FLOOR SANDING & FINISHING

Vanguard Timber Flooring provide the highest quality sanding and polishing services available on the Gold Coast and are able provide specialised services in the trade most of our competition can not. Apart from the servicing the Gold Coast Domestic and Commercial Markets we also travel to other regions south into Northern Rivers New South Wales and up to the Brisbane Suburbs.

The sanding process is the key to bringing your timber floors and stairs to life before polishing, oiling or waxing and should only be done by a qualified and licenced tradesman. The Vanguard Timber Maintenance division also specialise in the restoration and maintenance of timber decking, boats, super yachts, doors, walls and steps.

When trying to decide on the type of finish and effects to choose it’s best to first decide on a clear impression you would like the flooring to achieve and whether it will complement the other factors that may include, timber species and installation design.

To help you decide what to use on your timber and understand the difference options available we have compiled a list of products and services below.

SOLVENT-BORNE POLYURETHANE

This type of coating provides the highest film build of all coating types as well as the highest gloss levels for the glossy looking floor option. If you are after the mirror effect on your timber floors or the ultimate “WOW FACTOR” this product is the one to go for. This product is also the cheapest option and can last eight to twelve years in most cases before needing a maintenance coat.

After the flooring is sanded and ready for polishing a fast drying sealer coating is applied followed by the first coating off polyurethane. The flooring is then left overnight and then lightly sanded before applying the final coating. All Coatings in this process are done using rollers and brushes and causes smelly vapours so it’s advised not to stay in house while these coatings dry.

The down side to using this product starts with the toxic smell, long chemical curing times and sometimes this product will reject if traces of silicon are present.

Other things to consider include that the polyurethane “plastic” will go a yellow – orange colour in time because of the ultra violet UV effect sunlight has on the chemicals in the product. Because of this some areas on even red timber floors can be damaged so badly it looks like a white –yellow species and the only solution is to sand the floor back to bare timber and start again. Also scratches will stand out more on this product than others available being a brighter white mark.

WATER-BORNE POLYURETHANE

This has the widest selection of sub-categories with some like the acrylic coatings being early technology to the latest polyurethane blends offering arguably better wear resistance than any solvent-borne polyurethanes. The water-borne polyurethane products Vanguard Timber Flooring use have many benefits over the cheaper solvent-borne options, such as an absence of any strong solvent smells on application and much faster drying times. We always recommend using a two-pack commercial grade water-borne polyurethane over the slightly cheaper domestic range weather it be for a restaurant or family home.
After the flooring is sanded and clean ready for the polishing process a rapid drying sealer coating is applied followed by the first coating off polyurethane. The flooring is then left overnight and then lightly sanded before applying the final coating. All Coatings in this process are done using rollers and brushes or dragged on using special foam applicators.
This type of finish looks more natural than the solvent-borne finish, it gets between loose floorboards and parquetry blocks to glue and seals them tight. It does not change colour as much from ultra violet UV light and scratches will not happen or stand out as much.

The downside to this type of finish is that it goes slightly darker when exposed to a lot of direct sunlight (less visible change compared to solvent-borne finishes) and will need recoating after 8-12 years normally, otherwise the coating may need to be sanded off back to bare timber and the sanding and polishing process started again.

TRADITIONAL STAINS

After the timber flooring has been sanded to an ultra fine finish staining can be started. This process involves wiping special coloured liquid directly into the grain on the wooden floor and then wiping off the excess in a consistent manner. Traditional staining will always make wooden floors come alive and look better as the full potential of the grain punches through to reveal grain and timber density lines once hidden.

Apart from making any floor look more awesome, staining is also great to disguise different timer species used during renovation work, colour match furniture, and hide black stains caused by pet urine and water damage to some degree.

WHITE WASH

If your after a Hamptons look for your home or that beach feel a white wash process may be what your after. Also called a liming process it is a very tricky product and expensive product to apply so it will cost a little more than the tradition staining.

BLEACHING

Bleaching timber flooring lightens the wood and will make most timber species change to a honey golden straw like colour with the colour variation that appears similar to the species Blackbutt or some Oak species having light browns in the mix.

The bleaching process is commonly used in Brisbane and the Gold Coast to make the pinkish looking Brush Box species or Red timbers into something with a lighter more modern appeal and is also great to disguise miss matched mixed species.

RUBIO MONOCOAT TECHNOLOGY

This is an extremely unique product that is very High Tech but provides the most natural looking and hassle free internal timber flooring solutions in clear and coloured effects available. After sanding and a special washing process the oil is mechanically buffed deep into the timber grain to make it pop and expose the true beauty of your timber flooring to look and feel amazing. You will be thankful for many years of your choice, as the oil products are very wear, water and heat resistant.

Rubio Monocoat Oil is manufactured in Belgium where flax is cultivated as the main ingredient that bonds within minutes, with the cellulose fibers of the wood to obtain a strong molecular binding.

Although many people are still not aware of this superior product in Australia since it’s 2005 worldwide launch, most wish they had before using a varnish or inferior oil product to enhance and protect their timber flooring investments. Apart from not having a top layer of plastic that scratches and discolours, Rubio Monocoat Oil is also very easy to repair with no over lapping marks meaning that in most cases the floors may require this work to fix damaged timber or over worn finishes.

FIDDES – HARD WAX OIL

This product will provide the most natural and hard wearing Sheen Effect solution in the four levels; Matt, Silk, Satin and Gloss to protect and give your timber flooring that Wow Factor owners dream their timber floors could boast.

Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Australia contains a blend of Natural Oils and Waxes, which gives it exceptional resistance and durability to your timber flooring that a more plastic like polyurethane finish cannot. Apart from the clear finish option in this product range there are also a wide range of stylish pre-tinted coloured Hardening Wax Oil Finishes designed to compliment any home design and lifestyle statement you may wish to express.

Perfect for Commercial and Domestic applications the Harding Wax Oil has proven to dry in four hours, is easy to maintain and being a Natural Replenishable Product is easy to rejuvenate timber without sanding to bare timber in normal product maintenance situations.

CUTEK CD50 – EXTERIOR TIMBER PROTECTION

Cutek CD50 is a Unique Exterior Wood Treatment System that works to control moisture from the inside out using deep diffusion that will greatly minimise the chance of your Outdoor Timber Decking, Furniture or Cladding warping, cupping and splitting.

Apart from Cutek CD50 providing a very appealing oiled look and feel, there is also a very large choice of colours available their range that other exterior timber treatment products don’t have available.

From a maintenance view, even years after the fresh oiled look disappears the Cutek CD50 Protection System is still at work deep in the core of the timber long after so unlike it’s competitors all that should be required is a wash and maintenance coat or two applied again to restore it to looking appealing to the eye once again

INTERGRAIN – DECKING OIL

Intergrain UltraDeck is an exceptionally durable product with some coloured options available that slightly penetrates into the timber grain and additional coating can provide a beautiful looking low sheen.

After we sand your decking back to an ultra fine finish similar to an internal timber floor would, have done the decking and surrounding areas are cleaned before the first coat of Intergrain Decking Oil is applied, and after our special cut back buffing process is done the next day before additional coatings are applied it also creates a nice sheen effect to the protective surface layers, which really enhances the look of decking. Intergrain has proven to weather better than similar decking products, greatly reducing the risks of blistering, peeling and cracking.

Although some decks are nicely protected and go a long time without maintenance, to maintain the desired look it is essential to have a regular maintenance coat applied each year or so professionally before it wears too much and compromises the top layer, which is normally found first on the exposed Outside Edges of Decks.

MARINE GRADE – EXTERIOR GLOSS & SATIN

For a glossy or satin polished Outdoor Timber Deck and Handrails on a House or Boat this product is the best option as it has high levels of Ultra Violet UV inhibitors for interior and exterior use. Weatherfast by Norglass is very abrasion resistant, has very good water resistance and is ideal for Floors, Furniture and marine applications.

If you are after a continuous look of your Polished Internal Timber Flooring to the Exterior Decking this is the finish you will want if a glossy or satin effect is most appropriate for you.

Three coats of this Exterior and Interior Timber Deck and Timber Handrail Varnish is recommended and depending on the exposure to elements further coats may be required more frequently than specialised exterior oil treatment systems to keep that wow factor.