A70-acre site in a tranquil rural location in Titaatee Creek on NSW’s Mid North Coast, proved the ideal place for Elaine and Andrew, a shipwright by trade, to build their new home with a steel flooring system. Now empty-nesters, they decided the time was right for a lifestyle change — in this case, a tree change.

“We initially purchased the property, which has a fantastic view, as a weekend getaway destination, but as our children are now grown, we decided to move there permanently and build a unique home,” says Andrew. “We designed the home ourselves, with the help of an architect, and apart from the electrical and plumbing work, I am doing all the building work myself.”

In choosing to become an owner-builder, Andrew was taking on quite a challenge. The site is in a difficult rural location, it has a steep slope, a BAL 29 fire rating and the potential for white ant infestation. Additionally, the house design was “not out of the box” and considered a difficult build.

“The initial quotes we got for steel were astronomically high, and all involved cranes for the heavy lifting. This was beyond our budget,” says Andrew. “The Spantec system looked strong and suited a one-man building team, so we made an enquiry. “Spantec quoted quickly for the ground floor, deck and ramp. The staff were also extremely helpful and patient with us during the design process. They worked from our construction drawings, which lacked a lot of detail and required some tweaking by the Spantec drawing office.

“We chose aerated concrete panels for our floor and together with the Spantec steel flooring system, the house feels rock solid. The Spantec system was so successful for the underfloor, that our engineer agreed that we could substitute the large and heavy timber LVLs specified for the roof frame (which would have required the use of a crane) with Spantec’s Boxspan beams which allow for greater spans. They were more than strong enough, yet light enough to be manhandled without a crane.”

Spantec drew on its 30 years of experience when planning the full design and engineering for the clients’ steel flooring system. “The kit was inclusive of a fully galvanised and cut-to-size system, beams that were strong, straight and true and the clients welcomed the added benefit of being able to achieve greater spans,” says Steve Targonski, National Sales Manager, Spantec Systems.

“When the first delivery arrived to site, Andrew was pleased to find that every beam was labelled with its size, length and references relating back to the drawings that were provided. The beams were lightweight enough that only one person was needed to carry them — due to the size of the project, this was a huge saving in labour. The adjustable pier heads allowed the install to come together smoothly. If any of the levels didn’t match up it was a quick fix on the adjustable pier head onsite once the flooring was completed.”

Using a combination of three products — Boxspan, Ezipier and Ezibrace — Spantec was able to provide the full kit system for the ground floor, curved deck frame and curved roof along with all bracing and piers required. Adds Andrew, “Spantec staff were always available to answer our questions, both during design and construction. The company delivered on time, full drawings were provided and everything went together well. We also appreciate that they have kept in touch and are interested in the progress of our project.”

Spantec pioneered steel flooring systems in Australia and has been designing and manufacturing galvanised steel floor and deck kits for 30 years. The flooring systems are lightweight, long-spanning, straight and true to size. Manufacturing tolerances are perfect, products are cut to size so there is no wastage and the systems are easy to assemble.

In addition to manufacturing and supplying its popular Boxspan and Ezipier brands, Spantec offers a design service, can produce site construction drawings and is able to supply in-house engineering certification. Spantec Systems, which is based in the Southern Highlands region of NSW, is highly experienced at producing building solutions for a broad range of residential projects, from one- and two-storey kit homes and granny flats to homes that need to be built on sloping blocks or in bushfire-prone areas.

For more information

Spantec 

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A family-owned business since 1973, Karndean Designflooring is one of the world’s leading suppliers of luxury vinyl tile flooring. In-house designers meticulously recreate the look of natural products such as timber and stone in a wide range of timber-look
planks and stone-look tiles. Unlike the natural materials they replicate, Karndean’s flooring products won’t crack or split, are quieter and softer underfoot, low-maintenance, easy to clean and faster to install — all backed by a Lifetime Residential Warranty.

To cater for everyone, Karndean offers three luxury vinyl flooring formats: Gluedown, Rigid Core Hybrid and LooseLay. Choosing a floor that suits your home can be challenging, which is why Karndean offers many of its beautiful designs in dual format. As these are available in Gluedown for design flexibility and Rigid Core for use over existing hard surface floors or uneven subfloors, they’ll suit any room.

Flooring can completely transform the look of your home. Each product is designed with intent, giving you a floor you’ll be proud of for years to come. Enjoy the same style of floor throughout your home with the confidence that you can have the same design, even when the formats are different.

Gluedown

The Gluedown ranges are individual planks and tiles that are stuck down using permanent adhesive. They can be customised with design strips, borders, laying patterns such
as herringbone, staggered or brick lay and custom cuts, as well as offering a wide choice
of designs.

Features such as textured emboss or Karndean’s premium handscraped finish, wide bevels or flat edges make each range unique to Karndean and serve to highlight the faithful replication of the original timber and stone that inspired each design.

LooseLay Format

The LooseLay Longboard range is a collection of 20 timber-look individual luxury vinyl planks in Karndean’s largest extra-long 1.5m plank length. Featuring unique designs inspired by native Australian species, American and European oaks, the collection offers a contemporary palette that makes the most of its size and versatile LooseLay format.

The LooseLay Originals range is a collection of 18 timber-look planks and 12 stone-look individual luxury vinyl tiles. This collection includes a variety of oaks from around the world, and on-trend stone designs inspired by natural features, minimalist concrete, luxurious honed limestone and natural Pietra, complementing a wide range of interior styles.

Rigid Core Hybrid

Check out Karndean’s Korlok Stone Range Korlok Wood, Van Gogh and Knight Tile. Last year, the company proudly presented an extension to its successful Korlok rigid core hybrid flooring range of timber-look planks, introducing 12 exciting stone tiles. Designs include concrete, limestone, terrazzo and Italian marble. The added security of Karndean’s 5G® locking mechanism, backed by its HoldFast®, guarantees these securely locked planks will stay together at the end seams. Just one click and these floors are locked for life. Many of the Korlok stone tiles feature InteGrout®, Karndean’s colour-coordinated and stain-resistant grouting that is seamlessly attached to the product, for a faster installation with less mess. What’s even better? InteGrout® is smooth and easy to clean, so say goodbye to the scrubbing and bleaching that comes with typically textured grout. This format is the quietest to walk on thanks to the built-in acoustic underlay and is ideal for upstairs rooms where you wish to minimise noise transfer throughout your home. An ideal alternative to laminate and original stone flooring, the Rigid Core format offers quick and easy installation that hides subfloor imperfections while having the durability and waterproof qualities of luxury vinyl.

Karndean flooring is available through trusted flooring retailers Australia-wide. Visit the Melbourne showroom. Read more articles by Karndean Designflooring HERE

For more information

Karndean Designflooring

The post Striking, Unique, and Durable Flooring appeared first on Completehome.

It offers the most benefits and huge versatility in its application.  With the warmth of carpet, the elegance of hardwood and color selection of floating floors all rolled into one, you can’t go wrong!

About New Generation Cork

New Generation Cork is an exclusive cork flooring tile distributed by Cork Imports Australia. Using advanced pre-finishing technology, our cork tiles are simple to install without the hasell of sanding and polishing. You now can enjoy all the acoustic, thermal and environmentally friendly  benefits of a cork floor in an exciting new range of patterns and colours.

Calais

Originally a custom made pattern and colour for a luxurious hotel in Brisbane, Calais Cream and Calais Alloy have become a popular choice for architects, interior designers or those looking to renovate. Add a little luxe with the Calais Cream or Calais Alloy to your floor.

Madeira

A small island south west of Portugal our ‘Madeira’ cork tile is a celebration of large chunks of cork offset by finer agglomerated cork that is bound to give your room the statement it deserves.

Copenhagen

Possibly one of the most popular patterns of cork tiles in Denmark, the Copenhagen tile is the bigger brother of the Traditional cork tile. Chunkier in appearance to its little brother, Copenhagen highlights the larger grain pattern in cork.

Harmony

One of our most unique cork tiles ‘Harmony cork’ offers a chequered structure with varying shades of cork colour sure to excite any room, hallway or kitchen.

Traditional

Our traditional cork tile historically has set the standard to which all tiles are compared to. Available in a raw cork tile or as apart of our New Generation Cork range the traditional cork tile has been enjoyed in Australian homes for decades and continues to be a popular choice today.

Autumn

Showcasing rustic and somewhat burnt characteristics, our Autumn cork tile offers a new and dramatic look to any floor. Whether it’s a darker flooring colour you desire or a floor that will make your white kitchens and walls pop with contrast, Autumn cork is a tile to consider.

For more information check out Cork Imports Australia

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Hybrid Flooring is one of the latest advancements in flooring. With open plan living becoming increasingly popular, Hybrid Flooring is a straightforward solution for homes where a carefree lifestyle is key.

What is hybrid flooring?

Hybrid Flooring combines the best elements of hard-wearing and realistic Laminate Flooring with easy-to-care-for and cost effective Vinyl Flooring. It offers an authentic timber look while being 100% waterproof and highly durable.

Five ways that hybrid flooring is perfect for your next renovation

1. Perfect for wet areas

Because hybrid flooring is 100 per cent waterproof, it is perfect for installation in wet areas. This means that it is possible to have a timber-look flooring throughout the home without worrying about liquids spilled on floors. This also makes hybrid flooring ideal for homes with pets and young children where accidents are likely to occur!

2. A consistent finish throughout the whole home

Due to its waterproof nature, hybrid flooring can be used consistently throughout the whole home. This makes it perfect for open-plan homes to create a harmonious look throughout.

3. Hybrid flooring is incredibly durable: perfect for families!

Some flooring types require great effort and upkeep to maintain. This is not always realistic with a fast-paced family home environment, and can often mean a short lifespan of the flooring material. Hybrid flooring is extremely durable; so much so that Flooring Xtra’s AquaLife has a lifetime residential warranty.

4. Easy to keep clean and maintain

There are many expensive flooring methods that require waxes or polishes to keep at their best – however, this is not the case with hybrid flooring, which can be kept in top condition through vacuuming/sweeping and occasional cleaning with a damp mop.

5. It looks great!

Lastly, a key consideration of any flooring type is its appearance – it has to look good. Available in a range of natural wood styles and colours, hybrid flooring like the range available at Flooring Xtra can be chosen to suit any home and will continue to look great for years to come.

For more information

Flooring Xtra

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Choosing the right type of flooring for your home is as important as the very roof over your head — after all, the right floor surface can make your house a warm, comfy and beautiful home. However, with so many options to choose from, shopping for flooring can be overwhelming. Here, with help from Carpet Court ambassador Darren Palmer, as well as industry experts from Cosentino and Concreate, we compare most flooring types to help guide you through this important building step.

Carpet

For softness under foot and effective sound insulation, carpet is a great flooring option, especially in apartments or two-storey homes where insulation and soft footfalls are appreciated. Aesthetically, carpet provides visual softness and a continuous, flat colour.

One advantage of carpet is that there is something for practically every space.

Loop-pile carpets feature a wear-resistance pile, which is perfect for active families or those wanting a smart, tailored look, while cut plush pile is soft and luxurious with a velvety appearance that adds elegance.

Tips from Darren: “Walking barefoot on a plush, carpeted room is a treat to the senses. There’s nothing like getting out of bed in the morning and having your feet land on something soft and luxurious.”

Limitations: Some fibres on cut-pile carpets can fall in one direction while some fall in another, creating a watermarking effect. Mostly, this pooling effect is unavoidable. Loop-pile carpets don’t have this effect but are less plush underfoot.
Carpets can be easily stained with heavy use but with the right care and attention, your carpet can stay looking great for years to come.

Room suitability: Carpets are good for bedrooms and living areas, particularly plush pile or wool carpets for bedrooms and textured pile, wool or nylon carpets for high-traffic living areas requiring durability and stain resistance.

Average price: From $46 per square metre.

Timber

If you’re after a natural, continuous floor, timber boards cannot be beat. Let the timber flow from room to room for the illusion of a larger space. With various widths, lengths, colours and patterns available, there are myriad options with timber.

For a contemporary look, you can’t go past solid timber or engineered boards. They provide natural character and warmth, with visual interest through natural grain variation and tone. Plus, they are incredibly easy to clean.

Because solid timber floorboards can be expensive and difficult to work with, a floating floor provides an easier and more cost-effective way to get the desired look. Carpet Court’s Quick-Step Readyflor timber planks simply click together and “float” across a floor.

Tips from Darren: “Timber is harder underfoot than carpets, though a beautiful rug atop your wooden floors is a great way to add softness and warmth.”

Limitations: While they are easy to clean, timber floors can become scratched and worn over time. If laid in full sunlight, timber floors can also suffer from fading in some areas, resulting in an uneven look. Also, if the floors are exposed to water or moisture for a prolonged period, they can warp and buckle.

Room suitability: Timber can be used in every room except bathrooms or wet rooms. Applying in toilets and laundries is possible but not advised.

Average price: Darren Palmer’s Provincial Lane Stained Oak timber flooring, exclusive to Carpet Court, is priced from $119 per square metre.

Tiles

Tiling has come a long way in the last 10 years with many soft, organic-looking designs that replicate natural materials such as timber or stone. Tile sizes are almost endless, as are the colour, pattern and texture options. If you’re looking to create something truly unique, tiles open the door to lots of possibilities.

Tile flooring is also hardwearing, easy to clean and you can install underfloor heating for a touch of luxury.

Tips from Darren: “Avoid using white grout in high-use areas.”

Limitations:  Like timber floors, tiles are hard underfoot. They can also be hard on the eye, though new designs allow for a more soft and natural aesthetic. Grout lines can discolour over time, and with extreme wear, tiles can become chipped, cracked or even broken.

Room suitability: Tiles suit mainly bathrooms, laundries, kitchens and hallways.

Average price: Prices vary; visit a Carpet Court store for pricing.

Laminate

If you’re looking for a quick and cost-effective way to spruce up your home, laminate flooring is a great choice. Laminate has come a long way in terms of design and functionality. Today, there’s a huge palette of styles and colours from which to choose.

Laminate is easy to lay, easy to clean and hardwearing, perfect for high-traffic areas. Quick-Step laminate from Carpet Court clicks together for fast,
easy and seamless installation.

Tips from Darren: “If you’re looking to replicate a timber look, laminate now offers a beautifully embossed texture.”

Limitations:  Depending on your choice, laminate flooring can be seen as the less prestigious, budget option. There are, however, many high-quality collections that can make a great statement. Also, underfloor heating is not an option with laminate.

Room suitability: Laminate can be used in every room except bathrooms or wet rooms. As with timber, use in toilets and laundries is possible but not advised.

Average price: Darren Palmer’s Provincial Lane Designer range flooring, exclusive to Carpet Court, is priced from $45 per square metre (excludes GST and installation costs).

Bamboo

Bamboo is a real favourite among eco-conscious designers as it’s sustainable and fast growing. Visually, bamboo flooring features the same colour variations as timber flooring and provides a distinctive look. It is extremely hardwearing, versatile and easy to clean. Depending on your choice, bamboo flooring can be
a do-it-yourselfer’s dream.

Tips from Darren: “Strand-woven bamboo in Carpet Court’s Provincial Lane range features a smart Unilin locking system for easy, gap-free installation.”

Limitations:  The linear look of bamboo can be overwhelming and doesn’t work in every space. It’s also hard underfoot. As with laminate flooring, underfloor heating cannot be installed with bamboo.

Room suitability: Bamboo can be used in every room except bathrooms or wet rooms. Installation in toilets and laundries is possible but not advised.

Average price: From $69 per square metre (excludes GST and installation costs).

Vinyl

Vinyl is the ultimate low-cost, easy-to-install and -remove option. It’s great if you are giving your home a low-budget revamp or a temporary fix up if you are renting. You can lay vinyl over any even substrate, cutting the perimeter with a box cutter to fit the floor plan. When you move out, simply lift it up and take it with you. Vinyl plank is particularly easy to install. While more pieces are used, any home renovator can transform a room in a day. Vinyl is also hardwearing and easy to clean.

Tips from Darren: “Vinyl has a low flame resistance and cannot be installed with underfloor heating.”

Limitations: While vinyl is a cost-saving option, it can also look low budget.

Room suitability: Vinyl can be installed in any space — with proper waterproofing, even a bathroom can be temporarily refurbished with a vinyl floor, though this is not a good long-term solution.

Average price: Carpet Court’s Laneway collection is priced from $48 per square metre (excludes GST and installation costs).

Polished concrete

With a variety of colours, textures and finishes to choose from — including non-exposed, partially exposed or fully exposed aggregate — polished concrete floors are a stylish, durable flooring alternative. A polished concrete floor is smooth underfoot and offers unique variations in colour, providing a sleek and distinctive look. Surprisingly, a concrete floor adds warmth to any room.

Tips from Concreate: “Thinking of adding some heat or a touch of Scandinavian flair? Concrete floors work particularly well with underfloor heating, adding comfort the whole year-round. Concrete is naturally conductive to heat.”

Limitations: The use of a correct sealer is paramount to a long-lasting concrete floor. Sealer usage should always be discussed with the installer.

Room suitability: Bathrooms and kitchens are particularly suited to polished concrete floors, although this type of flooring can be used in any room or on stairs.

Average price: Boutique flooring is $850 per square metre (excluding underfloor heating).

Dekton solid surface

Dekton by Cosentino is a new and innovative ultra-compact surface. It is a sophisticated blend of the raw materials used to produce the very latest in glass and porcelain, together with the highest-quality quartz surfaces. Those who select Dekton for their flooring experience its superior characteristics, including resistance to UV rays and extreme temperatures, very low water absorption, porosity and high resistance to scratching and abrasion.

Tips from Consentino: “Due to the finer technical properties of Dekton, this type of flooring can be applied to a range of environments, from classic indoor spaces to harsh outdoor settings.”

Limitations: If you are using untreated Dekton, internal application only is recommended for slip-resistance purposes. Upon request, Dekton anti-slip technology can be easily applied to your desired Dekton colour from Spain.

Room suitability: Dekton can be applied anywhere in the home for flooring and beyond, such as stairs, walls, ventilated facades, countertops and work surfaces. Dekton allows for diversity and continuity, with endless opportunities for creative application.

Average price: Prices may vary. Please visit or call your local Cosentino showroom or Dekton supplier.

For more information
carpetcourt.com.au
royaloakfloors.com.au/concreate/
silestoneoceania.com

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