Wooden Floors

[malcolminthemiddle]

A while back I came across a beautiful new, professionally laid solid wood floor that had been laid in a BKK condo.

The Owner described it as "Oak" and the floor had been finished mat to retain the natural light colour.

Whether it was "Local Oak" or "Imported Oak" I don't know.

Efforts to locate the company/supplier have proved unsuccesful.

Has any one else come across a similar floor. Any information greatly appreciated.

[Khutan]

Oak, not sure, why not go with Teak.

Most big Hardware suppliers have the samples of different types of floor. Mostly its done with a generic hardwood and then bleached / stained to get the effect.

[chownah]

I've got some strip flooring made from mai theng.....theng wood.....it looks alot like oak flooring....it is common to find this kind of wood used for strip flooring in Thailand....I bet that's what you saw...its color is about like red oak...but some pieces are darker. Up here in the north there are stores that carry many different types of strip flooring and you can go and see what they've got.

[Thetyim]

Chownah,

Are you talking about mai dang (red wood) or some other wood that I have never heard of ?

It is often used for stair treads as it is so hard wearing.

[chownah]

Chownah,

Are you talking about mai dang (red wood)  or some other wood that I have never heard of ?

It is often used for stair treads as it is so hard wearing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am familiar with mai dang. Up in the north when you go to buy lumber, you can get mai dang or mai theng. Mai theng costs more, is harder and stronger and more insect resistant. It is definitely better quality than mai dang.

Both mai dang and mai theng can be of varying quality. I think that in Thailand there is a wide variety of kinds of wood that are sometimes called mai dang. Perhaps this is because someone could be talking about the color of the wood and be unconcerned about its genus and species...then if it is red in color, it is mai dang. I've heard mai pradoo called 'mai dang' but mai pradoo is a high quality and expensive wood that is used for floors and expensive staircases and trim. I have some mai pradoo floors in my house....it is very beautiful and if it were less expensive and more available I would have made all of my floors from it...but its not so I used mai theng strip flooring for some of my floors.

Before I would buy anything made from 'mai dang' I would inspect it first because it could be of very cheap and inferior soft wood....of course on the other hand it could be some of the finest.....beware of cheap mai dang!

[malcolminthemiddle]

Found a company that does solid wood floors using multiple types of wood, including those listed below. Only problem is they don't do individual houses, only projects.

Teak

Rosewood

Daeng

Maka

Asian Walnut (Rok-fa)

Asian Cherry (Tabak)

Bamboo

Ching Chan

Selanganbatu

White Ash

American Black Cherry

Hickory

Hard Maple

White Oak

Yellow Poplar

Steamed Beech

www.deesawat.com

[Thetyim]

Chownah,

Do you know what Mai Theng is in English.

Our house has all ceilings and walls lined with teak and the floors are done in mai dang.

I have just asked the "family" about mai theng and no-one has heard of it.

[stevehaigh]

there's a great wood floor shop on "wood steet" can't remember the real name but you can find it if you search this forum. It's in Bang Po, near Bang Su train station.

They have about 12 different samples of wood, all nicely finished and they have great prices. I paid 650bhat/m2 for Maai Jampaa (softish light wood). you can go well over 1500b/m2 for teak.

Steve

[chownah]

Chownah,

Do you know what Mai Theng is in English.

Our house has all ceilings and walls lined with teak and the floors are done in mai dang.

I have just asked the "family" about mai theng and no-one has heard of it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The wife's not here and I've looked it up and it might be called Siamese sal. But I've never heard of a sal tree....when she gets back I'll ask her how to spell it in Thai and try to get this info to you tomorrow...or at least I'll try to post the name in Thai. In the north where I live mai theng is the premium house construction lumber...teak is not really considered to be a 'lumber' type wood as it is only used for doors, trim, and rarely floors...I don't think I've ever seen a teak floor but I have seen teak strip flooring. Some really really rich people might build with teak but I've never seen it...on the other hand I don't go driving around looking at houses either. Maybe you could ask your family what kind of wood was used for the posts and beams....assuming you have a wood superstructure...and let me know what they say.

[Khutan]

I was in Home Pro today in Ploen Chit I saw no end of flooring samples.

It did appear to be more than the teak I already have.

[Nordlys]

[The wife's not here and I've looked it up and it might be called Siamese sal.  But I've never heard of a sal tree....when she gets back I'll ask her how to spell it in Thai and try to get this info to you tomorrow...or at least I'll try to post the name in Thai.  In the north where I live mai theng is the premium house construction lumber...teak is not really considered to be a 'lumber' type wood as it is only used for doors, trim, and rarely floors...I don't think I've ever seen a teak floor but I have seen teak strip flooring.  Some really really rich people might build with teak but I've never seen it...on the other hand I don't go driving around looking at houses either.  Maybe you could ask your family what kind of wood was used for the posts and beams....assuming you have a wood superstructure...and let me know what they say.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chownah,

Anyway you can post pictures of your flooring, both Mai Theng and Mai Pradoo?

I'm very interested.

[Dakhar]

I have mai cement. Pretty hard stuff, and seems to last forever.

[chownah]

Chownah,

Do you know what Mai Theng is in English.

Our house has all ceilings and walls lined with teak and the floors are done in mai dang.

I have just asked the "family" about mai theng and no-one has heard of it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The wife's not here and I've looked it up and it might be called Siamese sal. But I've never heard of a sal tree....when she gets back I'll ask her how to spell it in Thai and try to get this info to you tomorrow...or at least I'll try to post the name in Thai. In the north where I live mai theng is the premium house construction lumber...teak is not really considered to be a 'lumber' type wood as it is only used for doors, trim, and rarely floors...I don't think I've ever seen a teak floor but I have seen teak strip flooring. Some really really rich people might build with teak but I've never seen it...on the other hand I don't go driving around looking at houses either. Maybe you could ask your family what kind of wood was used for the posts and beams....assuming you have a wood superstructure...and let me know what they say.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This morning my Wife wrote down:

เต็ง means theng

แดง means dang (red)

.......and.....indeed in my dictionary it says that this is called Siamese sal....has anyone heard of a 'sal' tree?

Edited June 17, 2005 by chownah

[chownah]

[The wife's not here and I've looked it up and it might be called Siamese sal.  But I've never heard of a sal tree....when she gets back I'll ask her how to spell it in Thai and try to get this info to you tomorrow...or at least I'll try to post the name in Thai.  In the north where I live mai theng is the premium house construction lumber...teak is not really considered to be a 'lumber' type wood as it is only used for doors, trim, and rarely floors...I don't think I've ever seen a teak floor but I have seen teak strip flooring.  Some really really rich people might build with teak but I've never seen it...on the other hand I don't go driving around looking at houses either.  Maybe you could ask your family what kind of wood was used for the posts and beams....assuming you have a wood superstructure...and let me know what they say.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chownah,

Anyway you can post pictures of your flooring, both Mai Theng and Mai Pradoo?

I'm very interested.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Right now is the start of rice planting so I'm really busy....I do (obviously) still have time to post but often not the energy to try to figure things out....like how to get a picture from my computer to your screen....if you can give me a step by step procedure I'll try it out.....first I've got to charge up the batteries for the camera!! So please post the instructions...its something I've wanted to learn but have been too lazy and maybe this will be the impetus.

[Thetyim]

Thanks Chownah,

At the third attempt I got a better answer.

It always amazes me that if I am 3 microns off dead centre with the pronounciation then no-one can understand me but I am expected to instantly know that Kris Leak Hard is in fact Cliff Richard.

Anyway you are dead right and Siamese Sal is not a bargirl but a very nice hardwood.

Nordlys.

I can post pictures of my mai dang floors if you want.

[Nordlys]

Nordlys.

I can post pictures of my  mai dang floors if you want.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chonah and Thetyim,

I'd appreciate it.

Maybe you can use this site here to upload pictures and paste them in the post.

It's pretty much self-explanatory and simple step.

Thank you.

[chownah]

Nordlys.

I can post pictures of my  mai dang floors if you want.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chonah and Thetyim,

I'd appreciate it.

Maybe you can use this site here to upload pictures and paste them in the post.

It's pretty much self-explanatory and simple step.

Thank you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I uploaded them to TV. I made my first gallery and I put two pictures in it, one of the mai pradoo which is 25 cm wide boards and one of the mai theng strip flooring which is probably called 10 cm wide but actually you only get 8.5 cm of exposed board face. These pictures are reasonably close to what the stuff looks like. The mai theng actually looks better than the photo but at least you can see that our floor has a big color variation. Mai theng comes in different colors and we bought the cheapest flooring which I don't recommend...if you look around you can probably find better looking stuff...perhaps with a more consistent color. The mai pradoo is a really beautiful red...but be warned it can come in various colors some being more striped looking with red and black...sometimes really nice and sometimes not so nice depending on your taste of course. You'll have to go to the gallery to view these pictures...sorry...I had a REALLY rough day in the rice paddy today..I'm totally exhausted.

[Thetyim]

Sorry for delay, had a power out so had to do it this morning.

Morning light makes the wood look darker than it really is but it is much redder then Chownah's floor which is a really nice light oak colour.

I have put four piccies in a TV album for you to look at.

[RamdomChances]

Anyone know what "Mai Ma Kua Moo" is cos my floor and a lot of the house is made out of that, I've been told that its hard to come by anymore and its, very hard, although the house is about 40 years old so the aging would of hard'nd it up as well. In fact its so hard you have to drill it before nailing it

Mango is actuall a really nice wood as well and hard wearing

[Nordlys]

Thanks chownah and Thetyim

Thetyim's floor wood look as red as my condo unit flooring, except mine comes in much smaller strips. I'm starting to wonder if mine is really Mai Makka. And chownah's floor wood does look like oak.

So that bedroom wall is teak? Is there any finishing done to the wall lining (and exterior), or is it bare teak strips? And when did you get your bedroom flooring done? It looks very new, I don't see any wear. That's a very nice bedroom btw.

Also, do you know what kind of finishing it took with your floor, both Mai Deng and Mai Theng? When I did mine the contractor coated the floor with urethane (according to them) 4 times. Does more coating layer mean more wear resistant?

[chownah]

Sorry for delay, had a power out so had to do it this morning.

Morning light makes the wood look darker than it really is but it is much redder then Chownah's floor which is a really nice light oak colour.

I have put four piccies in a TV album for you to look at.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you see my other picture? the one of the mai pradoo flooring? I think the mai pradoo is the same as your mai dang. My actual mai pradoo flooring is redder than the picture shows it probably because there wasn't much light last night when I took the pictures.

[chownah]

Thanks chownah and Thetyim

Thetyim's floor wood look as red as my condo unit flooring, except mine comes in much smaller strips.  I'm starting to wonder if mine is really Mai Makka.  And chownah's floor wood does look like oak. 

So that bedroom wall is teak?  Is there any finishing done to the wall lining (and exterior), or is it bare teak strips?  And when did you get your bedroom flooring done?  It looks very new, I don't see any wear.  That's a very nice bedroom btw. 

Also, do you know what kind of finishing it took with your floor, both Mai Deng and Mai Theng?  When I did mine the contractor coated the floor with urethane (according to them) 4 times.  Does more coating layer mean more wear resistant?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All my floors were done with urethane. I didn't get an especially good job. There was a really good post on urethane floor finishing about 3 weeks ago...maybe it was ozzydom who did it. I looked abit but couldn't find it...you might have better luck then me or else it might have been in some other forum. My recollection is that he said it was put on real thick when done properly and I guess thicker means more wearability.

[Thetyim]

Thanks chownah and Thetyim

Thetyim's floor wood look as red as my condo unit flooring, except mine comes in much smaller strips.  I'm starting to wonder if mine is really Mai Makka.  And chownah's floor wood does look like oak. 

So that bedroom wall is teak?  Is there any finishing done to the wall lining (and exterior), or is it bare teak strips?  And when did you get your bedroom flooring done?  It looks very new, I don't see any wear.  That's a very nice bedroom btw. 

Also, do you know what kind of finishing it took with your floor, both Mai Deng and Mai Theng?  When I did mine the contractor coated the floor with urethane (according to them) 4 times.  Does more coating layer mean more wear resistant?

Yes the walls and ceiling are teak

Sanded and then three coats of "Naman Son" which I presume is a stain and preservative because it does not have a gloss finish.

The flooors had three coats of urethane. I think many thin coats are better than one thick coat. Floor is now nearly five years old.

The house is brick built the inside is teak lined.

The floors do not need much maitenance.

I give them a polish with Kiwi floor polish to buff them up a bit when they get any bloom on them. About every four months

Edited June 18, 2005 by Thetyim

[Nordlys]

Floor is now nearly five years old.

The house is brick built the inside is teak lined.

The floors do not need much maitenance.

I give them a polish with Kiwi floor polish to buff them up a bit when they get any bloom on them. About every four months

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is five years old???

I thought you just had your flooring done couple of months ago!

Maybe that Kiwi floor polish helps? I have a spray type polisher. I was hoping this could be a good protective coating to keep the floor surface from wear and to maintain it in its original condition, but it didn't do any more than to make it look glossy and slippery.