Quality
PTF and Quality
The name Perfect Timber Floors is directly linked to quality, underpinned by our commitment to be the very best in what we do.
Our commitment to you
It's a privilege to be invited into the homes of our customers to help them with their new floor and something we take seriously.
That's why everything that we do and how our customers engage with us are delivered through our PTF Certified Program. PTF Certified allows our customers the peace of mind to know that they are dealing with a company who have taken every step of the process, to ensure a trouble-free experience from start to finish.
Our PTF Certified Program ensures that:
- We have the very best brochures and marketing information available
- Our sales team are trained by the ATFA with the latest product knowledge and installation methods
- Each store is a member of the ATFA
- Each manufacturer and supplier are accredited and provide comprehensive warranties
- All products sold through PTF come from sustainable and renewable plantations and involve fair working conditions for all labour
- All consumables such as glues and colourings are the very best available
- Our Installation team are trained and accredited tradespeople by the ATFA
PTF has lead the industry setting new benchmarks for staff training and we are committed to an ongoing training program in conjunction with the Australian Timber Flooring Association.
ATFA
The Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) is the peak body for timber floors and timber flooring representing contractors, manufacturers and suppliers nationwide. ATFA are a member based timber flooring association which provides information and services to its members and the community. As an association, ATFA is predominantly made up of timber flooring contractors as well as timber flooring manufacturers, coating manufacturers, adhesive manufacturers and suppliers of these products.
Timber Floors represent 25% of the flooring market currently and this figure is increasing steadily. Natural timber flooring arguably is more energy efficient than other surfaces, uses less energy and green house gases in its production (source: CRC for Greenhouse Accounting) and is a sustainable resource.
Warranty
Warranties can often be confusing to understand for the customer.
At Perfect Timber Floors, we have taken the initiative to provide the very best level of customer protection so that you can purchase your new timber floor with complete confidence.
We have initiated the PTF Certified Program, so when you see this Logo you know you can buy with complete confidence that every step in the installation and supply of your new floor is protected by not only the Manufacturer but comes with the added piece of mind that PTF has Certified all elements of your new floor.
Customers are protected by Manufacturer Warranties – however it does not stop there!
As Australia’s largest specialist timber floor retailer our buying power provides our customers with strong and competitive pricing. Shop around and compare prices for sure, but be aware that you get what you pay for!
Is a floor crafted from low quality timbers, constructed using outdated technology and from a manufacturer without an ongoing product supply really worth the attraction of the very cheap price up front? Often general flooring retailers will acquire container allotments of timber floors and advertise these with a low price per square metre. There is a reason why PTF does not sell this type of product.
Every Manufacturer PTF invites into our range has been selected on their product, manufacturing process, timber sustainability and labour and ethics as Perfect Timber Floors is keen to support sustainable forestry and timber management of our natural resources. This is very important to consider when selecting your new floor.
And it’s not just the floors that carry our PTF Certified protection stamp. Every component that goes into your new floor including the glues, coatings, moisture and sound protection barriers are the very best quality available and come with full warranty.
Our installers are provided with ongoing industry accredited training through the Australian Timber Flooring Association so that a standardised level of craftsmanship exists.
The PTF Certified program simply means that should you be concerned about any aspect of the quality associated with your new timber floor that you will have the added protection of our own support to as well as the Manufacturer Warranty in place.
Hardness & Density Ratings
Janka
Timber Hardness
Selecting the right timber floor for your home will rely upon colour, price and personal preference, but you should also spend some time thinking about the expected performance of your new timber floor, so the ‘right’ timber is selected for long term satisfaction.
The flooring performance expectations in the family living room, will be different than the bedroom simply due to the volume of traffic, denting and wear.
As a natural resource, each timber species is different in terms of its grain structure, density and moisture composition levels.
The varying climatic environment will also have a direct impact on how a particular timber floor species performs as well as the coatings, glues and installation methods used.
So you can instantly see that not all timbers are the same.
Aged timber will often have had its moisture content removed over time and this provides a strong structural timber and why recycled timber is often sought after.
Fortunately, the modern technology of an ‘Engineered’ timber floor has ensured that the moisture has been managed and that the pre-finished surface coating and even the sub-ply wood structure has been specifically chosen to compliment the surface timber itself.
How do we compare and calculate hardness?
The industry standard measure of timber hardness is known as the Janka hardness test. It involves measuring the force required to embed an 11.28 mm steel ball into wood to half its diameter. This method was chosen so that the result would leave an indention 100 mm² in size.
It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear.
The higher the Janka Rating, the harder the timber is.
| Species | Janka (kN) | Species | Janka (kN) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo (strand woven) | 16.1 | Grey Box | 15.0 | |
| Ironbark | 14.0 | Grey Iron Bark | 14.0 | |
| Mahogany | 12.0 | Jatoba | 12.0 | |
| Santos Mahogany | 12.0 | Copper Cherry | 11.6 | |
| Spotted Gum | 11.0 | Brushbox | 9.5 | |
| Kempas | 9.2 | Blackbutt | 9.1 | |
| Karri | 9.0 | Sydney Blue Gum | 9.0 | |
| Pearl Beech | 8.7 | Tallowwood | 8.6 | |
| Merbau | 8.6 | Jarrah | 8.5 | |
| Stringybark | 8.1 | Doussie | 8.0 | |
| Flooded / Rose Gum | 7.5 | Australian Beech | 7.5 | |
| Wormy Chestnut | 7.5 | Chestnut | 7.5 | |
| Messmate | 7.1 | Bamboo (vertical) | 6.6 | |
| Oak | 6.1 | Cypress Pine | 6.1 | |
| White oak | 6.0 | Tasmanian Oak | 5.5 | |
| Alpine Ash | 4.9 | Victorian Ash | 4.5 |
HDF (High Density Fibreboard)
Also referred to as hardboard, a high-density fibreboard for flooring (HDF) is a type of engineered wood product. It is made from wood fiber extracted from chips and pulped wood waste. High-density fibreboard for flooring is similar but much harder and denser than particle board or medium density fibreboard for flooring (MDF). It has a density greater than 50 pounds per cubic foot or 800 kg per cubic meter. This makes for a perfect stabilizing material for laminate floors and engineered hardwood flooring.
Like other types of fibreboard for flooring, a high density fibreboard for flooring cannot be used outside because it absorbs water. A tempered form of hardboard is made by adding oil that becomes a polymer when the board is formed under high temperature and pressure. This gives it resistance against moisture, hardness, and strength. This tempered hardboard can be used in construction siding.