Kitchens remain the heart and hub of a contemporary home and demand durable, hygienic, water resistant, low maintenance finishes. The flooring is no exception. Add in the increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly products and the solution can be daunting.

However, designers can replicate the look of rare and exotic timbers without harming forests by embracing man-made timber-look laminate floors with superior features. In Motueka, a young couple chose the oversized Balterio Grande planks throughout the kitchen, lounge, dining, bathroom and toilet. The high-definition realism of timber with a 1mm wear surface gave them the durability and a luxurious look of natural timber.

The large two-metre-long planks also provide a sense of space particularly in the smaller areas of pantries, laundries and bathrooms. Water resistance is essential for kitchens and other wet areas and the flooring has a Hydro Shield finish which is 100% water-repellent and backed with a five-year wet area warranty.

The wet area warranty gave them the ability to achieve the continuous flow they wanted throughout their new home including the wet areas. They selected Balterio Grande Classic Oak from a palette of eight modern and timeless oak colourways.

As a high use area with scrapes and spills, kitchen finishes take a pounding. Balterio Grande planks are resistant to scratches, wear and tear with a durable aluminium oxide surface finish. It is backed by a 25-year residential heavy-duty warranty.

Hard flooring choices can magnify sound in open plan kitchens but combine these floating flooring planks with a Floor Muffler underlay and premium acoustic performance is achieved. In relation to the NZ Building Code, the underlay exceeds the minimal requirements for Airborne and Impact Sound by 25% for the categories of Sound Transmission Class (STC) and Impact Insulation Class (IIC). This relates to footfall and the movement of furniture. Alone it has an isolating impact sound rating or Delta IIC of 25 decibels. That is without the additional sound absorption rate of the Grande planks above.

Balterio belongs to the European Brand Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF) which are pioneers in sustainability. Members commit to manufacturing without the use of pesticides, organochlorine compounds or harmful heavy metals. Laminate contains no polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and is free from softeners. Balterio also run their own biomass power plant in which they convert waste material into energy for their production.

Balterio Grande flooring is made from 100% natural products such as sawdust, woodchips and other post-consumer wood products. The resins and binders are environmentally friendly and 70% of the material in the high-density fibreboard core is recycled, boosting its sustainability. Laminate flooring is mostly installed as a floating floor so there is no glue or adhesives used in the installation process. This is not only better for the environment but is healthier indoors.

Laminate floors can be easily repaired or recycled prolonging use. A single damaged board can be removed and replaced or in the case of a renovation, flooring can be pulled up, recycled, or ground up and composted.

Balterio’s Grande Wide supersize planks feature:

• Large 2050mm long by 240mm wide planks to create a spacious feel
• Ultra-high-definition realism to recreate the luxurious look of timber
• Highly scratch and wear resistant supported by 25-year Residential Wear Warranty/ 12-year Commercial Warranty
• 100% water resistant Hydro Shield finish with a 5-year Wet Area Warranty
• High pattern repeat — over 10m of flooring can be laid before seeing a pattern repeat
• Improved in-room acoustics when laid with Floor Muffler underlay
• Comfortable and warm underfoot with the extra layer of underlay
• Easy to maintain with a regular broom or vacuum finished with a damp mop