Hi there I thought I would jump in here a touch as you are on the right track but there are some glaring points that need to be cleared up for you before you go and purchase flooring. Laminate flooring is a Hi Def image of Timber flooring/oak/Natural Species etc and then transposed using a heat method to a MDF or HDF core, then profiled with a click system for ease of installation, maintenance relocation and repair. Good laminate flooring (Quikstep or Krono Swiss) can be very rewarding , look very much like natural timber, and be very durable against scratching and indentation. Laminates nemesis is high saturation of water or moisture. Good e budget solution for all living areas and rooms except toilets bathroom or laundrys. Engineered boards are a veneer of Natural timber and are just as durable as the solid version of whatever species you choose. Whether that be Spotted Gum, Jarrah or Oak. Sorry but you CAN re sand engineered boards. When re sanding occurs through a professional sander, the top .5mm is the depth of the product that you generally ever really need to remove. Some engineered flooring has a 6mm wear layer/ veneer and that's more than if you purchased a solid 19mm raw timber floor. Engineered boards are less likely "cup"(edge of the boards rising so that you can see a little lip) than a solid. We would recommend that if you are considering a timber floor please consult a retailer that only handles timber and specializes in that medium. Hope this helped

We had a Vic Ash floor laid recently in our living room. The floor polishing person we used was excellent in every way, including helping us choose which products to use, which was a great start. He said that polyurethane gives timber that tan colouring, but water based (non-toxic) finish doesn't develop any colour - so you get the natural colour of the timber, intensified just a tiny bit as if it is wet - our finished floor is beautiful. If you want the timber tinted, they have tints they can apply before sealing. The water based non-toxic finish is more expensive, but more durable than polyurethane, and not high gloss which I dislike, so I decided readily that it is worth it. We are in Melbourne and the business name of this gentleman, Sasha, is S&A Flooring Services. They were very clean and methodical, leaving no mess or unsatisfactory areas of work. They did a beautiful job, and the finish was as he described in the first place when we chose the products. Getting people in for various advice, repairs or restorations in the home can be difficult and disappointing, so trades people like this man Sasha, and the resultant finish we live with, are a pleasure.

Polyurethane timber floor finishes are the most durable and economical floor coating available for floor sanding and polishing projects. Especially if you are considering the resale of your home in the future. Liming or white washing your floor certainly is in fashion at the moment but is far more expensive to do. If you are still interested in liming your timber floors take a look our blog for some more info . http://budgetfloorsanding.com.au/?s=liming+timber+floors http://budgetfloorsanding.com.au/timber-floor-finishes/timber-floor-staining/

I've been playing around with a pantry location. Originally, I was going to move the pantry into the laundry with some custom shelving and cut the laundry space in half. Now, Im thinking of cutting into the study area and building a wall there, and converting the new space into a long and narrow walk in pantry. Either that or build half a wall and put built in shelving in the study. Building the extra wall will reduce the need to cover in the door way that is currently in place and instead utilising it. Thoughts? p.s. this isnt too scale.