VidaSpace Bulletin

A few months ago, the VidaSpace team had a webinar session with Simon Myatt from Havwoods, one of our Global Partners and suppliers, about the journey of wood flooring. This journey includes the story behind the growth of timber, the making of the engineered wood flooring and key points on specifying wood flooring for each project. The objectives are to identify the different flooring types, manufacturing techniques and the process of production and specifying and to understand the importance of how the wood flooring is sourced, the meaning of deforestation and its differences between being sustainably sourced.

Slip resistance is necessary to safeguard people from injury during movement into, within, and out of buildings The New Zealand Building code reference to anti-slip requirements is section D – Accessways, specifically D1.3.3. D1/AS1 is the updated publication of Acceptable Solutions to ensure compliance with Section D covers a wider scope than just accessways particularly for commercial situations.

Sunlight and UV exposure is always a concern for any natural products, especially here in New Zealand, where our sun is extremely harsh. Everything inside your home, from the timber floors to the carpet, and the sofa, these are all subject to fading and changing with UV exposure, and not just your beautiful natural products, but also your vinyl, laminates, polished concrete, and so on. There are not many products available that are immune to its impacts. However, this does not mean we have to shy away from using these products, we learn how to protect them and care for them.

A common question we come across with many of our clients is whether to do a glue down installation or a floating timber floor installation. We aim to deliver the best option for the client, their needs, and their space, we take this all into consideration when suggesting which install method and product we put forward. Installation methods highly depends on the circumstance, the conditions of the subfloor, the budget constraints, and the product selection; whether it is an engineered tongue and groove profile or an engineered with a click lock system.

Parquet flooring consists of wooden planks cut into small pieces arranged in a repeated geometrical pattern in different styles. The most common forms of parquetry are herringbone and chevron, which have been around for centuries. Initially, the Ancient Roman Empire used the herringbone pattern by arranging bricks to make more stable roads. These patterns became more popular in Western Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries when they were first used as wood flooring. The chevron parquet flooring was installed in the Francois 1 Gallery at the Chateau de Fontainebleau in 1539.

There are many options when it comes to finishing veneers. When selecting the best finish for your project it is important to consider what environment it is being used it, the durability, maintenance and of course the aesthetic. The beauty of choosing an unfinished veneer is that you have full control of the final product.

UV cured oiled floors have revolutionised the prefinished flooring game, quickly becoming the world’s most superior timber flooring finish. There is a very common misconception around oiled floors vs UV oiled floors. A traditional oiled floor has an airdried oil finish, which needs to be reapplied after installation, and then replenished consistently (around every 12 months) throughout its life, or else it can dry out and become damaged or stained very easily. A UV oil finish is comprised of many layers of hard wax oil, that are cured between each layer, allowing the finish to solidify – much like a lacquered floor. Essentially, a UV oiled floor offers the best of both worlds; it is hard wearing and robust like a lacquer, and has the patch repairability of an oil, without the ongoing maintenance.

At VidaSpace, we are passionate about sustainability. It’s not just about providing you with beautiful timber, but finding you the right timber. We are always looking to be the most sustainable we can be, to protect our forests, the people of the land and the animals that live within. As consumers are growing increasingly concerned with choosing products that are responsibly sourced and made, FSC® and Cradle to Cradle certificates give you assurance of the origin of our products.