repair or refresh the flooring and bring back its lustre and colour
  • Classic – doesn’t go out of style
  • Easy to clean
  • All natural product
  • Sustainable
  • Good Return on Investment – will increase the value of your house
  • Can fade if in direct sunlight

CONS

  • Needs regular maintenance
  • Can swell in damp conditions and shrink in hot dry conditions
  • Not Moisture resistant
  • Prone to dents, scratches & stains and will need to be re-finished
  • Noisy to walk on
  • Not recommended for bathrooms
  • Can crown & cup
  • Will fade in direct sunlight
  • After many years wear and tear, you might hear some creaking and clicking sounds when walking across the floor

Engineered Timber (aka Composite wood, man-made wood, manufactured board)

Engineered timber is multi-layered with a timber veneer sitting on top of a cheaper substrate of pine, ply or rubber wood. The quality of the finished product will be determined by the number of layers and the thickness of the top layer.

PROS

  • Engineered timber can be refinished multiple times provided the top veneer is between 2 & 6mm thick.
  • Once laid, no-one will know it is engineered timber except you.
  • More sustainable than solid hardwood timber flooring as you only need a veneer of 6mm thick so the resource goes a lot further.
  • Will not swell or warp
  • Designed to reduce the moisture problems associated with a regular hardwood floor
  • More stable than regular hardwood

CONS

  • Cheap versions won’t last long and can’t be refinished
  • High Maintenance
  • Be careful of low quality core construction
  • Not Moisture-proof
  • Fades
  • Scratches and dents
  • Considerably more expensive than Vinyl, Laminate and hybrid flooring
  • Comparable in cost to solid hardwood timber flooring

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is an engineered product made from shredded bamboo, a grass not a timber, which is glued & heated together to produce boards

PROS

  • Eco-friendly – Bamboo is a fast growing, renewable material.
  • Tough & durable
  • Naturally stylish with a clean, contemporary look
  • Distinctive finish
  • Won’t scratch or scuff
  • Can be used in damp climates
  • Cost effective compared to hardwood timber flooring
  • May be refinished depending on the thickness of the planks
  • Easy to install
  • Termite resistant
  • Low maintenance
  • Moisture resistant

CONS

  • There are inferior bamboo flooring products out there, so be careful
  • Inferior bamboo flooring is susceptible to scratches and dents
  • Bamboo flooring that is not properly manufactured can shrink after installation
  • Not advised to be used in bathrooms or areas with excessive moisture

Laminate

Laminate is a multi layer synthetic flooring product. Melamine resin and fibre board material make up the core. Laminate flooring has a photographic appliqué layer under a clear protective layer. It has the appearance of wood, or sometimes stone.

PROS

  • Easy to install
  • Easy to clean
  • Cost effective
  • Hard wearing
  • Resists fading, abrasions and stains
  • Water resistant
  • Wide variety of designs
  • Laminate flooring can be replaced slat by slat as required.
  • Scratch resistant
  • Has UV protection integrated into the surface

CONS

  • Unable to refinish this flooring
  • Can be slippery
  • Although scratch resistant, they are not scratch –proof. Pets & dragging heavy furniture may damage the flooring
  • Hard underfoot
  • Noisy to walk on
  • Not as visually appealing as timber flooring, lower quality options may have artificial – looking wood grain textures.
  • Although you can replace slats, depending on the wear and tear on the remaining slats, the new slat may not match properly

Vinyl Flooring (Lino)

PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride, it is an all plastic product.

PROS

  • Durable
  • Water & Stain Resistant
  • Cost effective
  • Available in many colours and patterns and a variety of lifelike wood grain
  • Quiet to walk on
  • Very comfortable underfoot
  • Easy installation
  • Low maintenance
  • 2 options – lay in sheets or tiles
  • Inlaid Vinyl tiles are made of multiple layers of the same coloured vinyl glued together which means if it is damaged or scratched, the colour will remain the same

CONS

  • Doesn’t have the warmth and classic appeal of wooden floors
  • Vinyl floors cannot handle heavy loads & can scratch easily.
  • If you choose sheet vinyl, it is difficult to repair. If you damage a part, you have to replace the whole sheet.
  • Colours can fade if exposed to too much direct sunlight
  • Vinyl floors cannot handle extremes of temperature therefore not good for outdoor use.
  • Rotogravure tiles are cheaper than inlaid tiles as they have a thin layer of coloured vinyl on the top which is covered with a protective coating. This means if they are scuffed or worn, the colour will be gone.

Hybrid

Hybrid flooring is made from multiple layers of materials. The centre is a stable and waterproof composite board, the top layer is a UV coated protective layer, the second layer is the design layer, and there is an acoustic backing to increase comfort underfoot and reduce noise. It is recent addition to the flooring market.

PROS

  • 100% Waterproof – can be used in kitchens and bathrooms
  • Durable
  • Easy to clean
  • Scuff & Stain resistant
  • Can be laid on top of existing tiles
  • Can withstand temperature changes with no expansion and contraction issues
  • Click installation means no nails or glues
  • Not as noisy as laminate or engineered floors

CONS

  • Colour will fade if exposed to direct sunlight
  • More expensive than some other flooring options
  • Can scratch and dent

Why Choose Living Spaces

HIGH QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP

Jason is a professional craftsman with a passion for working with wood & will transfer that passion into a high quality finish on any job. We pride ourselves on the excellence and attention to detail we apply to each project we undertake.

PERSONALISED APPROACH

We know making changes and improvements to your property is a big move. We assist in making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible. We can draft your ideas and build what you need, or if in need of inspiration you can draw on our experience to provide excellent options and advice to create what you desire.

EFFICIENT & TIDY

Indoors, outdoors, residential or commercial, we provide an efficient, professional team and excellent carpentry skills. We will have regular contact with you during the works. The site will be kept tidy and presentable throughout the course of the project.

We combine creativity, practicality and excellence to craft spaces you love to live in.

Contact Us

Client Testimonials

Service Area

Servicing Sydney, the Central Coast & Newcastle, Jason and his team provide excellent carpentry services to people from all walks of life.