Hoop pine Sheet Flooring

Hello

I am in the process of final design to begin constructing a new house and am after some advice on timber floorings.

I have been considering Bamboo flooring for the main living areas, but in an attempt to perhaps reduce costs and create a different look i am considering laying Large sheets of pine or similar for the flooring, and polishing this up. This would be in a 50m2 area (dining, living) and would be laid direct onto a floor slab.

My questions are, how easy/hard is it to make this material hard wearing? ( i know hoop pine is a softer hardwood), and what product to use. As well as views on the look of this laid in large sheets? Does anyone have any recommendations on a similar material that could be used to achieve similar results, with a nice look.

I am also considering using yellow tongue/plywood flooring and polishing this up in some other "hallway" areas. so have considered this too.

Thanks for any info

Khun Aus

that would plain and simply look ????. try another tack..... don't try new things as they always look :(

Hi Khun

I tend to agree with the not so subtle response above. :) Are you building the house yourself? If so you really are unlikely to have time to the research an development required. If it's a new place it is a fair risk to take as the floor coverings are very obvious.

I'm not sure that you will end up saving that much in the scheme of things would you? you could get a good timber floor of 50m2 supplied and layed for around $5000 I think.

If you want to get a different look, then go for your ideas ... but if you are trying to save money I would steer away and use what has been tried and tested.

Thanks Guys

Not quite the response i was looking for :p but i appreciate the candid comments and do take them on board.

I am as you suggest building the house myself and wanted to stray a little from the norm. It would be about half the cost, but was more to create a different look than anything else. I had seen a few photos of it here http://www.australply.com.au/gallery_flooring.html and thought it looked quite nice. I had not see it any where else thou on flooring in a largeish area and was hoping some one here may have. Thanks

You are in Brisbane, can you go and have a look at the City Beach store to see how it looks after a bit of wear?

I can see what you are trying to achieve and I'm sure it is possible. It isn't my sort of look but in the right setting I'm sure it is possible to make it fit in quite well.

I'm guessing you are after more modern than classic?

Since that company has a flooring section, they are probably best to advise you on finishing. I'm not sure how well ply would actually sand? It sort of looks like they have put a thick glossy coat ... maybe like an epoxy?

I'd say it's three or four coats of 2 pac polyurethane.

The floor looks as if it has probably been sanded with a rotary buffing/sanding type machine, which would clean the surface up nicely without going too deep and risking hitting into the next layer of ply.

If you dig a darker look in the same idea, maybe try Big River Timbers and do the same thing in Spotted Gum. Looks grouse.

I once saw a floor designed from pine ply cut into 300mmx300mm squares and then laid as parquet. The designer instructed the installer to lay each piece so that the grain was running contry to the piece prior to it. and in a brickbond pattern.He then had it sanded very carfully so as not to expose any secondry layers. Looked fantastic. I agree with dusty re 2pac.
2pac will cause it not to dent as easy, but it will still dent. You could put down multible coats, with the last coat of your choise of satin or retain gloss. I am not sure if they have a 2pac satin. I am sure that nobody makes it. You could try staining or even whitewashing(liming). Experament with the ply , you will find it will work.

In a new modern home the full sheets look good but generally they use marine ply with a hardwood select grade face. Surface coatings on large continiguous expanses of softwood flooring are difficult to come by becuase they have to remain hard yet flexible.