Specifying an engineered wood flooring product is not just about finding the perfect colour or grain to suit the aesthetics of the interior design project. Australian specifiers know it’s imperative to find out more about the environmental antecedents as well as the technical characteristics of the wood flooring before exploring the range further. In addition to ascertaining the green credentials of the product by obtaining information about the source of the wood as well as the proportion of recycled content, one should also be up to speed on the functional performance of the product in terms of its durability, longevity and ability to withstand the knocks of everyday life.
Leading Australian wood flooring specialist Premium Floors discusses the importance of understanding the sustainable and technical characteristics of engineered wood flooring products, and their impact on the outcomes of any interior design project.
Sourcing timber
For instance, the source of the timber used in wood flooring products has environmental as well as ethical implications. Illegal logging is leading to large-scale degradation of the world’s native forests, irreparably damaging the quality of life in those regions. Timber obtained by Premium Floors for engineered wood floors, is legally harvested; specifically, European Oak used in the brand’s flooring range is sourced from sustainably managed forests. Premium Floors also carries full Chain of Custody Certification (COC) for the PEFC program and most of its wood floor ranges are PEFC certified.
More sustainability with recycled content
A green product can be identified by the amount of recycled content used in its production. Engineered wood flooring by Premium Floors features three layers of durable timber including a core layer of rubberwood, responsibly sourced from rubber plantation trees after their rubber production has ceased. Altogether, Premium Floors uses about 60 per cent recycled content in its wood flooring range.
Functional performance
Product quality is contingent on the ability of the manufacturer to control the entire manufacturing process from sourcing the raw material to the finished product. Premium Floors not only uses responsibly sourced timber but also ensures the floors are produced at company-owned manufacturing facilities, assuring consistency in quality, finish and performance. To ensure a long-lasting finish, a high quality European lacquer is applied in seven layers based on S.R.T. or Scratch Resistant Technology, preventing abrasions and preserving the floor’s good looks well into the future.
Taber-tested for coating performance
A Taber test machine measured the abrasion resistance and durability of the lacquer coating applied on Premium’s timber floors against three competitor products. Premium’s European lacquer lasts up to 20 times longer, eliminating the need to re-lacquer the surface for several years. The extended durability and lasting lacquer coating quality of Premium’s wood floor range provide architects, builders, designers, specifiers and end-users the assurance of a quality flooring product that will perform for years with minimal maintenance.
Choose your manufacturer and supplier carefully
A quality outcome in your timber flooring project is also contingent on the selection of the right manufacturer or supplier. Ensure the company has a long history of working with engineered wood flooring and has the required technical understanding to advise you. Choose a supplier that can provide a full package service from the flooring to the acoustic underlay, complete with all the trims and profiles. Finally, make sure the supplier carries sufficient local stocks.
Premium Floors
Premium Floors combines one of the largest stocked ranges of wood flooring in Australia with a full design service for non-standard requirements to drive innovation in the Australian hard flooring market. With full control over a vertically integrated production process and a presence in every mainland State of Australia, Premium has taken leadership position in the market for timber, laminate, cork and bamboo flooring products.
For more information download the free whitepaper here.
