Flooring Experts Across Queensland

Choosing Flooring on the Gold Coast

Everything that is different about flooring a home on the coast, from the local experts who measure and quote here. Product detail lives on the category pages; this guide covers the local questions.

Flooring for the Gold Coast Climate

Humidity is the big one. Timber and some laminates move more here than down south, so stock is acclimatised on site and expansion gaps are left where the product needs them. Strong sun through big glass doors fades timber and can heat hybrid enough to move if it isn’t laid correctly, and sand acts like sandpaper on any floor, so a good wear layer and a doormat matter more than most people think. Read more about how hybrid flooring handles Queensland heat and humidity, and about wool carpet in a Queensland climate.

• Canal and beachside living areas – a quality hybrid or engineered timber with a tough finish and a good slip rating
• Bedrooms and media rooms – carpet: warm, quiet and still the most comfortable underfoot
• Rentals – hybrid or vinyl planking in the living areas, with durable, stain-resistant carpet in the bedrooms

Apartments, Canal Homes, Hinterland and Acreage

In apartments from Main Beach to Burleigh, check your body corporate’s by-laws before you fall in love with a floor. Most buildings have acoustic requirements, so you’ll usually need approval and the right product or an acoustic underlay, and we help with the paperwork for your submission. Canal and beachside homes need a floor that copes with wet feet, so we’d talk you out of cheap laminate near pools and outdoor doors, and solid timber in rooms with full western sun. Hinterland homes in Nerang, Mudgeeraba and Canungra have more timber subfloors, bigger temperature swings and more moisture under the house, so ventilation and the subfloor are checked first, and engineered timber suits them beautifully. Read more in our guide to hybrid flooring in apartments.

What Flooring Costs on the Gold Coast

It depends on the product, the size of the area, the condition of the subfloor (any preparation, such as levelling, is part of the job) and whether old flooring needs to come up. Apartments may also need an acoustic underlay to meet body-corporate rules. Your local expert measures digitally and gives you an itemised quote on the spot, with any floor preparation discussed and listed separately, so you can review it in your own time. For typical price ranges, see our cost guides for carpet, hybrid flooring, laminate, vinyl planking, engineered timber and carpet tiles. 12 months interest free is available through Latitude for approved customers.

Floors for Rentals and Investment Properties

For rentals and holiday lets, hybrid or vinyl planking through the living areas is tough, easy to clean between tenants and handles spills. Carpet in the bedrooms is fine, but choose a durable, stain-resistant carpet rather than a plush one. Your local expert can meet you or your property manager at the property and plan the work around your tenancy dates. For more detail, see our guide to the best carpet for rental properties.

Floors for Pets and Busy Families

Dogs, kids and sandy feet are part of life in plenty of Gold Coast homes. A hybrid or vinyl plank with a good wear layer handles scratches and spills, a decent doormat keeps sand off the floor, and a stain-resistant carpet suits the bedrooms. Our guide to choosing a pet-friendly carpet covers carpet in detail.

What Gold Coast Homeowners Are Choosing Now

Right now we’re laying mostly hybrid, from Hope Island to Southport, Mermaid Beach, Burleigh and Coolangatta, all the way to the Tweed,” says Stephen Woodward, who has laid hard floors for 17 years. His advice for anyone comparing quotes: “The biggest mistake I see is choosing the cheapest price per square metre and ignoring the install. A great product laid badly fails, and a mid-range product laid well lasts for years.