Design Timber Flooring supplies and installs solid and engineered timber floors across Greater Sydney. Discuss the site assessment, timber selection and installation scope with Jimmy before confirming the work. We consider the existing floor and the result you want together, so the proposed system suits the property rather than just a sample board.
If you're comparing timber flooring installers in Sydney, the real differences usually sit in the parts of the job you can't see once the boards are down: the subfloor check, the fixing method, the moisture assessment and how the floor finishes at walls, doorways and stairs. This page explains how we approach timber floor installation in Sydney homes, when each installation method suits, and what our fixed-price written quote covers.
What the project includes
The written scope sets out the work agreed for your property. We discuss:
- The rooms, intended use and existing flooring.
- Timber supply, product selection, grade, dimensions and finish.
- Removal and disposal of existing coverings where required.
- Subfloor assessment and the preparation identified for the proposed system.
- Installation, layout and the details at doors and adjoining floors.
- Skirting, scotia and thresholds included in the work.
- On-site sanding and coating where the selected floor requires it.
- Clean-up, walkthrough and product-specific care instructions.
Some conditions are concealed until existing flooring is removed. We discuss newly revealed work before changing the agreed scope. Read what to compare in a flooring quote.
Solid hardwood or engineered timber?
Solid hardwood is timber throughout and requires a suitable supporting and fixing system. Raw timber is sanded and coated on-site. We work with Blackbutt, Spotted Gum, Brushbox and Sydney Blue Gum, and our solid hardwood flooring page goes further into why many Sydney homeowners choose it.
Engineered flooring has a genuine timber surface on a layered core. Prefinished products, including European Oak options, arrive with their surface finish already applied. The approved method depends on the selected product, substrate and site conditions. See engineered timber installation for slabs, apartments and underfloor heating considerations.
Neither type is waterproof, and future refinishing depends on condition and the product. Our solid-versus-engineered guide explains the main decisions.
Installation methods and when each suits
The method is decided by the flooring product, the subfloor and the manufacturer's instructions together. We don't pick a method first and make the site fit it.
Nail-down and secret-nailing over joists or battens
Nail-down is the traditional way to lay solid hardwood over timber joists, and it's common in older Sydney houses with suspended timber floors. Boards can be top-nailed, where the nail heads are punched and filled before sanding, or secret-nailed through the tongue so the fixings are hidden, depending on the board width and profile. Over a concrete slab, solid boards can be fixed to battens where the finished height and the slab allow it.
Direct-stick or glue-down
With direct-stick, the boards are bonded to a prepared substrate such as a concrete slab or structural plywood using a compatible adhesive system. It suits many engineered products and some solid hardwood, and it's the usual method for patterned floors. Glue-down asks more of the substrate: moisture, flatness and surface preparation all have to meet the product and adhesive requirements, because the adhesive does not remove the need for preparation.
Floating floor installation
A floating floor is a connected surface that is not bonded to the substrate. It sits over the underlay or supporting layers specified for that product, with the movement allowances the manufacturer requires. It's used with products designed for it, usually engineered boards. Floating can suit some slabs and existing floors, but room size, fixed cabinetry and doorways affect where movement details and transitions go. Our glue-down versus floating guide compares the two in more depth.
| Method | Commonly used with | Typical substrate | What we check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nail-down or secret-nail | Solid hardwood | Timber joists, battens or suitable plywood | Joist spacing and condition, level, board profile |
| Direct-stick (glue-down) | Engineered and some solid boards, patterned floors | Concrete slab or structural plywood | Moisture, flatness, surface preparation, adhesive compatibility |
| Floating | Engineered products designed for it | Slab or suitable existing floor | Underlay specified by the product, flatness, movement and transitions |
No method is automatically better; each has its own feel underfoot, height build-up and repair implications, which we explain on site.
Subfloor preparation
A timber floor is only as good as what it sits on. Many floor problems trace back to moisture, movement or an uneven base rather than the boards themselves.
Concrete slabs
Slabs, particularly in new builds and fresh extensions, can hold moisture for a long time. We assess the slab before installation and discuss whether a moisture barrier or a particular adhesive system is required for the selected product. Flatness is checked with a straightedge, and high spots may be ground back while hollows are filled with a suitable levelling compound.
Timber subfloors, joists and plywood
On suspended floors we look at joist condition, spacing and any movement or bounce. Where the existing floor or structure isn't suitable to fix to directly, structural plywood may be laid to create a sound, flat base. Signs of pest activity, leaks or structural issues need the relevant specialist before flooring work proceeds; we won't cover an active problem.
Levelling and finished height
Finished height matters at doorways, kickboards, appliances and where the new floor meets tiles or carpet. Assess the complete build-up before confirming the scope, including clearance at door jambs and appliances.
Removing carpet, tiles and old flooring
Most jobs start with removing something. Carpet, underlay and gripper strips come up relatively easily, but what's underneath varies: original hardwood, particleboard, a slab with old adhesive residue or past repairs. If you are removing carpet, our carpet-to-timber guide explains what to assess underneath.
Tiles are a bigger decision. Keeping tiles depends on their condition, floor height and the permitted system. Start with our over-tiles checklist. Where tiles are removed, the substrate beneath usually needs further preparation before new timber can go down. Removal and disposal are itemised in the quote where they're part of the job.
Trims, skirting, scotia and thresholds
The edges are what you notice every day. We discuss whether existing skirting boards stay in place with scotia or quad beading along the base, or whether skirting is removed and refitted over the new floor for a cleaner line. Door jambs and architraves may be undercut so boards slide beneath them rather than being scribed around.
Where timber meets tiles, carpet or another floor, thresholds or reducers are chosen to suit the height difference and the look. If the floor continues up a staircase, treads, risers and nosings need to be planned with the floor itself; see our timber stair cladding and treads service.
Choose the timber and layout together
We bring samples so you can compare suitable products in your own light. Straight boards, herringbone and chevron create different rhythms through a room. Review the entrance, connected rooms and edge details before settling on a layout. If you're drawn to a pattern, our herringbone and chevron installation service covers the extra planning, subfloor flatness and set-out those floors need.
See the materials we work with, our herringbone-versus-chevron guide and project photographs.
From assessment to handover
- Site consultation. Discuss the rooms, existing floor, intended use and preferred appearance. Jimmy measures up and checks the subfloor.
- Product and scope. Agree on the flooring, installation method, preparation, details and written proposal.
- Delivery and site readiness. Follow the selected product's storage and acclimatisation instructions; there is no single schedule for every board.
- Removal and preparation. Lift the agreed existing coverings and prepare the substrate for the chosen system.
- Installation. Install using the agreed compatible system, with the layout set out from the main sightlines.
- Finishing where required. Raw timber needs on-site sanding and coating. Prefinished engineered boards do not follow that same coating sequence.
- Trims and details. Complete the agreed skirting, scotia, thresholds and transitions.
- Walkthrough and care. Confirm the product-specific return-to-use instructions for furniture, rugs and cleaning.
What's in your written quote
Every quote is prepared after Jimmy has seen the property, and it's fixed-price for the scope described. It sets out the flooring product and quantity, the installation method, removal and disposal, subfloor preparation identified at the assessment, skirting, scotia and thresholds, any on-site sanding and coating, and clean-up. It also notes exclusions, such as work by other trades, so you can compare quotes like-for-like. We're also happy to discuss installing timber you've already purchased.
Apartments and strata buildings
For apartments, obtain the building's requirements before selecting the system. The Sydney apartment checklist helps prepare that discussion. Acoustic suitability and approval need to be established for the actual project, and a particular underlay or method does not guarantee approval in every building.
Commercial projects
We also supply and install timber flooring for commercial projects. Share the intended use, plans, project requirements and programme so Jimmy can discuss the scope. See commercial timber flooring for the information to include.
Timber flooring near me: where we work
We're a mobile service, so if you're searching for timber flooring near you anywhere in Sydney, we come to the property. We quote period homes and apartments in the Eastern Suburbs, family homes across the North Shore and newer builds and slabs through the Hills District.
Frequently asked questions
Which installation method will my floor need?
It depends on the flooring product, the subfloor and the manufacturer's instructions. Solid hardwood over joists is commonly nailed or secret-nailed, glue-down suits many slabs and plywood bases, and floating is used with products designed for it. Jimmy recommends a method after checking the site.
Can you install timber over a concrete slab?
Often, yes. The slab is assessed for moisture and flatness first, and the product and adhesive or underlay must form a compatible system. Preparation such as grinding, levelling or a moisture barrier may be needed before installation.
Do you remove the old carpet or tiles?
Removal and disposal of existing coverings can be included in the scope. What's underneath determines the preparation needed, and any concealed issues found after removal are discussed with you before the scope changes.
Do I need to supply the timber?
No. We supply solid and engineered timber through trusted Australian suppliers, but we're also happy to discuss installing timber you've already purchased once we've checked it suits the site and method.
How long does a timber floor installation take?
Timing depends on the area, preparation, selected system, acclimatisation requirements and any on-site finishing. We give you a project-specific programme and return-to-use instructions before work begins rather than a general promise.
Will my skirting boards need to come off?
Not always. Some floors are finished with scotia against the existing skirting, while others look cleaner with skirting removed and refitted. We talk through both options and include the agreed approach in the quote.
Do you install herringbone floors and timber stairs as well?
Yes. Patterned floors and stair treads are planned alongside the main floor so the layout, heights and nosings work together in one scope.
Is the quote really fixed-price?
Yes, for the scope described in writing. Concealed conditions can only be confirmed once old flooring is lifted, and anything newly revealed is discussed with you before any change is agreed.
Discuss your flooring project
We are a mobile service covering Greater Sydney. Request an on-site quote with your suburb, existing floor, rooms and preferred timing, or call Jimmy on 0404 906 432. He can assess the property and discuss suitable samples and installation methods.