Australian Hardwood Flooring

It depends on the look you want and how hard your floor has to work.

• Spotted Gum is the all-rounder: very hard, and its varied grain hides everyday marks.
• Blackbutt gives a light golden floor that suits modern and traditional homes alike, and it's very hard too.
• Grey Ironbark is the hardest we sell, with rich, dark tones, for the busiest homes.
• Victorian Ash is the lightest, but softer: about as hard as oak.

Compare all 6 in the species table above, then order free samples to see them in your own light.

Of the species we sell, Grey Ironbark: about 14 to 16 kN on the Janka hardness test, two to three times as hard as oak. The Australian Timber Flooring Association rates Grey Ironbark, Spotted Gum and Blackbutt very hard. See every species' hardness in the table above.

Hardness is about dents, not scratches. A finish doesn't make a floor harder, and stiletto heels can dent any timber, so felt pads and mats still matter.

Our Australian hardwood costs $108.99/m² for every species, rustic included, or $215.91 to $301.47 a box. Order about 10% extra for cuts. Found the same floor cheaper? We'll beat the price.

Laying costs extra: our instant quote starts at $52/m² for engineered timber planks. See what your room costs above, or use the flooring calculator to work out the boxes for your own room.

Yes. Every board has 3mm of solid Australian hardwood on top, so the grain you see and feel is real timber, and the surface is as hard as the species. Under it sits a layered core that keeps the board flat and steady.

That's the difference from solid timber, which is one piece of wood all the way through. It's also what sets it apart from laminate and hybrid flooring, which have a printed wood look.

Both are real hardwood and look alike once they're down. The difference is underneath.

• Engineered has 3mm of hardwood on a layered core. It moves less when the weather changes, so it suits concrete slabs and humid homes. It can float or be glued down, and ours comes finished, so there's no sanding or coating on site.
• Solid is one piece of hardwood all the way through. It's nailed to joists or glued to a slab, and most solid boards are sanded and coated after they're laid. Being thicker, it can be sanded back more times.

A 3mm top layer can usually be sanded and refinished one to three times. Looked after, either floor lasts decades, and ours comes with a 25-year warranty for homes plus a lifetime structural warranty.

You'll see this range called 14.3mm. Each board is 14mm thick, with 3mm of real hardwood on top: the test reports write it 14/3mm. The hardwood on top is the part you walk on, and the part that can be sanded back years from now. Under it is the layered core.

When you compare engineered hardwood, look at the timber on top, not just the total thickness: a thicker top layer leaves more to sand. Ask a flooring specialist before sanding, because the board's condition matters too.

Rustic boards show more of the tree's natural character: knots and more colour variation. Our rustic Spotted Gum and Blackbutt come in wider 180mm boards, at the same price per m² as the rest of the range. Compare their photos and samples with the standard boards to choose how much character you want.

Choose Australian hardwood for a tougher floor in native colours: Spotted Gum (about 11 kN) and Blackbutt (about 9) are much harder than oak (about 5 to 6 kN). Its boards click together, where our oak planks are tongue and groove.

Choose engineered oak for the widest choice of tones, from white and limed to deep grey, or a herringbone or chevron pattern. Oak starts at $92.99/m², against $108.99/m² for hardwood. More in our oak vs Australian hardwood guide.

Yes. Every board in the range has 5G click joins, so it can float on foam underlay over a moisture barrier, be glued straight down, or be secret nailed. Glue it down if you have hydronic floor heating.

Kitchen islands and other heavy, fixed pieces go in first, and a floating floor is cut around them. Leave a 10 to 15mm gap at the walls, covered by skirting or scotia fixed to the wall, never to the floor.

Our Australian hardwood has independent test reports for slip (AS 4586-2013: P2), fire (AS ISO 9239.1: 3.4 kW/m²) and impact sound (AS ISO 717.2: 4 stars AAAC, inside the Building Code of Australia's limit of L'nT,w 62). They're on each floor's page.

Laying follows the Australian Timber Flooring Association's flatness rule: no more than 3mm under a 1 metre straight edge to float the boards, or under a 3 metre edge to glue them down.

Sweep, or vacuum with a soft brush head, then wipe over with a damp (not wet) mop and a pH neutral wood floor cleaner. Wipe up spills straight away.

Never use a steam mop, wax, polish, bleach, vinegar, or soap, oil or ammonia based cleaners. Skip rubber-backed mats too: rubber can mark the floor. More in our guide to cleaning engineered timber.

Yes. Add the boxes you need to your cart and we deliver Australia-wide, in 1 to 7 business days depending on your location. Checkout prices delivery to your suburb, and our delivery page has the details. Not sure on the species? Order samples first.

Yes. Order up to 3 free samples and just cover shipping, or walk into our showroom at 2/12 Bimbil Street, Albion, in Brisbane, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. No appointment needed.

Real timber varies from board to board, so look at samples in your own light, by day and at night.