timber floors - The Australian Timber Flooring Association

Note from the CEOTIMBER FLOORSStaff and ContributorsEditor and Art DirectorLucy Perryeditor@atfa.com.auContributing writersJane LawrenceDave HaywardRandy FliermanEmma WattAdvertising salesJane Lawrencephone 02 9440 9999 | fax 02 9440 9066jane@atfa.com.auProduction - Pure Graphics Pty LtdGraphic design - Adam DipperPrint management - Bruce PerryThe Australian Timber Flooring Associationwelcomes you to the eleventh issue of TimberFloors Magazine!With interest rates on the rise again and strongsigns of customer confidence increasing, we canall look forward to a better year in 2010. The past15 month period has been one that many buildingindustry professionals have struggled throughbut survived. Hopefully we can now return to the promise of increased activityin the market place and an upturn in the building industry and specifically intimber flooring work.Looking forward, ATFA has many new plans for 2010 and some excitingnews with regard to our activities. To improve the overall participation inthe convention, ATFA is appointing new event managers to make the annualconvention and exhibition a much better opportunity for members, visitors andexhibitors. We’re also upgrading our website to a more professional image tohelp send even more work your way.Furthermore, 2010 will see a series of targeted forums held around country,to a degree replacing the usual list of one day workshops. The US - AustralianInstallation and Finishing Schools will run in March and May and a FloorInspection program is slated for February.As this is the last issue before Christmas, may I take this opportunity to wishyou all a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year. Let’s make 2010 great!Randy Flierman, CEOAustralian Timber Flooring AssociationPublisherAustralian Timber Flooring Association11 Oleander Ave Shelley Beach QLD 4551ph 1300 361 693 | fax 1300 361 793www.atfa.com.au | ABN 16 524 524 226Timber Floors is published four times ayear by The Australian Timber FlooringAssociation.Timber Floors may not be produced inwhole or part without the written consent ofthe publisher. Views expressed within thispublication are not necessarily the opinionsof the editors or publisher. Whilst all effortsare made to ensure the accuracy andtruthfulness of stories included in this issue,the writers, editors and publisher cannot beheld responsible for inaccurate informationsupplied for publication. Timber Floors alsoholds no responsibility for any advertisementsprinted in this magazine that may be deemedinaccurate.this issueATFA update 2Member profile: Planet Timbers 4Species feature: Jarrah 6Product profile: Hurford Ultra10 82009 ATFA Convention highlights 102009 ATFA Convention: Stand of the year 11Boral Australian Floor of the Year winners 12ATFA 2009 Awards for excellence 14Staining for a species makeover 16Education Revolution: a boom in sports floors 18Technical feature: the difficulties of very dry times 22Tips from the trade, IR Talk 24Product snap shots 26Project feature: Floor of the Year 28Cover imageSports flooring byBoral Timber Flooring at SydneySports Centre, Homebush

ATFA updateNew faces on the ATFA BoardATFA would like welcome the association’s new president,Paul Kiely from Planet Timbers. Paul operates PlanetTimbers in Western Australia and has been an ATFA boardmember for the past four years. Paul brings a wealth ofexperience and industry knowledge to the role and looksforward to further enhancing the activities of ATFA.ATFA also welcomes new directors, Leon Travis fromBoral Timber Flooring, John Elasi from Floormania andBob Engwirda from Hurford Hardwood. Outgoing presidentRobert Clague remains on the board, while we thank andfarewell Malcolm Johnston (who has recently moved fromBoral Timber Flooring to Hurford Hardwood) and KendallWaller from Premium Floors. Inaugural president RobertClague has successfully steered the ship at ATFA since theorganisation opened its doors on 1 July 2005 and through thewhole establishment process long before that. While Robertwill stay on the board, his contribution to the industry wasGALAXY MACHINESbuy direct from the importersElite 3 edger8” and 12”belt/ drumcombo sanderparts • service • leasing availableNorthern Suburbs Timber FlooringFreecall: 1800 226 888Email nstf@nstimberflooring.com.auSynteko Pty Ltd.Call: 02 94068100info@synteko.com.auwww.synteko.com.aurecognised at the annual dinner and awards presentation atthe convention in Brisbane during September. Robert wasawarded ‘Outstanding Service to the Industry’ in recognitionof his huge contribution to the industry and ATFA. This awardhas never before been awarded by the association.Training in 2010Daniel Boone and his team of world-class timber flooringinstructors will head to Australia again next year to conducttheir famous flooring schools! Timber flooring, installation,sand and finish, repair and recoat school will be held inMelbourne from 3 - 5 March and from 17 to 18 May 2010. TheAdvanced timber flooring installation and finish school willbe held in Melbourne 19 - 21 May 2010. For more informationon workshops to improve the skills of your team, visit thewebsite at www.atfa.com.au. fNew initiativesThe ATFA board has agreed to two new initiativesfor members in 2010: product endorsement foradhesives, coatings and moisture barriers and thenew ATFA Approved Professional Contractor system.Under the new product endorsement system,ATFA will endorse adhesives, coatings and moisturebarriers that fulfil the criteria set by ATFA. Users willknow that the product meets ATFA’s VOC emissionguidelines, provides full instructions on use, safetyand storage, provides online information includingMSDS access, technical advice and a list of stockists,and complies with requirements set out in the ATFATimber Flooring Manual. A full list of criteria isavailable from ATFA.Under the new ATFA approved contractor system,a new level has been included which retains thefeatures of the existing accreditation system and addsa further degree of excellence aligned to potentiallicensing in the future. So in addition to the seven tiersystem ATFA has added a further level, effectivelybecoming level 8.For further details on these initiatives talk to Randyat ATFA or visit the website at www.atfa.com.au. f2

Tasmanian timber workerssweep awardsAn inaugural award that identifies ‘unsung heroes’ who work in thedisability sector and recognises their dedication and commitment to theworkplace and colleagues has been awarded to employees from Hobartbased timber flooring manufacturer Oakdale Industries.Individual award winner Martin Sherrin received his award at a ceremony inHobart recently in front of proud family members, colleagues, supervisors andmembers of the Rotary Club of Hobart – organisers and sponsors of the RotaryPride of Workmanship Awards.Martin is a production worker in timber manufacturing at Oakdale Industrieswhich is an Australian Disability Enterprise specialising in the manufactureof high quality Tasmanian timber flooring products. Manager John Hollis saiddespite many personal challenges, Martin has developed into a positive andcommitted team member.“Martin works to direction, is very responsible within the workplaceenvironment and is an extremely positive and effective team member.”John paid tribute to Oakdale Industries’ supervisory team who werepresented with a Pride of Workmanship Award – the first time the award hasbeen presented to a group of people in this category.“Our supervisory team of Brett Howlett, Lyle Bedelph, Richard Daly, SteveWatts, Michael Flanagan and David Absolom were recognised for theircontribution to the training and well-being of Oakdale Industries’ special needsemployees. They are unique in that they care for and develop the skills of oursupported employees whilst also being highly skilled in timber manufacturing.”John himself has been recognised for his achievements and awarded thelevel of Vanguard by the Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA). Thisis the second year in a row that John has been awarded the level of Vanguardwhich recognises individuals who annually provide a considerable contributionto the timber flooring industry in Australia.The team at Timber Floors Magazine and the ATFA Board of Directors,congratulates Martin and his colleagues at Oakdale Industries for sweepingthe awards! Well done and all the best for 2010. fWhittle WaxesThe Australianexperts inecologicallyharmonised finishesfor naturallybeautiful timberGive us a call for a brochure pack on1300 326 929www.whittlewaxes.com.auFront row (left to right) – Proud family members Kate Sherrin, Pauline Sherrin, award recipient MartinSherrin and his father Mike Sherrin (in red shirt on far right).Back row (left to right) - Oakdale Industries Supervisory Team Michael Flanagan, Steven Watts,Richard Daly, David Absolom, Brett Howlett, Lyle Bedelph (absent) and Manager John Hollis.3

Member profile:Planet TimbersEstablished 25 years ago, Planet Timbers is one ofAustralia’s largest timber floor and accessories supplierswith six outlets in Western Australia and one in SouthAustralia. The company also imports, exports andmanufactures flooring that is difficult to source or to aspecific requirement.Planet Timbers supplies a range of flooring andaccessories as well as strip flooring, parquetry, cork,decking, bamboo, floating floors and laminate flooring, aswell as skirting, mouldings and plywood. The company alsosupplies acoustic matting, adhesives, coatings tools andmachinery, flooring accessories and custom made orders.It is one of the few manufacturers left in Australia stillproducing pattern or mosaic parquetry.Planet Timbers’ timber flooring is of the highest standardin both drying and machining. Its trade customer baseincludes many of the builders in the Western and SouthAustralian markets.With 40 years’ experience in the Australian timber floorindustry, Paul Kiely, a director of Planet Timbers, is one ofAustralia’s most respected timber floor experts. He is thecurrent ATFA President, the Chairman of the ATFA TechnicalCommittee, an ATFA Level 7 Vanguard Member and anAccredited Inspector for ATFA.“We constantly keep an eye on the market for future trendsand methods,” says Paul. “Our staff are expertly trained intimber species, installation practices and product knowledge,offering tradesmen and their clients the correct advice toachieve the best result possible. We are proud foundingmembers of ATFA and its push to help improve the Australiantimber flooring industry.”One of Planet Timbers’ recent challenges was theinstallation of a renovated floor at the Perth General PostOffice. One of Perth’s oldest buildings, the GPO is entirelyheritage listed, including the parquetry floor.Major renovations to the interior started in early 2008 and itPlanet Timbers’ trade centre in South AustraliaThe Perth General Post Office building is one of theoldest buildings in Perth and represented a challengedue to its heritage listingPictured here from left to right, the Planet Timbers warehouse team at the Osborne Parktrade centre in Western Australia: Jeff Thompson, Cliff Davis, Richard Hayes,Corey Finlay, Dave Daff, Jamie Couanis and Sean McMahon4

is only being completed now. The first section of the floor wasfinished in late 2008 and the final stage in June of this year.Planet Timbers was commissioned to remove andrecondition the existing Jarrah block parquetry floor andrelay to the same specifications as the old timber floor,within heritage guidelines. This process involved lifting theold parquetry without damaging it, removing the old taradhesive stuck to both the floor and the back of each blockand remachining each block. The floor then had to be laid inthe same Herringbone pattern. Loba Lobadur water-basedtwo pack polyurethane was then applied as a finish.“This was a job that many put in the ‘too hard basket’, butthe end result was excellent,” says General Manager SeanMcMahon. “Both the client and ourselves are extremelyhappy with the job. The challenge was very rewarding and weare very proud to be involved with such a fine building.”For further information on Planet Timbers, visit themonline at www.planettimbers.com.au fPlanet Timbers’ showroom in South AustraliaFLOORING ESTIMATING SOFTWARE FROMLASER MEASUREWhether you’re a small operation, a retail chain,commercial estimating house or a major constructiongroup, there is a version of FEP software that will suityour business. Floor Estimate Professional software isconstantly being updated and improved to increase youraccuracy, efficiency and professionalism, reducing mistakesand waste. FEP is designed to be user-friendly. Those whohave used other software are impressed with the level offunctionality as well as ease of use. Even if you strugglewith email, the training team at Laser Measure have theexperience to get you up and running in a few hours!Take the software for a test drive with a thirty day key andexperience what many flooring businesses in Australia,New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa and theUnited States experience every day: a way to estimate floorcoverings that is fast, efficient, accurate and professional.Call 1800 780 069 or visit www.lasermeasure.com.au forfurther details.9TimberLaminatesVinylTake advantage of our thrity day free trial,talk to us today, we will show you howflooring businesses across Australiaand New Zealand are reaping the rewards.Free Call: 1800 780 069www.lasermeasure.com.ausales@lasermeasure.com.auCreating ProfessionalFlooring Layouts andEstimates in MinutesReduce measuring & planning timesReduce waste and mistakesIncrease estimating accuracyIncrease your output capacityStandardise planning processesCommunicate effectivelyPVC PlankCarpetsPty LtdTilePaintBoth tools have been a revelation in bothtime management and professionalism.The combination of FEP Software and Disto Lasershave given us a serious competitive advantage.This software gives me more time to spend withclients on either selection of product or closing the sale.FEP ticked every box.5

2009 ATFA Convention highlights10The conference element of the 2009 ATFA Conventionwas extremely popular. Delegates heard from the industry’sexperts on a range of topics relevant to timber flooring.Dave Hayward, ATFA’s Technical Manager, spoke on theeffects of internal environments on board movement. Inbrief, he covered the following important points.• Different climates produce different relative humiditywhich can influence board movement. Brisbane is warm,Cairns hot and humid, Melbourne is cool and New Zealandis cold, wet and humid. Timber floors work in all theseclimates but house and living styles influence installation,performance and expectations.• Most solid timber floors are manufactured in a moisturecontent range from 9% to 12%. In general they swell littleand they shrink little and they are not a problem.• If internal conditions are more humid due to location, thefloors will swell and can cause problems.• The external humidity in a location must be taken intoECO-FRIENDLYWONDERFUL FLOORRENEWABLEACN: 107 906 374Wonderful Floor specialises in pre-coatedAustralian solid hardwood, engineered floatinghardwood and pre-coated bamboo floors.Our products are environmentally friendly and havebeen sourced from sustainably managed forests.Benefits of using Wonderful Floor• Pre-coated hardwood has fewer hassles, withno sanding dust or fumes• Renewable and sustainable, helping protectour environment• Hardwoods such as Ironbark have a longlasting German made hard wearing coatingWonderful Floor (Factory)62-66 Vallance Street, St Marys NSW 2760Phone (02) 9517 4742Fax (02) 9517 2436www.wonderfulfloor.com.auconsideration as it has an effect on the internal humidity.Other local influences affecting internal humidity shouldalso be considered.• It is important to be aware of the characteristics of theproduct being laid and how conditions between sandingand finishing can affect it. If the flooring expands duringgluing, high uplift forces are created.Ric Sinclair, Managing Director of Forest and WoodProducts Australia Ltd, spoke on shaping the climate forchange. FWPA is the industry’s service organisation. Its roleis to be the industry’s leading source of knowledge and toinvest in and facilitate innovation and promotion.Attitudes and priorities concerning the environmentare changing, with the growing awareness of climatechange driving debate and decision making at every level,from industrial carbon trading to domestic green energy,from resource management to changing light globes.There is public concern about climate change that givesan opportunity to promote our positive carbon storagemessage and legitimise subsequent messages. The FWPA isconfident that the “Wood. Naturally Better” campaign will beinstrumental in changing the way people think about wood.Phil Holgate of TAMSA International Consulting spoke onhis area of expertise: coatings. His presentation coveredabrasive testing, VOCs and the future of solvents as well aswhat’s happening with nano technology.Phil looked at the various abrasive testing methods,covering 21 abrasion machines and seven flooring materialsand found that the various machines did not correlate witheach other and correlation between tests was poor. Thereforecaution is required in using the data from abrasion testers topredict actual performance behaviour. ATFA is working withTaber in the US to establish a standardised approach to beused in Australia.Phil also looked at the relationship between toxicity andVOCs, explaining that VOCs contribute negatively to airpollution by participating in chemical reactions that takeplace in the atmosphere, producing a variety of air pollutioneffects. VOCs contribute negatively to indoor air qualitythrough emissions into the daily living environment, bothduring and after curing.Higher VOC levels of the same chemicals definitely meanshigher toxicity levels. Lower VOC does not necessarilymean lower toxicity. For example, two pack solvent-bornehas lower VOC than 45MCPU but is more toxic. MSDS are

often inadequate in providing readily understandable toxicityinformation.Phil also discussed the advent of nano technology – ultrasmallstructures with as few as one molecule. It has beensuccessfully used on some prefinished timbers for someyears with the correct application of nano technology leadingto substantial wear resistance improvement.In addition to these industry speakers, Daniel Boonefrom the USA presented a number of practical flooringdemonstrations. fStand of the yearAccess Pacific Ltd distributes a wide range oftimber related products and services into themanufacturing and wholesale markets. APL iscommitted to sourcing wood from sustainable forests.All solid wood sources for APL products are carefullyscrutinised for their sustainability.“APL is new to ATFA and this was our first timeexhibiting at the convention, so we were really excitedwith the level of response to our stand,” says MarketManager Ben Campbell. “The opportunity to meetwith flooring installers themselves was particularlyvaluable and our innovative FSC-certified DuraPinedecking and Lignia prefinished solid wood flooringseemed to generate the most interest. We are lookingforward to working with ATFA in the future.”The demonstrations during the exhibition were very popular11

Boral Australian Floor of the YearThe 2009 Boral Timber Australian Floor of the Year Award attracted some world-class entries with those attending the exhibition in Brisbanecasting their vote for which floor should be crowned the best timber floor in each category. These awards are sponsored by Boral Timber Flooring,encouraging the use of hardwood timber flooring in Australian domestic and commercial architecture. Congratulations to Inside Out TimberFloors, Northern Lifestyle Sports Floors and Touchwood Natural Flooring for winning their respective categories.WINNER: Residential Site InstalledInstalled by: Inside Out Timber FloorsManufactured by: Boral Timber FlooringProduct: 133 x 15mm Boral Silkwood130 x 19mm on stairsSpecies: BlackbuttFinish:Bona Traffic“It was a gratifying experience to berecognised by our peers for qualityworkmanship. The award itself will be aninvaluable marketing tool for the coming year.”Chris Lowry, Inside OutWINNER: Commercial/IndustrialInstalled by: Northern Lifestyle Sports FloorsManufactured by: Boral Timber FlooringProduct: 45 x 19mm Boral strip flooringSpecies: BlackbuttFinish:Aquamax commercial non slip“The QLD Performing Arts Centre was aparticularly challenging and rewarding job, sowe are very proud to have been recognised byATFA for our work.” Peter Guntner, NorthernLifestyle Sports FloorsWINNER: Residential PrefinishedInstalled by: Touchwood Natural FlooringManufactured by: Clever BambooProduct: Strand natural tongue and groovebamboo flooringSpecies: Bamboo“We are delighted to have won Floor of the Yearin 2009, having won Commercial Site Installedlast year. It helps win business, especially whenquality is a priority.”12John Pain, Touchwood Natural Flooring

• XXA GREATAUSTRALIAN SPECIESHAS JUST BEENENRICHEDWith just the stroke of a brush, New England Oakcan be transformed from the pale pink and yellowtints of its natural state to a deeper hue with richgrain highlights. The unique grain structure of thisgreat Australian species is beautifully highlightedby staining, resembling imported species such asAmerican Oak, without the price tag. Considerstaining New England Oak for a striking feature timberfloor, ideal for domestic and commercial interiors.For further information phone 1800 818 317or visit www.boraltimberflooring.com.au13

ATFA 2009 Awards for excellenceATFA Apprentice of the YearSponsored by Oakdale IndustriesAdam Mills, Inside Out Timber Floors and DecksAdam’s four year timber flooring apprenticeship willbe completed by the end of 2009 so it was a great honourfor him to receive this award for his work. During hisapprenticeship, Adam has learned installation methods forsolid timber floors, parquetry, engineered, floating floors,timber medallions, floor levelling and finishing.Adam brings to the company a high quality of workmanshipand an extensive knowledge of the flooring industry. Hisenthusiasm towards learning not only in the trade but also inbusiness operations makes him a valuable employee.According to his employers, Adam’s maturity and workethic is outstanding and he requires minimal supervision. Heis honest, reliable and takes that extra step to contribute tohis work and to the company.Adam would like to thank the team at Inside Out TimberFloor and Decks for all the help and support that they haveprovided throughout his apprenticeship with the company.Adam is pictured here with his trophy, presented by ATFAPresident, Paul Kiely and Mark Franklin from award sponsor,Oakdale Industries.THE WORLD FAMOUS HUMMEL 8” BELT SANDER• Used by thousands of professionalsAustralia-wide• Simple ergonomics, easy to use• Perfect finish• Low-maintenance, superb valueSUPERHUMMEL 12” BELT SANDER• Big power and speed for big jobs• Convenient single phase power• The grunt for rough sanding and the finesse forfiner finishing• Low maintenance and the best value-for-money bigmachine on the marketTRIO 3 DISC SANDER• Unique planetary motion, more power andpressure producing a superior fine finish sooner• Time saver, easy to use• Parquetry or strip flooring - the best finishingmachine on the marketHead Office: 28 Parkhurst Drive, Knoxfield VIC 3180Branch Office: 15A Allied Drive Tullamarine VIC 3043With distributors in QLD, NSW, WA, SA and TASFreecall 1800 880 888www.lagler.com.au14

ATFA Employee of the Year - Sponsored by J. Notaras + SonsIvan Kirton, Greaves ParquetryIvan has been laying and sanding parquetry floors forGreaves Parquetry since 2005. He commenced in thebusiness using floor sanding equipment and progressed tolaying parquetry floors, taking quotes, doing business tax,taking complete responsibility for implementing and designof the website, www.greavesparquetry.com, as well as newlogo, business cards and sign writing for the work trucks.Owner Terry Greaves comments that Ivan always seesthe job through from start to finish and is great at buildingrelationships with customers.“Ivan contributes with a sense of humour, a desire to bethe best and shows passion and enthusiasm in what he does.He approaches each job with a determination to make it thebest he has ever done,” says Terry.“Ivan is really amazing at sanding and laying floors. He willbe a huge asset to the flooring industry in the coming years.Ivan is very ambitious and highly intelligent and I believe, intime, he will become the ‘top dog’ in timber flooring.”ATFA Contractor of the YearSponsored by Lagler Australia - John Elasi, FloormaniaFloormania supplies and installs a wide range of floorcoverings domestically and commercially, including solidtimber, parquetry, floating timber, bamboo and decking, aswell as cork, laminate and rugs. They have taken out thisaward two years running.“We are proud to have won the prestigious award of ATFAContractor of the Year 2009 for the second year running,”says co-owner Joe Elasi. “What makes Floormania a winneris consistency in impeccable customer service. We prideourselves with the credibility of being aligned with ATFA.“We love the creative side of flooring. Every day we have achance to make something out of nothing. There is nothingmore rewarding than transforming somebody’s home withthe perfect floor covering. We love expressing our ideas andworking with our clients to create a result that they are happywith. This is important in order to preserve the high qualitycustomer service experience that is a key component ofFloormania’s ethos.”Why is Australian-made Timbermate winningso many awards in America?Timbermate Woodfiller...• Never shrinks, sinks, cracks or falls out• Is 4 products in 1 - Wood Putty,Grain Filler, Crack Filler & Edge Filler• No latex. No acrylic. No solvent.• No waste - use to the last drop• Takes any stain evenlySimpleOthers...• Shrink, sink, crack or fall out• Have limited uses and short shelf life• Contain latex, acrylic or solvent• Dry out in the tub - very costly• Won’t mix with all tints or stains• Don’t take stains evenlyTimbermate -So good you’ll neverknow it’s therewww.timbermate.com.auToll Free: 1 800 354 811 (Except Mobiles)Melbourne: (03) 9873 4811 Sydney: (02) 9983 990615

Staining for aspecies makeover16Due to the value of the Australiandollar at the time, together with amore cost effective species choice,the new flooring specificationsaved the developer almost halfthe cost of the hardwood timberflooring for this job.Timber flooring professionals may have noticed a recentlyemerging trend towards imported species such as AmericanOak. Architects and consumers favour the beautiful grainfeatures of this species. However, timber flooring resellersneed to consider Australian species that can be offered asan alternative to more expensive, imported timbers.One such species is New England Oak, a hardwood timberspecies from northern New South Wales, supplied by BoralTimber Flooring. When stained with a deeper colour, thegrain structure of New England Oak is emphasised, muchlike the look of American Oak but at about half the price.Extensive renovations to the Edwardian home, picturedhere, included a New England Oak floor, originally specifiedas American Oak. When the global financial crisis began toinfluence consumer confidence, a cost effective alternativefor the flooring specification needed to be found.Australian-grown New England Oak 85 x 19mm Boralsolid strip flooring was recommended by Tony Pepper at TaitFlooring in Melbourne.Due to the value of the Australian dollar at the time,together with a more cost-effective species choice, the newflooring specification saved the developer almost half thecost of the hardwood timber flooring for this job.Specifying a local species also reduced the carbon footprintof the job with New England Oak having to travel only fromNew South Wales as opposed to American Oak, which wouldhave to be freighted from the USA.The floor was first stained with Bona DriFast stain inJacobean and then finished with Bona Traffic, a product thatis applied straight from the can. The stain was ragged on andthen off the timber, soaking into the grain and replicating thelook of American Oak.Bona Traffic is a 100% polyurethane two-componentwaterborne top coat for the treatment of timber floorssubjected to very heavy wear. It can also be used to recoatmost prefinished and previously finished floors.The product is designed for use in commercial and hightraffic areas where maximum wear resistance is required. Itshould be used in conjunction with Bona Prime Intense orClassic. Traffic is available in very flat Matt (IP) or Satin sheento highlight the natural colour and grain of the timber. f

Walk safe with BonaBona Traffic Anti SlipWhen you are coating a floor, are you sure the finish meets therequired slip resistance standard?With the increased focus on slip resistance levels in public areasAS/NZ Standard 4586 requires finishes to be R10 rated whenused on staircases, ramps and in food courts, cafes, foyers orany area where spillage might occur.Bona Traffic is the world’s biggest selling waterborne2-pack used on more than 100 million m² of commercialand high traffic domestic floors. Traffic Anti Slip combinesthe proven performance of Bona Traffic together with antislip properties to meet the R10 standard for slip resistance.More information atwww.bona.net.au17

Rudd’s “Education Revolution”creates a boom in sports floorsIt’s been a roller coaster year for the timber flooringindustry, first with the Global Economic Crisis threateningto seriously impact the building sector, followed by the rollout of the Rudd Government’s economic stimulus packagevalued at $42billion. Over $16billion of that budget has beenearmarked for the Building the Education Revolution (BER),specifically for new infrastructure and refurbishments toeligible Australian schools. This means that timber flooringbusinesses supplying, installing and finishing sports floorsstand to win a significant amount of business in the future.While there may be set specifications for the floors goinginto schools, in many projects there will be a number ofelements to consider when specifying and then installing asports floor. These include species recommendations, boardprofile, installation methods, the appropriate finish to useand an ongoing maintenance plan for the floor.Species recommendationsThe colour of the timber specified for a sports floor shouldbe an important consideration so that painted sports lines,for games such as basketball, can easily be seen. For thisreason, lighter coloured timbers such as Blackbutt andTasmanian Oak are often preferred ahead of darker species.However, species such as Spotted Gum are still used forsome multi-purpose floors, partly because of its very highjanka (hardness) rating.However, where soft shoe footwear is the norm, softerspecies can also perform well.“Gunns is the largest producer of Tasmanian Oak inAustralia,” says General Manager Sales and Marketing,Christine Briggs. “With the BER driving demand on a nationallevel, Gunns has the ability to supply large volumes to thestandards that are required for sports floors.”Embelton Flooring manufacturesand distributes a complete rangeof products and equipment forthe flooring industryEmbelton FlooringACN 004 251 861Victoria - Head Office147-149 Bakers Rd, Coburg 3058Tel 03 9353 4811Victoria1/72 Fenton St, Huntingdale 3166Tel 03 9545 6499New South Wales3/100-108 Asquith St, Silverwater 2128Tel 02 9748 3188Queensland44 Millway St, Kedron 4031Tel 07 3359 7100Western Australia37 Sundercombe St, Osborne Park 6017Tel 08 9204 1300• Parquetry• Cork• Floating Floors• Solid Strip Timber Flooring• Sound Insulation Matting• Adhesives for Timber Installations• Sanding Products• Polyurethanes / Coatings• Tools and Machinery• Bamboo• Laminate FlooringPictured: Melbourne Recital Centre18

UnderPlyMost government tenders require that chain of custodycertified timber be specified so make sure that thespecies chosen can be supplied in certified product. Manysuppliers producing flooring products from Australiangrownnative species have CoC certification with theAustralian Forestry Standard (AFS). For a complete list ofcertified timber suppliers visit www.forestrystandard.orgBoard profileSports floors are unique in that they are usually verylarge expanses of floor with the average sports floorbeing about 700m 2 . Natural timber movement across alarge area is why sports flooring is manufactured witha narrow cover width, to minimise the impact of thismovement. Boards are often machined to around 60mmwith widths up to about 85mm also commonly used. Boardthicknesses greater than 19mm may be used at times formaximum stability and service life for a commercial floorof this kind.Installation methodsA sports floor has very specific performance criteriaand, especially at elite levels of sport, aspects such asforce reduction, rebound resilience and slip resistance areonly some criteria important to the overall performanceevaluation of the floor.Sports floors are often secretly fixed to two layers ofplywood sheeting that are supported on pads to cushionthe floor. In many instances no adhesive is used ornecessary. The plywood sheets are layed at 90° to thetimber flooring.• Provides a stable substrate that will notdelaminate, buckle or bow a hardwood tongueand groove strip floor• Manufactured in a T+G profile for use overbearers and joists or square edged for use overconcrete• Manufactured to F14 stress grade so it is lesslikely to develop substrate interaction noise whenwalked on, compared to lower grade products• Marine bond is heat, cold and water proof• UnderPly is rated at E for formaldehyde0emissions (the lowest rating possible)and will not release formaldehydeunder normal service conditions• 40 year warranty on lamination• Economical to useAFS/01-31-21Image courtesy of BostikFor more information phonefree call 1800 773 596email plywood@boral.com.auvisit www.boralplywood.com.auPlywood19

Tasmanian OakImage courtesy of Gunns Timber Products20Alternatively, like most other timber flooring projects,sports floors may be nailed down to joists over bearers or onbattens over concrete and at times these too include pads tocushion the floor.Most halls and sports venues have very large floor areasand should be installed with a generous expansion gap at theperimeter of at least 20mm, as well as 2mm expansion gapsevery 800mm or so across the floor.Timber flooring finishes for sports floor applicationsContractors should consider carefully the floor finish onsports floor projects. Most schools will allow gym floors to becoated only during school holidays, which means that thereis a limited amount of time for contractors to finish the job.It is also likely that schools will have specific requirementsregarding the coating type to be used. Finish systems that donot inhibit the natural seasonal movement that occurs in thefloor are ideal.It is also important to consider the finish’s VOC content.“Every quote we submit for commercial installation hasto comply with VOC restrictions,” says Peter Guntner ofNorthern Lifestyle Sports Floors in Queensland.Waterbased finishes such as Toby Aquamax Commercialor Bostik UltraSport (available in water based or modified oil)which move with the boards, are typical examples of finishesused on sports floors.Maintenance programAny timber floor is required to be routinely maintainedfor long service life. It is prudent to discuss this with theproperty manager of the school or sporting venue or atleast the project manager of the school’s BER developmentplans. A maintenance plan should be developed with regardto both the regular weekly maintenance of the floor as wellas recoating over time which will mean repeat business forflooring contractors.Staying in control of the jobMany Australian schools have had quite a windfall - somewith fewer than 500 students have been allocated $3millionor more to spend within a given time frame, so it’s nounderstatement to say that 2010 will be a school spendingspree with building works to be finished in minimum time.This means that timber flooring contractors will need tomaintain control of the job, even more than usual. A flurry ofactivity will mean more trades will be onsite than usual andyour customer, probably a school administrator, may not beaccustomed to managing trades in the right order for thebest result.“Staying in control of a job is critical,” says Peter. “Thismeans that I am on site for the duration of the job. I makesure that I know every part of the floor system and that weuse skilled employees that I have trained myself rather thansubcontractors.“The installation of a sports timber floor requires strictquality control with every step of the process independentlyinspected and signed off before we move onto the next step inthe job,” says Peter. “And most importantly, we only use topquality products. f

Technical feature:the difficulties of very dry timesIn most states there is often a time of the year that is drierthan dry and when these very dry conditions occur thereare a number of factors that need to be considered with thelaying and finishing of timber floors. Here, David Hayward,ATFA Technical Manager, discusses some of the difficultieswith installing and finishing floors in those very dry times.So what is the difference between dry and very dry? Well,Queensland recently went through a very dry period wherethings were happening with timber floors that we hadn’texperienced for a number of years. In fact complacencyappeared to catch many by surprise as they experiencedproblems again that they had almost forgotten about. Thedifficulty is that when these periods come along we may notimmediately recognise them, we do not know how long theyare going to last and in the case of Queensland, they are allover by the time we’ve begun to react to them, so we quicklymove on. However, be assured that if not next year then inthree or perhaps five years’ time, these conditions will return.So what happened and how quickly can a floor react?It all started with the dust storms over New South Walesand Queensland as the dry winds from Australia’s interiorreached the coast. Yes, some days were accompanied bydust and other days not, but still with a similar effect. Therelative humidity is a measure of how dry the air is. Duringthese times there are periods of say four to seven days whenthe relative humidity in the morning is below 35% and at3pm it may be below 15%. In terms of what the timber sees,this represents equilibrium moisture contents (EMCs), or amoisture content that the flooring will try to attain of between4 and 7%. See table below.Naturally the moisture in any exposed upper layers offlooring will release very quickly to the air and this can havea profound effect on board movement. With normal dryconditions Brisbane experiences EMCs of 8 to 10%.At this time we had floor sanders calling to say that tightfloors they sanded in the morning had substantially gappedby late afternoon, while others phoned with concerns overedge bonding and white lining at board joints. In one instancea floor that had just been sanded and coated, cuppedovernight to the point where the contractor considered thatthere was water ingress beneath the floor. Incidentally thiscupped floor recovered to be almost flat within a week.During this period not all floors react in the same way andit can be difficult to determine why some are more affectedthan others. What is apparent is that with time and a changeto more humid conditions, the recovery can be as dramatic asthe event. Even with the above experience, some found thatduring this period it was essential not to leave a sanded flooruncoated overnight due to possible cupping.It is also necessary to consider theaction of moisture curing polyurethaneadhesives, particularly in statessuch as South Australia where verydry conditions can occur over longerperiods of time.There are instances where curing of the adhesive can bevery slow if the flooring is at a low moisture content, perhapsprefinished with a coating to the lower board surface and overa slab with a moisture vapour barrier applied.Simply there can be insufficient moisture available forsome adhesives to achieve a good bond in the expected timeMoisture contentsthat timber flooringapproaches at variousrelative humidities andtemperatures.Temperature Moisture content at various relative humidities (%)˚C 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 950 1.4 2.6 3.7 4.6 5.5 6.3 7.1 7.9 8.7 9.5 10.4 11.3 12.4 13.5 14.9 16.5 18.5 21.0 24.310 1.4 2.6 3.6 4.6 5.5 6.3 7.1 7.9 8.7 9.5 10.3 11.2 12.3 13.4 14.8 16.4 18.4 20.9 24.320 1.3 2.5 3.6 4.5 5.4 6.2 7.0 7.7 8.5 9.3 10.1 11.0 12.0 13.1 14.5 16.0 18.0 20.5 23.930 1.2 2.4 3.4 4.3 5.2 6.0 6.7 7.5 8.2 9.0 9.8 10.6 11.6 12.7 14.0 15.5 17.5 20.0 23.440 1.1 2.2 3.2 4.1 5.0 5.7 6.4 7.1 7.9 8.6 9.4 10.2 11.1 12.2 13.4 15.0 16.8 19.3 22.722

tramex_60x270_0709 2/7/09 3:09 PM Page 1frame. Due to this, the bonding in some instances has been compromisedand can lead to buckling of the floor when humidity returns and the floorswells.Dry conditions are often associated with higher temperatures and this canhave a marked effect on the coating and its application.Boards may have shrunk a little after laying and prior to sanding, causinggaps at board edges. Under these conditions, not only does the possibility ofedge bonding need greater consideration, but there are also aspects of thecoating drying too fast that need to be kept in mind.It is under these conditions that problems with bubbles, roller and brushmarks and gloss variation can become more prevalent. Coating during atime of the day when the floor is cooler and use of wet edge extenders canalleviate some of these problems.Although it would be nice in some respects ifenvironmental conditions were constant allyear, the fact of the matter is that conditionsaffecting timber floor installation and finishingchange seasonally. There are also periods ofperhaps a few years where conditions may beconstant, which we become accustomed to, onlyto experience something a little more extremethe following year.Don’t TakeRisks!Avoid ExpensiveProblems!TEST FIRST!quickly and easily witha TRAMEX Moisture Meter.Check timber, concrete, any materialinstantly. No probing, no drilling -absolutely no surface damageand no waiting for results.The meters pay forthemselves within days.Contact us now for details ofour range of reliable moisture metersand hygrometers for relativehumidity testing.Check Concretewith the CME4No Drillingrequired!During extreme periods, listen to the weather reports and take a mentalnote of the temperature and humidity, as this can affect the floors that welay and coat. ATFA has produced two information sheets covering some ofthese aspects which may assist, particularly when explaining some of thesethings to clients. fThis images illustrates the tenting of boards on an adhesive fixed overlay floor whengreater humidity returned.Moisture testing Equipmentfor the Flooring andRestoration industries.For more information andspecification sheets contactTel: 02 9418 1002Fax: 02 9498 8576Email: sales@cornell.com.au23

Tips from the tradeTIPS FOR SPORTS FLOORS: NO SHORT CUTS!As a supplier and installer of sports floors over the last 20years, here in Australia and overseas, my advice for anybodynew in this field is to be sure to investigate the job thoroughly.The average size sports floor, which is about 700m 2 , willrequire a large amount of materials with over 60% of thetotal cost of the job being the timber strip flooring alone. Thismeans that any problems in the installation or the finishingof the floor will cost in excess of tens of thousands of dollarsto rectify. The basic principles of the installation of a sportsfloor are the same as for any floor installation, just on a largerscale. Stick to the standards, do all your moisture testing, onlyuse products of the highest quality and be in control of the jobat all times. Most importantly, don’t take shortcuts!Peter Guntner, Northern Lifestyle Sports Floors, QueenslandThanks Peter, we’ll be sending you a pair of Crocs for yourcontribution! - EdATFA WEBSITEStay tuned for the new and improved ATFA website,due to go live by the end of December. With improvedfunctionality, the new site will drive further businessto ATFA members while also providing valuable timberflooring information for consumers.WRITE IN TO TIMBER FLOORSMAGAZINE AND WIN!We’d like our readers to provide the content for this page with tips from thetrade, learned from the front lines of the timber flooring industry! Write usa letter and if we publish it, you will receive an Attix 30 dust extractor fromNilfisk-Alto valued at $1230! Send your contributions to the Timber Floorseditorial team by emailing editor@atfa.com.au or faxing 02 9440 9066.ATTIX 30VALUED AT $1230• Easy handling and maintenance• Compact, ergonomic and powerful• 30L containter volume• Auto on/off for electrical power tool• Big and practical tool deposit• Multifit accessory system for theultimate in task flexibility• Featuring Xtreme Clean:A fully automatic filter cleaning system that takescare of filter cleaning without interrupting your work.Just start the vacuum and the filter is automaticallycleaned every 30 seconds. You concentrate on your taskand Xtreme clean will take care of the rest!24

ATFAFloor Inspectors Accreditation Course, Melbourne16-18 February 2010Fundamental School, Melbourne3-5 March 2010Intermediate School, Melbourne17-18 May 2010Advanced School, Melbourne19-21 May 2010ir talk with Emma WattwebsitesThe Fair Work Act 2009commenced on 1 July this year,bringing with it new rules aboutunfair dismissal (particularly forsmall businesses), agreementmaking and right of entry.From 1 January 2010 there willbe a new Modern Award coveringall national system employersin Australia and ten NationalEmployment Standards that areconsidered the statutory minimumfor employees.It is vital that you make yourselfaware of the changes and assessthe impact that they will have onyour business.In order to help smallbusinesses in this area, thefederal government has funded awebsite designed to provide thissort of information. Here you canfind written information, videos(short and long), webinars (highlyrecommended) and a seriesof frequently asked questionsabout the new system. All thisinformation is freely available atwww.fairworkforsmallbusiness.com.au.I highly recommend that timbercontractors sign up for a webinaror just browse the informationwhich is well presented and easy tounderstand.If you haven’t attended a webinarbefore, all you need is a computer,an internet connection and atelephone. Then you sign up for atime that suits you and when thetime for the webinar comes around,log onto the website, ring the 1800freecall number, and ‘attend’the webinar. You can also askquestions by typing them into thewebsite interface.www.woodfloors.orgATFA’s affiliate in the USAis the National Wood FlooringAssociation. The NWFA website ischock-full of useful information forflooring contractors.www.goodwoodguide.org.auRead case studies fromarchitects, designers, suppliers,renovators and experts as theyshare their experiences of sourcingand using Good Wood.Emma Watt specialises in advising small to medium sized businesses inthe timber and furnishing industries. She offers ATFA members two freetelephone calls per annum for help on IR/HR issues.Phone 03 8822 3712 Mobile 0411 708 073Email emma@emmawatt.com.au25

Product snap shotsCHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA FOR TIMBER LOVERS!For those looking for interesting gift ideas with a timbertheme this Christmas, Finska is a unique log throwinggame from the forests of Finland. A game involvingstrategy and skill, Finska, also known as Molkky, can beenjoyed by young and old at company events, barbequesor in your own backyard. For some casual fun in the parkor a fiercely contested tournament involving the ultracompetitive, Finska is the perfect Christmas gift. For moreinformation visit www.finska.com.au.FREE GERNI WITH EVERY FLOORCRAFTERDesigned with hands-on consultation from ten of thebest floorsanding contractors that the USA has to offer,Clarke American Sanders believes that the Floorcrafter isthe most balanced and most aggressive belt machine onthe market. Some of its features include increased drumpressure for more aggressive cutting, a more rigid framefor reduced vibration and imperfections, a unique dollytransport system and a powerful totally enclosed motor,making it more durable. Until 31December Clarke AmericanSanders is offering a freeGerni Super 130.2 valued at$439 with the purchase ofevery Floorcrafter. This offer isavailable at participatingoutlets. For moreinformation phoneClarke AmericanSanders on1300 556 710.BOSTIK ULTRASPORTBostik’s UltraSport range has been specificallyformulated to perform under the rigors of an active sportsfloor environment. It has been developed using the latestin technology to ensure it is easy to apply, either with afixed head draw bar or a standard roller. Both the waterbase and oil modified products have improved durabilityand are easily refurbished. The steel can packagingprovides improved handling and maximises storage. Forfurther details visit www.bostik.com.au and click on thetrade link for timber flooring adhesives and coatings.WHITTLE WAXES HARDWAX 71Made in Germany exclusively for Whittle Waxes, the newHardwax 71 has unique properties in that it can be rolledon and left to dry overnight or buffed on with a slow speedpolisher. The first coat is rolled on thin, allowed to dryovernight and cut back with a maroon pad. The floor shouldbe vacuumed before the final coat is spray buffed usinga slow speed polisher and white pad. The application ofa maintenance coat in the future is possible at any stage,meaning that potentially, the floor has an infinite life span.For further details visit www.whittlewaxes.com.au26

newproductHardwood overlay flooring, precision milled to 10mm• The unique profile design of Ultra10 overlay flooring offers a 5.5mm wear layer forexcellent performance• Available in 86mm cover width• Available in the following popular native Australian hardwood timber species:Blackbutt, Grey Ironbark, Spotted Gum, Brushbox, Sydney Blue Gum and Rose Gum• A 10mm board offers a cost-effective hardwood timber flooring option with goodvalue for money per square metre and using forest resources sparingly• Packaged in random lengths from 400 to 2400mm in small bundles of around 3m 2for easy site managementPhone Hurford Hardwood on 02 6621 9886 or visit www.hardwood.com.au for details