Timber Flooring in Ashburton and Mid Canterbury

Mid Canterbury is dry, exposed and continental. The daily temperature range is wide, the nor'wester arrives without much warning, and indoor humidity through winter runs very low.

None of that rules out a wide oak board. It does mean the installation has to be done properly rather than quickly.

Specifying for Mid Canterbury conditions

• Acclimatisation, properly done. The published requirement is at least 48 hours in the room the boards will be laid in. Beyond that we recommend boxes open, with the house running as it normally would. Not stacked in a garage.
• No gap is needed at the perimeter. Our boards butt directly to walls and joinery when laid to guideline. Rapid humidity drops are routine here, so acclimatisation and substrate moisture are what carry the floor, not a gap at the skirting.
• New rural builds are usually slab. We recommend slab moisture testing and a vapour barrier on every one, and new slabs need longer to dry than most programmes allow for.
• Underfloor heating is common in the district. Keep the floor surface at or below 27 degrees. The Underfloor Heating Declaration on our Resources page sets out the full operating parameters.

Large rural interiors

Ashburton district homes tend to be generous in plan, with long uninterrupted runs and a lot of glazing. That suits our 240mm board at 2.2 metre lengths, a format that reads far calmer across a large floor than a narrower board would.

Long runs also make the direction of laying a real decision rather than a default. Running boards along the length of an open plan space will extend it. Across will widen it.

Delivery and consultation

We deliver throughout Mid Canterbury. Our Christchurch showroom at 149 Victoria Street is under an hour away, open weekdays 9.00am to 2.30pm and by appointment outside those hours.

Samples are free and unlimited.