Why choose 5star timber flooring?
Because it is the economically wise and healthy choice for both you and the environment. There are a number of suppliers/installers out there, but we give you The 5 Star Difference.
"Timber floors have very wide appeal, particularly in living areas — they're also a strong home selling point.
Timber flooring is available in a wide variety of types, styles and wood species. You can choose between structural solid plank styles that slot together, parquetry designs and relatively new floating floors that can be overlaid on pre-existing solid floors.
Advantages of timber floors include:
High durability: well-sealed timber is spill, stain and chemical-resistant. Comfort. Easy care. It's relatively low-allergenic. Timber and other solid floors like tile are recommended if a member of the family suffers from allergies or asthma."choice.com.au
Timber floors for family health
Timber flooring, unlike carpet, does not harbour dust-mites which are believed to be a trigger for skin-allergies and/or asthma.
But don't just take our word for it; read what they say at Environment, Health and Safety Online within their tips for controlling dust-mites:
"Remove carpeting and replace with timber floors, tile, linoleum, or vinyl floor covering. Remove cloth drapes and blinds. (If you have carpet, vacuum every day.) Vacuuming your carpets and upholstery every week can help. See the caution about vacuuming below under 'tips'. Tips: Use a good HEPA vacuum. Most non-HEPA vacuums actually cause the problem to worsen because the filter bags in most models are not efficient and cause allergen levels to rise."
Timber flooring is also recommended by the AAIR (Asthma & Allergy Information Research) as shown here on globalnet.co.uk: "Get rid of carpets. Every time someone walks over a carpet, mite dust is spread into the air, and will take 2 hours to settle. Babies and young children crawling on the carpet are surely especially at risk. For practical purposes wall-to-wall carpets cannot be cleaned adequately, though steaming carpets thoroughly may help. Replace carpets with sanded and varnished timber floors, or a vinyl, linoleum, tiled or purpose-made wooden floor. Use a minimum of scatter rugs and wash these several times a year. In cold climates, hanging the rugs outdoors in freezing weather helps." (Back to top)
Timber floors for environmental health
Timber flooring for the health of the environment might sound like a bit of a misnomer to some of you; but let's look at things logically.
Admittedly, pure wool carpet fabric is a renewable resource because it is grown on a sheep's back, but we have already discussed the health aspects of carpet. Linoleum is a renewable resource as it is made from flax seed, but linoleum does not have the warmth and beauty of timber floors; nor is it easily repaired if damaged. Vinyl, on the other hand, is not a renewable resource as it is made from crude oil; nor does it have the warmth and beauty of timber floors. So, that brings us to ceramic tiles.
Timber flooring vs Ceramic tiles
Discussing how long it takes to grow a tree is a bit like discussing the old question: How long is a piece of string? It depends on the species and the conditions, and how tall/wide you call 'grown'. At 5star Timber Floors, we source our timber mainly through Boral Timbers, whether their Silkwood floating floors or their kiln dried Australian hardwood.
"Boral Timber products are AFS Chain of Custody certified. This provides peace of mind that Boral's timber flooring is sourced from sustainably managed and legal forestry. The certification is linked to the only forest management certification scheme with an Australian Standard (4708-2007). Click here for more information on Boral Timber's sustainability credentials."
"Australian Forestry Standard (AFS)-certified
⋅⋅⋅, timber from Australian Forestry Standard(AFS)-certified forests adheres to sustainable principles. The AFS is recognised by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Scheme (PEFC), a global eco-label based in Europe, as well as being an Australian registered standard." choice.com.au
In contrast, tiles (ie. Ceramic) are made of mineral such as clay/rock; and though we cannot be specific about how long it takes to grow timber, we can certainly state that it is a very much shorter period than the time it takes to form the clay/rock.
From http://www.the-compost-gardener.com/soil.html:
"Soil formation is a long slow process. It's estimated that an inch of soil takes 500 to 1000 years to form.
'Essentially, all life depends upon the soil ... There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.' Charles E. Kellogg, USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1938"
And this is purely the soil. So how long to form the rock and clay from whence the soil came? An eternity. How long can we continue to take, unreplenished, from the very essence of the Earth (clay/rock/oil/gas, minerals in general) before the Earth itself retaliates? The same cannot be said about 5star timber floors, sourced only from sustainable timber.
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Sealants and Procedures, Minimising Dust
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Care, Repair & Maintenance of Timber Flooring
Repairs.
Timber matching and blending is a 5star timber floors specialty, whether it be removing an old hearth or blending in an entire extension. Staggering boards into the existing floor using re-milled or recycled timber of the same variety can achieve overall uniformity of the finished product.
Maintenance.
Once we finish a project we note on the customer's invoice the product used to seal the floor, and advise that the invoice be stored safely for future reference. This allows the customer to seek a timely cutback and recoat every 5 to 7 years prior to the sealer wearing through, lengthening the lifespan of the finish and avoiding the need for a complete re-sand prior to coating.
Cleaning
Many professional cleaners will advise to use a wax based product which adds a "sacrificial" coating to the finish. Using these wax based products on a timber floor means you are then unable to apply a recoat, leaving a complete re-sand as the only option once the floor starts to discolour from the layers of wax. We do not recommend the use of these wax based products on timber floors. During consultation, 5 Star Floors can advise on the appropriate cleaning methods; alternatively follow the advice given from Boral.
Because it is the economically wise and healthy choice for both you and the environment. There are a number of suppliers/installers out there, but we give you The 5 Star Difference.
"Timber floors have very wide appeal, particularly in living areas — they're also a strong home selling point.
Timber flooring is available in a wide variety of types, styles and wood species. You can choose between structural solid plank styles that slot together, parquetry designs and relatively new floating floors that can be overlaid on pre-existing solid floors.
Advantages of timber floors include:
High durability: well-sealed timber is spill, stain and chemical-resistant. Comfort. Easy care. It's relatively low-allergenic. Timber and other solid floors like tile are recommended if a member of the family suffers from allergies or asthma."choice.com.au
Quick links:
- The 5 Star Difference
- Timber floors for family health
- Timber floors for environmental health
- Timber flooring vs Ceramic tiles
- Australian Forestry Standard (AFS)-certified
- Sealants and Procedures, Minimising Dust
- Care and Maintenance of Timber Floors
Timber floors for family health
Timber flooring, unlike carpet, does not harbour dust-mites which are believed to be a trigger for skin-allergies and/or asthma.But don't just take our word for it; read what they say at Environment, Health and Safety Online within their tips for controlling dust-mites:
"Remove carpeting and replace with timber floors, tile, linoleum, or vinyl floor covering. Remove cloth drapes and blinds. (If you have carpet, vacuum every day.) Vacuuming your carpets and upholstery every week can help. See the caution about vacuuming below under 'tips'. Tips: Use a good HEPA vacuum. Most non-HEPA vacuums actually cause the problem to worsen because the filter bags in most models are not efficient and cause allergen levels to rise."
Timber flooring is also recommended by the AAIR (Asthma & Allergy Information Research) as shown here on globalnet.co.uk: "Get rid of carpets. Every time someone walks over a carpet, mite dust is spread into the air, and will take 2 hours to settle. Babies and young children crawling on the carpet are surely especially at risk. For practical purposes wall-to-wall carpets cannot be cleaned adequately, though steaming carpets thoroughly may help. Replace carpets with sanded and varnished timber floors, or a vinyl, linoleum, tiled or purpose-made wooden floor. Use a minimum of scatter rugs and wash these several times a year. In cold climates, hanging the rugs outdoors in freezing weather helps." (Back to top)
Timber floors for environmental health
Timber flooring for the health of the environment might sound like a bit of a misnomer to some of you; but let's look at things logically.
Admittedly, pure wool carpet fabric is a renewable resource because it is grown on a sheep's back, but we have already discussed the health aspects of carpet. Linoleum is a renewable resource as it is made from flax seed, but linoleum does not have the warmth and beauty of timber floors; nor is it easily repaired if damaged. Vinyl, on the other hand, is not a renewable resource as it is made from crude oil; nor does it have the warmth and beauty of timber floors. So, that brings us to ceramic tiles.
Timber flooring vs Ceramic tiles
Discussing how long it takes to grow a tree is a bit like discussing the old question: How long is a piece of string? It depends on the species and the conditions, and how tall/wide you call 'grown'. At 5star Timber Floors, we source our timber mainly through Boral Timbers, whether their Silkwood floating floors or their kiln dried Australian hardwood.
"Boral Timber products are AFS Chain of Custody certified. This provides peace of mind that Boral's timber flooring is sourced from sustainably managed and legal forestry. The certification is linked to the only forest management certification scheme with an Australian Standard (4708-2007). Click here for more information on Boral Timber's sustainability credentials."
"Australian Forestry Standard (AFS)-certified
⋅⋅⋅, timber from Australian Forestry Standard(AFS)-certified forests adheres to sustainable principles. The AFS is recognised by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Scheme (PEFC), a global eco-label based in Europe, as well as being an Australian registered standard." choice.com.au
In contrast, tiles (ie. Ceramic) are made of mineral such as clay/rock; and though we cannot be specific about how long it takes to grow timber, we can certainly state that it is a very much shorter period than the time it takes to form the clay/rock.
From http://www.the-compost-gardener.com/soil.html:
"Soil formation is a long slow process. It's estimated that an inch of soil takes 500 to 1000 years to form.
'Essentially, all life depends upon the soil ... There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.' Charles E. Kellogg, USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1938"
And this is purely the soil. So how long to form the rock and clay from whence the soil came? An eternity. How long can we continue to take, unreplenished, from the very essence of the Earth (clay/rock/oil/gas, minerals in general) before the Earth itself retaliates? The same cannot be said about 5star timber floors, sourced only from sustainable timber.
(Back to top)
Sealants and Procedures, Minimising Dust
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Our timber floors are sealed with top-quality products such as 'Traffic' from Bona. It's name says it all. BONA TRAFFIC Product Description: Bona Traffic is a two-component non-toxic waterborne polyurethane timber floor finish with an excellent resistance to wear. Recommended for high traffic domestic and commercial areas such as restaurants and retail outlets, Traffic is available in 2 gloss levels - Satin and a special Matt look called 'Invisible Protection' (IP) which highlights the natural beauty of the timber without distracting shine and reflections. Traffic is suitable for recoating most existing surfaces including pre-finished timber. Features
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The machinery we use to prepare your 5star timber floors is up-to-date and well maintained to ensure dust is kept to a minimum. This photo displays the procedure being comfortably performed without dust-masks.
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(Back to top)
Care, Repair & Maintenance of Timber Flooring
Repairs.
Timber matching and blending is a 5star timber floors specialty, whether it be removing an old hearth or blending in an entire extension. Staggering boards into the existing floor using re-milled or recycled timber of the same variety can achieve overall uniformity of the finished product.
Maintenance.
Once we finish a project we note on the customer's invoice the product used to seal the floor, and advise that the invoice be stored safely for future reference. This allows the customer to seek a timely cutback and recoat every 5 to 7 years prior to the sealer wearing through, lengthening the lifespan of the finish and avoiding the need for a complete re-sand prior to coating.
Cleaning
Many professional cleaners will advise to use a wax based product which adds a "sacrificial" coating to the finish. Using these wax based products on a timber floor means you are then unable to apply a recoat, leaving a complete re-sand as the only option once the floor starts to discolour from the layers of wax. We do not recommend the use of these wax based products on timber floors. During consultation, 5 Star Floors can advise on the appropriate cleaning methods; alternatively follow the advice given from Boral.
