What counts as timber flooring?
Timber flooring is any floor with a real wood walking surface: solid timber boards, engineered timber boards, or parquet blocks. Hybrid and laminate floors are timber-look products – they may be sold beside timber, but their surface is a printed image. For a full comparison of floor types, species and formats, start with our floorboards guide; this page is about making the decision for a particular home.
The four-step framework
Most flooring mistakes come from choosing the look first and the product second. Work through these steps in order instead:
| Step | Question | What it decides |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Room | How will each room be used? | Durability, finish and whether timber suits the room at all |
| 2. Subfloor | What is the floor built on? | Installation method; solid vs engineered vs floating |
| 3. Climate | How humid, dry or heated is the house? | Species stability, acclimatisation and expansion detailing |
| 4. Budget | What is the total installed budget per m²? | Product tier, format (boards vs parquet) and finish |
Only after these four steps does colour and pattern become a free choice – and with European oak, almost any colour is possible through the finish.
Step 1: Choose by room
Timber suits living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and studies anywhere in the house; it needs more care in kitchens and entries, and is generally avoided in bathrooms and laundries. Use this room-by-room guide:
| Room | Main stresses | Timber suits? | What to specify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living and dining | Furniture, foot traffic, sunlight | Yes | Felt pads, UV-aware finish; herringbone or chevron as a feature |
| Bedrooms | Light traffic | Yes | Any finish; oil gives a soft, warm feel |
| Hallways and entries | Grit, heavy traffic | Yes, with mats | Durable coating; mats at every external door |
| Kitchen | Spills, dropped items, standing traffic | Yes, with care | Durable finish, mats at sink and cooktop – see oak flooring in kitchens |
| Stairs | Wear on nosings, slip risk | Yes | Treads rated P3 dry / P4 wet (SlipTest) – see slip resistance on timber stairs |
| Bathroom and laundry | Standing water, humidity | Usually no | Tile or another wet-area product |
| Homes with pets | Claw scratches, accidents | Yes | Tougher finish, regular claw trimming – see timber floors and pets |
Open-plan homes add one more rule: keep the floor continuous through living, dining and kitchen where you can. A single timber running through the space looks larger and avoids awkward transitions, so choose a product that can handle the toughest room in the run.
Step 2: Choose by subfloor
Your subfloor decides how the timber is fixed, and that narrows which products suit. Check it before falling in love with a product.
- Concrete slab → glue-down solid parquet or engineered boards, or a floating engineered floor. The slab must be flat and dry: roughly within 3mm over 3m, with a moisture barrier or moisture-barrier adhesive and the adhesive maker's moisture limits followed (Bowens).
- Joists and bearers (a suspended timber floor) → traditional solid strip boards nailed to joists, or a sheet subfloor first if you want parquet. Check subfloor ventilation and ground moisture.
- Existing floorboards → often the cheapest path is to sand and refinish them. If you overlay, the old boards must be flat, sound and well fixed.
- Underfloor heating → engineered timber is generally preferred, and the floor surface should be kept to about 27°C maximum using a floor sensor (Solid Wood Flooring Co). See underfloor heating and oak flooring.
- Elevated subfloors in bushfire-prone areas → AS 3959 can regulate subfloor construction and flooring exposed to radiant heat; internal floors over a slab are generally not affected (WoodSolutions). See timber flooring in bushfire areas.
| Subfloor | Solid boards | Solid parquet (e.g. 18mm herringbone) | Engineered | Floating hybrid/laminate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab | Glue-down | Glue-down | Glue-down or float | Float |
| Joists and bearers | Nail to joists | Needs sheet subfloor first | Usually over sheet subfloor | Over sheet subfloor |
| Sheet subfloor | Glue/fix | Glue | Glue or float | Float |
| Underfloor heating | Check carefully | Check carefully | Generally preferred | Check product |
Step 3: Choose for your climate
Timber constantly exchanges moisture with the air, so the climate inside the house matters more than the climate outside. The right product is one that will be installed close to the moisture content it will live at.
Timber's equilibrium moisture content (EMC) rises with humidity: about 11% at 25°C and 60% relative humidity and about 16% at 80% relative humidity (ATFA). Australian interiors usually sit between 8% and 14% EMC, and flooring should be installed within about ±2% of its in-service EMC (WoodSolutions). Australian-made boards are typically supplied at about 10–12% moisture content (ATFA specification).
| House conditions | Risk | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Humid or coastal, little air-conditioning | Boards gain moisture and swell; cupping | Acclimatise; generous expansion gaps; stable formats such as parquet or engineered |
| Dry, heated or heavily air-conditioned | Boards lose moisture; gaps open | Install at a lower moisture content; avoid very wide solid boards |
| Large north- or west-facing glass | Local heat and UV; colour change | Blinds, UV-aware finishes, rugs moved occasionally |
| New build with a fresh slab | Slab still drying | Test slab moisture; allow drying time; moisture barrier |
| Holiday home, closed for long periods | Big swings in humidity | Engineered or parquet; avoid extreme board widths |
Parquet patterns such as herringbone spread movement across many short blocks and joints, which is one reason they perform well over slabs. Read more in moisture content in timber flooring.
Step 4: Set the budget
Set the budget as a total installed price per m², not a price for the boards alone. Preparation, adhesive, installation, finishing and waste often add as much again as the timber itself. Indicative 2026 prices below are in AUD including GST:
| Budget tier | Typical choice | Indicative installed price per m² |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Hybrid / SPC (timber-look, not timber) | $55–$120 (WhatsTheDamage) |
| Mid | Solid Australian hardwood boards (spotted gum, blackbutt) | $120–$367, varying by city (HH Timber) |
| Premium | Engineered oak herringbone | $160–$320 (Artistic Wood Floor) |
| Premium | Solid oak herringbone, raw, sanded and coated on site | Supply about $94.99 (SET Timber) + labour $60–$120 (The Flooring Guys) + sanding and coating $30–$70 (WhatsTheDamage) |
Adding the solid oak herringbone components together gives roughly $185–$285/m² before subfloor preparation, adhesive, moisture barrier and waste – our arithmetic, not a quote. For a full breakdown of labour, see parquet installation cost.
Think about cost over the life of the floor, too. A solid timber floor that can be sanded and refinished several times may outlast two or three replacements of a printed floor.
Putting it together: three worked examples
- Renovated period home on joists, Melbourne. Living rooms and bedrooms, light-to-moderate traffic, original boards damaged. Options: restore the original boards, or lay a sheet subfloor and solid oak herringbone in the main living space. Budget: mid to premium.
- New house on a slab, south-east Queensland. Open-plan kitchen and living, humid summers, family with a dog. Options: glue-down solid or engineered timber with a tough finish, installed after slab moisture testing; mats at entries. Budget: mid.
- Apartment with underfloor heating. Slab, acoustic requirements, heating. Options: engineered timber approved for heating, with the strata's acoustic rules checked. Budget: mid to premium.
Buying timber flooring through Timbo
Timbo supplies Prime grade European solid oak parquet – herringbone, chevron and pattern – to flooring businesses, who quote, supply and install for homeowners. If you are planning a home project, a Timbo partner can work through these four steps with you on site.
Builders and developers choosing a timber floor for multiple homes can read about supply for builders.
Sources
- ATFA / Floor Choices – Acclimatisation of timber flooring
- ATFA – Specification for solid timber flooring
- WoodSolutions – Moisture guide and Designing in bushfire areas
- Bowens – Hardwood timber flooring
- The Solid Wood Flooring Company – Underfloor heating
- SlipTest – NCC slip resistance requirements
- WhatsTheDamage – Flooring cost and Timber floor sanding cost
- HH Timber Floors – Timber flooring cost Sydney
- Artistic Wood Floor – Timber flooring cost Melbourne 2026
- SET Timber Supplies – Raw herringbone French oak
- The Flooring Guys – Herringbone flooring cost in Australia
Frequently asked questions
Is timber flooring a good idea in a kitchen?
Yes, timber is widely used in Australian kitchens, provided spills are wiped up promptly and the finish is durable. A hard-wearing polyurethane or a well-maintained oil, plus mats at the sink, keeps it looking good. See oak flooring in kitchens.
Can I put timber flooring in a bathroom?
It is generally not recommended. Bathrooms and laundries see standing water and high humidity, which cause timber to swell and finishes to fail, so tile or another wet-area product is the usual choice there.
Is timber flooring OK with dogs?
Yes, but expect some marks. Claws scratch the finish on any timber, so choose a tougher finish, keep claws trimmed and accept a lived-in patina. Our timber floors and pets guide covers the details.
Does timber flooring work in humid climates like Queensland?
Yes, if the timber is installed at a moisture content that suits the local climate and the house. Higher humidity means a higher equilibrium moisture content, so installers acclimatise boards and leave adequate expansion gaps. Read about moisture content.
Is timber flooring better than laminate?
Timber lasts longer because it can be sanded and refinished, and it adds the warmth and value of real wood. Laminate is cheaper to buy but is a printed surface that cannot be renewed. Compare them in timber vs laminate flooring.
Who installs Timbo timber flooring?
Timbo partners – flooring retailers, installers and builders – supply and install Timbo's European oak. Find a partner, or email partnerships@timbo.com.au if there is no listed partner near you yet.