Engineered Timber Flooring

Yes. Every board has a 3mm layer of real timber on top: Australian hardwood like Blackbutt and Spotted Gum, or oak. The grain you see and feel is real wood.

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. Engineered boards move less when the weather changes, and ours come finished and ready to lay. More in our guide to engineered timber flooring.

Both are real timber and look the same once they're down. The difference is underneath.

• Engineered timber (also called engineered wood flooring) has a 3mm top layer of real timber 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 you can walk on it as soon as it's laid. It often costs less to have laid for that reason.
• Solid timber is one piece of wood 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.

Our engineered timber flooring costs $92.99/m² for oak planks, $103.99/m² for oak herringbone, $108.99/m² for Australian hardwood and from $113.99/m² for oak chevron. Order about 10% extra for cuts on planks, 15% on herringbone and 15 to 20% on chevron. Found the same floor cheaper? We'll beat the price.

Laying costs extra: our instant quote starts at $52/m² for engineered timber planks. The engineered timber flooring cost guide covers the whole job, and the flooring calculator works out how many boxes you need.

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

Australian hardwood is the tough choice. On the Janka hardness test Spotted Gum rates about 11 kN and Blackbutt about 9, against about 5 to 6 for oak, so they dent less in busy family homes, and they bring a warm, native look. Oak gives you the widest choice of tones, from white and limed to warm clay and deep grey, and it's the one for a herringbone or chevron pattern.

Still deciding? Compare them in oak vs Australian hardwood, then order free samples to see them in your own light.

Choose engineered timber for real wood: real grain, a warm feel underfoot and a floor that can be sanded and refinished years from now. It suits living rooms, bedrooms and hallways.

Choose hybrid flooring for busy kitchens, big dogs, lots of spills and tighter budgets. It's 100% water resistant and clicks together with the underlay already attached, and it starts at $33.99/m² against $92.99/m² for engineered timber. Many homes use both. See them side by side: hybrid vs engineered timber.

It copes with everyday life. The boards are sealed with a UV lacquer, so spills wipe straight up if you get to them quickly. It's still real wood, so don't leave water sitting on it, mop with a damp (not wet) mop and put a mat in front of the kitchen sink.

Want a floor that shrugs off water? Our hybrid flooring is 100% water resistant. Check the individual product description for where each floor can go.

Three things to know before you buy:

• It costs more than hybrid or laminate. You're paying for real timber, from $92.99/m². If budget comes first, see our hybrid flooring from $33.99/m² or laminate flooring from $24.90/m².
• It can scratch and dent, like any wood floor. Felt pads under furniture, a mat at each door and regular sweeping keep it looking good, and a worn floor can be sanded back and refinished.
• It doesn't like standing water. Wipe up spills quickly and use a damp mop, never a wet one or a steam mop.

The upside is a real wood floor that lasts: ours comes with a 25-year warranty for homes plus a lifetime structural warranty.

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.