# Oak floorboards & herringbone flooring in Brisbane > European oak floorboards and herringbone parquet for Brisbane Queenslanders and slab homes, with humidity advice for SE Queensland and Timbo partner info. - URL: https://timbo.com.au/locations/brisbane - Publisher: Timbo (https://timbo.com.au) – trade supplier of European oak floorboards to partners in Australia and New Zealand - Last updated: 2026-10-14 - Contact (email only): partnerships@timbo.com.au ## Key facts - Brisbane's humid subtropical climate means oak should be acclimatised to air-conditioned or naturally ventilated living conditions, not to a damp site. - Timber at 80% relative humidity settles at about 16% moisture content, against about 11% at 60% RH (ATFA). - Timbo is appointing partners in Brisbane; homeowners can email partnerships@timbo.com.au to be connected. - Freight from Timbo's Melbourne warehouse to Brisbane is quoted per order. ## Timbo in Brisbane **Timbo is appointing partners in Brisbane.** Homeowners who want Prime grade European solid oak floorboards or herringbone parquet can email **partnerships@timbo.com.au**, and we'll connect you with a flooring business that can supply and install. Brisbane flooring businesses can [apply to become a partner](https://timbo.com.au/pages/be-our-business-partner). Stock ships from Timbo's Melbourne warehouse, with freight to Brisbane quoted per order. ## Humidity is the Brisbane question Brisbane is **humid subtropical**: hot, wet summers with storms and long stretches of high humidity, then mild, drier winters. For a solid timber floor, that seasonal swing matters more than the temperature. Timber constantly trades moisture with the air around it. The Australian Timber Flooring Association's figures show the scale: about **11% moisture content at 25°C and 60% relative humidity**, rising to about **16% at 80% RH** ([ATFA](https://www.floorchoices.com.au/information-sheets/acclimatisation-of-timber-flooring/)). A floor laid too dry in a Brisbane summer can swell; one laid too wet can shrink and gap through winter. Practical steps for a Brisbane job: 1. **Acclimatise to the real conditions.** If the house is air-conditioned, run it. If it's a naturally ventilated Queenslander, acclimatise with windows and doors set as they'll normally be. 2. **Install within about ±2%** of the expected in-service moisture content ([WoodSolutions](https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/timber-wiki/moisture-guide)). 3. **Allow movement.** Perimeter gaps matter more here than in dry climates; see [expansion gaps for solid parquet](https://timbo.com.au/guides/expansion-gaps-solid-parquet). 4. **Avoid storm-season installs into wet buildings.** Don't lay oak in a house that hasn't been closed in and dried out. Our [moisture content guide](https://timbo.com.au/guides/moisture-content-timber-flooring) explains how to test. ## Queenslanders, post-war homes and slab Brisbane's housing tells the story of how to install: | Home type | Typical subfloor | What it means for parquet | | --- | --- | --- | | Queenslander (high-set, on stumps) | Timber joists and boards, open underneath | Good ventilation, but the floor feels outdoor humidity from below. Check boards are flat and fixed; plywood substrate is common. | | Post-war and 1960s–70s houses | Timber on low stumps or slab | Check crawl space airflow or slab moisture. | | New estates (Springfield, Ripley, North Lakes) and townhouses | Concrete slab-on-ground | Slab must be dry, flat and sealed; read [parquet over a concrete slab](https://timbo.com.au/guides/installing-parquet-over-concrete-slab). | | Inner-city apartments | Suspended concrete slab | Strata approval and acoustic underlay are usually required. | Raised Queenslanders also carry termite risk in the subfloor framing. That's a building issue rather than a flooring one, but a pest inspection before any new floor goes down is sensible. ## Floods and low-lying suburbs Parts of Brisbane flooded in 2011 and again in 2022. If your home is in a flood-affected area, the subfloor and walls must be completely dried and checked before oak goes down, and you should discuss with your installer whether a solid timber floor is the right choice for the ground level. ## Building activity in Queensland Queensland dwelling approvals fell 22.5% in August 2026 ([ABS](https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/total-dwelling-approvals-fall-61-august)), so much of Brisbane's near-term flooring work is renovation of existing homes – exactly where herringbone and chevron parquet tend to be specified. ## Living with an oak floor through a Brisbane summer Once it's down, a few habits keep solid oak looking right in a humid city: - **Keep conditions steady.** Ceiling fans and air-conditioning used consistently are better than a house shut up hot and damp for days, then chilled hard. - **Mop damp, never wet.** Standing water and steam mops are hard on any timber floor, especially in humid weather when the oak is already carrying more moisture. - **Mat every outside door.** Storm-season mud and grit from the yard wear finishes quickly. - **Expect seasonal movement.** Slight cupping or tightness in late summer and fine gaps in a dry winter are normal for solid timber within limits. Our [oak floor care guide](https://timbo.com.au/guides/oak-floor-care-maintenance) covers cleaning products and recoating. **Buying floorboards for your home?:** Timbo partners supply and install our European oak floorboards. Find one near you. → https://timbo.com.au/partners/find-a-partner ## Brisbane flooring businesses If you sell or install timber floors in Brisbane or south-east Queensland, Timbo offers wholesale pricing, free samples, marketing material and referred enquiries, with no container minimums and no joining fee. **Become a Timbo partner:** Wholesale pricing, free samples and marketing support for flooring businesses in Australia and New Zealand. → https://timbo.com.au/pages/be-our-business-partner ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I lay solid oak parquet in a Queenslander? Yes, if the subfloor is right. A high-set Queenslander has an open, ventilated subfloor, which is good, but the floor above sees outdoor humidity from below. Your installer will check the joists and existing boards are sound and level, and may recommend a plywood substrate before the parquet is glued down. ### Is European oak a good choice for Brisbane humidity? It can be, provided it's acclimatised properly and installed with correct expansion allowances. Much of the European oak sold in Queensland is engineered ([Wood Floor Business](https://www.woodfloorbusiness.com/installation/design/article/15135503/wood-floor-trend-spotting-european-oak-still-popular-down-under)); solid 18mm parquet suits buyers who want a floor that can be resanded many times, and needs more care with moisture. ### My house was affected by flooding. Can I put oak back in? Only once the structure and subfloor have fully dried and been checked. Moisture readings in the slab or joists should be confirmed by your installer before any timber is laid. In flood-prone areas, talk to your partner about the risk of a repeat event. ### How do I get Timbo oak in Brisbane? Timbo is appointing partners in Brisbane. Email partnerships@timbo.com.au and Timbo will connect you with a flooring business that can quote and install. ### Is European oak softer than spotted gum? Yes. Spotted gum is about 11 kN on the Janka scale against roughly 4.2–6.1 kN for European oak ([PFC](https://www.pfc.com.au/janka-rating-floor-durability/)). See [European oak vs spotted gum](https://timbo.com.au/compare/european-oak-vs-spotted-gum). ## Related pages - [European oak vs spotted gum flooring: hardness, look, cost and which to choose](https://timbo.com.au/compare/european-oak-vs-spotted-gum) – European oak vs spotted gum floorboards compared – Janka hardness, colour, stability, cost per m², parquet options and which suits your home in Australia. - [Moisture content in timber flooring](https://timbo.com.au/guides/moisture-content-timber-flooring) – Moisture content in timber flooring explained: MC vs EMC, the 8–14% Australian interior range, the ±2% rule, and how to measure oak and slab moisture. - [Oak floorboards & herringbone flooring on the Gold Coast](https://timbo.com.au/locations/gold-coast) – European oak floorboards and herringbone parquet for Gold Coast apartments, canal homes and hinterland houses, with coastal humidity and strata advice.