When Troy Stanfield’s team at Mount Barker, Australia-based Plankd Flooring kicked off this 2,153-square-foot install job in Adelaide, South Australia, it was three weeks before Stanfield was set to leave for a 10-day work trip to Germany, and two weeks before Christmas. Then, due to unforeseen circumstances, Stanfield’s temporary employee ended up installing most of the custom chevron floor on his own. The final product wasn’t the result of a Christmas miracle, but rather preparation and precision.
Before Stanfield realized his involvement would be minimal, he knew there were already two factors that would make this installation tricky. First, built in 1915, the villa-style home had a subfloor built on joists, while a 2025 mid-century-style addition was built on a concrete slab. Second, the homeowner and designer chose a custom-sized chevron (½ inch thick and 2 by 23 inches) in prefinished engineered European oak to stretch from the front entrance to the rear wall of the addition—a continuous 148-feet that flowed into the adjoining wine room (pictured). “Pattern straightness was critical,” Stanfield says.
It was a job that would make even an experienced contractor sweat. But when the layout and preparation took longer than expected and Stanfield had to leave the country, his employee Matt Miller, who had never laid a chevron floor, took the lead. “We had complete trust in Matt even though he was anxious about being left on his own,” Stanfield says. “We’d already taught him the fundamentals.”
His trust was well-placed. One phone call as he boarded the plane and a couple of text messages were all Stanfield received from Miller while he was overseas. The carefully installed chevron floor, connecting two subfloors and two centuries, was what greeted him when he returned. “When we returned, we were thoroughly impressed with how well he’d executed the job,” Stanfield says. “The central line was millimeter-perfect and straight as an arrow.”
After Stanfield assisted with the final touches, the cover-worthy floor was complete. Miller’s precision during the four-week installation didn’t go without reward: “He is now my permanent right-hand man,” Stanfield says.
SUPPLIERS: Abrasive: Hermes Zirconia | Adhesive: Berger-Seidle M1S | Moisture barrier: Berger-Seidle Primer P | Moisture meter: Wagner Orion 950 | Saws: Festool Kapex 120 | Wood flooring: Woodcut
