In 1968 we got a phonecall to come out and look at a large floor in Yarraville. The Textile Industry Union didn’t want the employees standing on hard concrete floors all day, and had the carpenters install Brushbox strip flooring throughout, to be softer underfoot. But they wanted us to sand and polish it all for them.

In recent times you will have seen much publicity and politics about timber harvesting, particularly related to WA and Victoria. As of 1 January this year, harvesting in Western Australian and Victorian state-controlled forests has been ceased, putting undue pressure on manufacturers and the industry more broadly. And it’s not over, activists are now targeting Tasmania and New South Wales.

This Q & A section continues as a new addition to the magazine and intended to answer those questions that ATFA members may have on coatings.

Please send in any questions you would like addressed to ATFA.

The question of sheen – what it is, and how to describe it – is a subject that comes up more and more during discussions with customers. It’s a difficult question with no easily defined answer.

It may seem a relatively simple process; however, it does call for a number of very strict production systems, and if it is done incorrectly… well, the pending problems – mostly with laying – are time consuming and costly

Non-payment is a frequent issue in the industry that has serious impacts for contractors.

Last year, Level Playing Field together with ATFA and other
trade associations put forward a parliamentary submission to the Victorian government.