James Hardie™ Floors
The Substrate That Makes Everything Above It Work
Flooring failures rarely announce themselves politely. They tend to reveal themselves slowly: a tile that cracks, grout that opens up, a section of vinyl that starts to lift, until eventually you’re looking at a remediation job that costs more than the original floor. In most cases, the cause isn’t the finish product. It’s the substrate underneath it.
The James Hardie™ floor range covers the substrates that give Australian residential and commercial floor finishes a stable, moisture-resistant, non-combustible foundation. Fibre cement doesn’t swell, doesn’t shrink with moisture cycling and doesn’t rot, which is exactly what you want underneath tiles, vinyl, timber or carpet in applications where performance matters.
The Floor Products Range
Hardie™ Deck
Structural decking substrate for elevated decks, the fibre cement replacement for traditional timber deck boards used as a substrate for tile or direct-fix systems. Hardie™ Deck is non-combustible, moisture-resistant and dimensionally stable under the ongoing moisture cycling that elevated decks experience.
Secura™ Exterior Flooring
Exterior-grade fibre cement flooring substrate for external decks, balconies and covered walkways that are exposed to Australian weather conditions. Developed using Scyon® technology, Secura™ Exterior is the lightest fibre cement flooring product in the James Hardie™ range without compromising on the durability required for high-exposure outdoor applications.
Secura™ Interior Flooring
Interior-grade fibre cement flooring substrate for residential and commercial applications where a stable, non-combustible base is required under a wide range of finish systems. Compatible with tiles, vinyl, timber floating floors and carpet and with underfloor heating systems.
Hardie™ Ceramic Tile Underlay
Purpose-engineered tile underlay for wet and dry floor applications. Provides a consistent, hard, stable substrate for ceramic, porcelain and natural stone floor tiles in bathrooms, wet areas, kitchens, and external and internal tiled floors of all kinds. Compatible with standard tile adhesives, flexible adhesives and underfloor heating systems.
Hardie™ Panel Compressed Sheet
High-density compressed fibre cement for heavy-duty floor substrate applications, commercial kitchens, garages, industrial light commercial spaces and any application where the floor substrate needs to handle point loads, heavy equipment movement or chemical exposure that would compromise standard flooring products.
Which Product for Which Application?
Why Fibre Cement for Floor Substrates?
Moisture resistance
Fibre cement doesn't absorb moisture like timber-based substrates (particleboard and, plywood) and won't swell, delaminate or deteriorate with water exposure. Critical in wet areas, balconies and any application with direct or indirect water contact.
Dimensional stability
Floor tile and stone finishes require a stable, consistent substrate that doesn't move with humidity or temperature changes. Fibre cement's dimensional stability prevents the tile cracking and grout failure that can occur over moisture-reactive substrates.
Non-combustible
James Hardie™ floor products are fibre cement, they don't contribute to fire spread and maintain structural integrity under fire conditions. Relevant in commercial construction and any application where the floor substrate is within the NCC's scope of fire performance requirements.
Termite resistant
No cellulose content means termites have no reason to be there. In slab-on-ground and suspended floor applications in termite-active areas, fibre cement substrates provide peace of mind that timber-based alternatives can't.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Scyon® technology and which products use it?
A HardieSmart® system is a complete, independently tested wall assembly, frame, insulation, lining and fixings specified together and tested as a unit. The fire resistance level belongs to the complete system, not to any individual component. Specifying components separately and assuming the combination will achieve a specific FRL is an approach that can fail at certification. HardieSmart® removes that risk: you specify the system, the tested FRL is documented, and the certifier has what they need.
Can James Hardie™ floor products be used with underfloor heating?
Yes. The HardieSmart® Boundary Wall System is suitable for use in bushfire attack level zones up to and including BAL-FZ, the highest bushfire designation. This makes it one of the few systems that addresses both boundary fire resistance under the NCC and BAL compliance under AS 3959 in a single documented assembly. Contact our team for the specific installation requirements for BAL-rated applications.
Is Hardie™ Deck suitable for tiled deck applications?
The standard HardieSmart® system configurations are designed for timber framing. For steel-framed applications, contact our team or James Hardie directly, alternative system configurations may be available for specific steel frame applications. The NCC also requires a thermal break (minimum R0.2) where steel framing is used with external cladding and internal lining in direct contact, which affects system design.
What is the difference between Secura™ Exterior and Secura™ Interior Flooring?
Yes. CSP Architectural supplies the HardieSmart® Aged Care Wall System and can provide the complete technical documentation package required for aged care and Class 9 building certification. Given the specific compliance requirements of aged care construction, we recommend engaging our team early in the design process to confirm system selection and documentation requirements.