Choosing the right flooring - Part 3. Solid Timber & Engineered Timber

SOLID TIMBER

The purest (but not necessarily the best) form of flooring – real, solid timber planks. In many older homes, these are made from softwood like Cypress Pine.

If installing new timber, you need to consider what it looks like, how you want to stain it (if you want to stain it at all) and which top coat you want to apply to protect the floor.

When choosing the right one for you, the key thing to look at is the colour and also the knots or grain throughout the boards. Also consider how hard the timber is. And of course, the cost factor always comes into play. Always look for the native timber available in your area. Examples:

• BLACKBUTT – blondish to pale brown with a straight grain

• BRUSH BOX – pinkish grey to rich reddish brown with an interlocked grain

• JARRAH – dark red with a slightly interlocked grain

• RED IRON BARK – dark red with an interlocked grain

• TASMANIAN OAK – pale cream to pink and reddish brown

• SOUTHERN BLUE GUM – pale brown with an interlocked grain

• SPOTTED GUM – pale to dark brown or chocolate with a variable grain

• PINE – yellowish light with a variable grain

PROS

It’s the real deal for those of you who love the tradition and timeless beauty of real timber.
Can be constantly rejuvenated to ‘as new’ condition with a sand and stain.
Stands the test of time.
You have the option to ‘go pretty’ with a parquetry pattern.
Can be white-washed for an authentic coastal look.

CONS

Not cheap.
More difficult to install.
Can be noisy.
Can fade.
Not suitable for high-moisture or humid conditions as the planks expand and contract and are vulnerable to rot.
Not fire or termite resistant.

TIP 1:

IF YOU LOVE THE RUSTIC LOOK AND WANT A MORE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION, LOOK INTO RECYCLED OR RECLAIMED TIMBER FLOORING. IT OFTEN DOESN’T PROVIDE A BIG COST SAVING BUT IT DOES SAVE TREES AND CREATES THAT RUSTIC VIBE. ANOTHER BONUS IS THAT ANY NEW DENTS OR SCRATCHES USUALLY GO UNNOTICED.

TIP 2:

IF YOU’RE RENOVATING ADJOINING ROOMS AND PLAN TO REMOVE SOME WALLS IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE ORIGINAL TIMBER FLOORING; YOU’LL NEED TO PATCH THE FLOOR WHERE THE WALLS USED TO BE. THIS CAN PROVE COSTLY AND CHALLENGING IF YOU’RE AFTER A SEAMLESS LOOK FOR YOUR FLOORS BECAUSE YOU’LL HAVE TO TRY AND FIND THE EXACT SAME TIMBER SIZE AND STYLE AS WAS ORIGINALLY USED. YOU MAY ALSO BE FORCED TO LAY A PLANK RUNNING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE EXISTING FLOORS TO FILL THE GAP LEFT BY THE WALL.

ENGINEERED TIMBER

Engineered timber has all the benefits of real timber because it basically IS real timber … it’s just made up of layers. Think of it like a sandwich: the top piece of bread is what you see. It’s about 6 mm of hardwood timber, like a European or American Oak. The middle of the sandwich is packed with goodness – either a softwood like Poplar or a man-made core. This makes the whole sandwich super strong and stable.