19 Apr, 2019
There’s much to love about timber floors. Beautiful, easy to clean, healthy, durable - but with so many different styles and species on offer, it can be difficult to choose just which one is right for you. The main species used on indoor floors in Australian homes is Spotted Gum, Tasmanian Oak, Blackbutt, Ironbark and Beech. AUSTRALIAN TIMBER TYPES Spotted Gum - Varying visually, with colours from sandy to chocolate brown to dark red brown, Spotted Gum is one of Australia’s premium hardwoods. It has a striking appearance with a wavy grain that is highly valued by architects and home designers and is naturally durable. T asmanian Oak - Found in striking colours from pale cream to pink and reddish brown, Tasmanian oak is a combination of three Eucalypt species commonly found in Tasmania. It produces an extremely straight, delicate and even grain, due to the process of quarter sawing the logs. Blackbutt - Very commonly used in Australian flooring, the hardy Blackbutt timber ranges in colour from cream to pale brown. It usually has a straight grain with growth rings often noticeable. Ironbark - Ironbark timber has a coarse texture and rich colours ranging from grey to red which gives a refined, classical air. Typically it has a moderately coarse texture and is extremely hardy. Australian Beech - A combination of highland timbers, the colours range from pale brown and golden hues to a beautiful light cream with pink tinges. It is hardy and versatile with grain patterns varying greatly. FLOORING PRODUCT TYPES Solid timber - made from hardwood planks, fixed to the subfloor and is usually sanded and coated on site. Engineered timber - consists of a layer of real timber veneer laid over supporting board, commonly plywood. Laminate flooring - is made from multiple layers of pressed wood topped with a photo image of timber that is then covered with a layer of clear, tough melamine plastic.