Much like giving your interior a new coat of paint, reviving your flooring can make a huge difference to the overall look and feel of your home. If you have wooden floorboards, a sand and polish may be all that is needed to bring them back to life. If you are wanting to rip up old carpet or vinyl, get your floors lime washed or install brand new flooring, there are many things to consider. To help you with the process, I’ve put together a list of options and some handy tips.

Carpet

Clean, Replace or Remove? Carpet cleaning is a highly effective way of freshening up your home, however there are some instances where a carpet cleaner won’t quite cut it. As an alternative to cleaning or replacing the carpet, why not first see what’s underneath? You never know, you may end up unearthing a gem!

Floorboard Revival

If your floorboards are showing a little too much wear and tear, re-sand them. This video from Bunnings Warehouse teaches you how to sand timber floors yourself, including handy hints and tips on using the correct technique. Bear in mind that floor sanding equipment is heavy duty, industrial machinery. Should you have any doubts about sanding your own floors, I recommend employing a professional to carry out the work.

Different Finishes

Now that you have re-sanded, there are numerous options for finishes. For a fantastic guideline that covers how to Lime Wash, Oil, Soap Wash or Paint floorboards, Australian Design studio Triibe have recently put together a comprehensive Timber Floor Tip Sheet which you can download here.

New Flooring Options:

Timbers

Engineered Refinished Timber has a real timber surface but a manmade backing. They usually click or lock together and can be installed over a special underlay or directly stuck to your sub-floor. Finishes include stains and lime washing along with traditional polyurethane or the newer more environmental friendly water based polyurethanes. Note that timber flooring is likely to be one of the most expensive options you can consider, with native species being the most costly.

Tiles

Catering to all tastes and budgets, there are many options for floor tiles, allowing you to choose from different colours, textures, patterns and finishes. Not only for bathrooms and kitchens, tiles are designed to suit all areas of the home, including living rooms.

Laminates

Laminates have a natural wood look and come in a variety of colours and finishes. Offering the warmth, beauty and character of a natural wood floor without the hassle of marks and scratches, they are perfect for busy households with children and pets.

Vinyl

Today’s vinyl flooring is a far cry from the garish styles reminiscent of the 50’s and 60’s. Innovations have resulted in sleek and contemporary new designs, in a wide variety of patterns and textures. Imitation timber styles look more realistic than ever, allowing you to achieve the natural effect of timber at the fraction of the cost of real wood flooring. The same goes for imitation tile and stone vinyl, both of which have been modernised to look like the real thing.

Jacobsen Flooring

Jacobsen are tile experts - for projects large and small, indoors and out, renovations and new builds, they have the solution to suit your project and your budget.  View the product range here. 

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This article is intended as a general discussion only. BNZ recommends the recipient get independent advice. The views expressed are the writer’s own and do not necessarily represent those of BNZ or its related entities.