Same Flooring – Different box.
Most flooring products look very much the same to the naked and even trained eye. Timber, laminate or vinyl planks, in a cardboard box with a logo. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Australia is in very close proximity to many countries that produce very low quality products. With minimal restrictions on importing and no minimum standard for quality, a lot of poor-quality flooring products arrive in Australia. A very low percentage of these products that arrive in Australia are not manufactured for Australian standards nor climate. These products react to climatic changes and simply cannot stand our harsh environment and high humidity. This causes many failed floors.
It has a nice logo and website so it must be good?
Unfortunately it is not that simple. Most cheap overseas factories will have an option where you can pay $1 or $2 more dollars and you can have whatever brand or logo printed on the flooring you want. This is why we have GOLD PLATINUM ELITE ROYAL PRESTIGE LUXURY FLOORS. They sound nice but are often not an actually company or brand of products. It is just a name given to some stock that is already made, it hasn’t been made specifically for a brand’s specifications, nor particular standards or climates.
The product has a warranty, I am safe.
Whilst many do intend to give you a good product, there are normally very sneaky get out clauses in their warranties. These are often certain steps in the installation process or in the rooms conditions that are often skipped or in most cases, impossible to meet the criteria. Marques Flooring prides itself on having the best warranties available. Be sure to read all warranties on all products in full before purchase and clarify any of your concerns with our team. We want you to be protected too!
Flooring shouldn’t be used in the kitchen
This is often said in regards to concerns about water or spillage. We have been successfully completing thousands of projects with kitchens without issues. Yes, for most products excess water can damage the flooring but spilling of a drink, or even mopping the floor is fine. It is not very often that liquid is left on the floor and excess water from a dishwasher or fridge leak is normally covered by your household insurance, it is worth checking! Read more on the next question below.
My floor must be waterproof
False. Non waterproof floors have been supplied for years without issues from normal use. If excess water gets on the floor (fridge or dishwater leak) it will still seep through the joins in the board and the edges of the floor. This means the flooring must be pulled up to avoid mould, then cleaned, dried and hopefully put back together again without compromising the joining system. There are water proof options available for those that might want a bit more security but it is not essential for normal use. Unless you leave liquid laying around on the floor or have a major (and in most cases insurable) event occur, it is not always essential for the floor to be ‘water-proof’.
Flooring requires a lot of maintenance
In almost all options, our flooring options are some of the easiest to maintain products on the market. For almost all products, no actual maintenance is required other than usual cleaning like all flooring products. We have simple guides on how easy it is to keep your floors looking great.
Timber Floors are expensive
Some timber products are very expensive. These days with the technology available we now have timber and timber impression products to cover all types of budgets and projects. Sometimes what may seem expensive can also be really good value when it is understood just how long the product lasts compared to others and the benefits it provides. Some products will last more than 50 years!
Timber floors are not sustainable/ bad for environment
The answer to this question depends on which manufacturer you deal with. Like many industries there are methods to create timber flooring that are very harmful to the environment. There are of course however many that use a sustainable process and we pride ourselves on sourcing product from sustainable sources. In most cases a chain of custody could be provided to show its origin and manufacturing pathway. There have also been studies on how the re-harvesting of sustainable forests can benefit the environment overall. See our resources for further information.
Engineered is inferior to solid timber
Engineered flooring has actually been designed to remove the stability issues around solid timber as well as remove some of the labour involved in installation and coating on site.
Laminate is junk
There is A LOT of cheap laminate in Australia, but the real laminate floors come from those that invented them in European countries. A real laminate floor is made completely different to most laminate in Australia and actually provides the most durable product in the flooring industry.
Cork is an old product
We have all seen an old cork floor but cork is making a huge comeback. These days we have amazing different designs and patterns. Once you understand the huge benefits in using a completely natural product, you too may want to consider it in your next project. Cork is now being requested for some of the most high end jobs, including 5 star hotels.
I want Hybrid that has stone, granite, gold in it..
With the recent demand for hybrid floors there have been many companies battling for attention and coming up with gimmicks. Some claiming to be made with granite stone, limestone or recycled timber and ‘specialised material’. Hybrid is vinyl, vinyl is plastic. Hybrid is a great flooring option, but don’t be fooled by the ‘specialised material’. Look to brands that stabilise the material used prior and during manufacturing, a technology only few have.
Timber floors give a cold feel
Because timber is associated with being a hard flooring option, a lot of people worry that it will give a cold feeling to the house like other hard floors such as tiling. However, the beauty of timber flooring is that it brings a sense of warmth to the home with its natural characteristics and feel underfoot.
Timber floors scratches easily
Some products do, but some are very durable. We have products that can be scratched but also repaired. We also have some flooring products like laminate that provide some of the most durable flooring options in the world. Some of these so durable that most of the large shopping centres you go to have this type of flooring in each store. You might have even thought some of them were real!
If I glue my floor down, I wont need to worry about expansion
Wrong. Even with the strongest adhesives, flooring product can still expand and contract, and they are supposed to. This is why expansion gaps must be allowed for regardless of the product or installation method. (except solid cork, no expansion or trims required).
Vinyl is the most durable
Not quite. Compared to maybe cheap laminates it might be. Laminate flooring will always be the most durable, stain, scratch, fade and heat proof flooring.
Hybrid / Vinyl can be laid over tiles
False, (mostly). We see many problem jobs where a floor has just been laid straight over tiles without any sub-floor preparation. Yes they can be laid over tiles however you must ensure a few things. First is to ensure the grout lines are not too big or too deep, the second is to ensure it is levelled within the guidelines. This often means levelling and or a skim coat over the top to fill the grout lines. Each product has a different sub-floor requirement, please ensure you check the guidelines and warranties. Many companies will try to win a job by advising you don’t need to do anything but then leave the failed floor in your hands to fix after. The other thing to look for is damaged, broken or loose tiles. These will continue to break under the floor leaving you with a crunching sound underfoot as you walk. Again ensure the sub-floor is suitable.
