# Oak floorboards & herringbone flooring in Hobart

> European oak floorboards and herringbone parquet for Hobart's heritage homes and new builds, with advice on cold winters, heating and bushfire-prone slopes.

- URL: https://timbo.com.au/locations/hobart
- 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

- Hobart's cool temperate climate means a long heating season, often with wood heaters or heat pumps that dry indoor air.
- Much of Hobart's older housing has timber floors on joists over a crawl space.
- Timbo is appointing partners in Hobart; homeowners can email partnerships@timbo.com.au to be connected.
- Orders are freighted across Bass Strait from Timbo's Melbourne warehouse, quoted per order.

## Timbo in Hobart and southern Tasmania

**Timbo is appointing partners in Hobart.** Homeowners can email **partnerships@timbo.com.au** and we'll connect you with a flooring business that can supply and install Prime grade European solid oak herringbone, chevron and pattern parquet. Tasmanian flooring businesses can [apply to become a partner](https://timbo.com.au/pages/be-our-business-partner).

Orders ship from Timbo's Melbourne warehouse across Bass Strait, with freight quoted per order. See [delivery and lead times](https://timbo.com.au/partners/delivery-and-lead-times).

## Heritage houses on timber floors

Hobart has some of Australia's oldest surviving housing. **Georgian sandstone cottages** in Battery Point, Victorian and Federation brick and weatherboard houses through North Hobart, West Hobart, Sandy Bay and New Town, and post-war homes across the eastern shore make up much of the city. Most sit on **timber joists over a crawl space**.

Herringbone suits these interiors, and solid 18mm blocks can be sanded back and refinished many times. Before laying parquet in an older Hobart home, your installer will look at:

- **Subfloor ventilation.** Hillside houses often have damp, poorly ventilated crawl spaces on the uphill side.
- **Joist and board condition.** Old floors may need levelling or a plywood substrate.
- **Rising damp in sandstone.** Damp walls mean damp air near the floor; fix the cause first.

Newer homes in Kingston, Sorell, Brighton and the northern suburbs are mostly **slab-on-ground**; see [installing parquet over a concrete slab](https://timbo.com.au/guides/installing-parquet-over-concrete-slab).

## Cold winters, heated homes

Hobart is **cool temperate**: mild summers and cold winters, with snow often visible on kunanyi/Mount Wellington. Homes are heated for much of the year, with heat pumps and wood heaters both common.

Heated air is dry, and oak responds by giving up moisture and shrinking slightly through winter. That means:

| Situation | Advice |
| --- | --- |
| Installing in winter | Acclimatise with the heating running as normal |
| Wood heater in the room | Hearth zone in front; avoid running the room very hot |
| Heat pump blowing across the floor | Expect faster drying near the outlet; avoid aiming it at the floor |
| Holiday shack left cold and closed | Ventilate; acclimatise to occupied conditions |

Australian interiors typically sit between 8% and 14% equilibrium moisture content, and floors should be laid within about ±2% of the expected in-service figure ([WoodSolutions](https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/timber-wiki/moisture-guide)). Read [acclimatising oak flooring](https://timbo.com.au/guides/acclimatising-oak-flooring).

## Bushfire-prone slopes

Hobart's suburbs climb the foothills of kunanyi, and fire has reached the city before, most notably in 1967. Homes in Fern Tree, the upper parts of West Hobart and South Hobart, and parts of the eastern shore may carry a **bushfire attack level (BAL)**. AS 3959 mainly regulates elevated subfloors and decks exposed to radiant heat, rather than internal floors over a slab ([WoodSolutions](https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/system/files/Designinginbushfireareas.pdf)). Hillside homes with raised timber subfloors should read [timber flooring in bushfire areas](https://timbo.com.au/guides/timber-flooring-bushfire-areas) and confirm the BAL with their builder.

## European oak in a Tasmanian oak town

Tasmanians know their own hardwoods. European oak isn't a replacement for Tasmanian oak so much as a different floor: true oak grain, Prime grade with an even look, and available in herringbone and chevron parquet formats. See the [European oak vs Tasmanian oak comparison](https://timbo.com.au/compare/european-oak-vs-tasmanian-oak).

## Getting the oak across Bass Strait

Every Tasmanian order crosses Bass Strait from Melbourne, so a few habits help:

- **Order the whole job at once.** Include the pattern's waste allowance so you don't need a second shipment; our [how many boxes guide](https://timbo.com.au/guides/how-many-boxes-of-flooring) explains the maths.
- **Inspect on arrival.** Your Timbo partner checks the delivery as soon as it arrives – partners must report any defects to Timbo within 3 days of receipt, so problems are caught before installation.
- **Store it inside, not in the shed.** Unheated garages and sheds in a Hobart winter are cold and damp; acclimatise the boxes in the rooms where they'll be laid.

**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

## Tasmanian flooring businesses

Timbo partners order from Melbourne stock with no container minimums and get wholesale pricing, free samples and marketing support. The program is non-exclusive and free to join.

**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

### Should I choose Tasmanian oak or European oak?

They're different timbers. Tasmanian oak is a eucalypt with a Janka hardness of about 5.5–7 kN, similar to or slightly above European oak at roughly 4.2–6.1 kN ([PFC](https://www.pfc.com.au/janka-rating-floor-durability/)). European oak (Quercus) has a different grain and is widely made into herringbone and chevron parquet. See [European oak vs Tasmanian oak](https://timbo.com.au/compare/european-oak-vs-tasmanian-oak).

### Will a wood heater damage my oak floor?

Not if it's used sensibly. Strong radiant heat dries the floor nearby, which can cause localised gaps. Keep a hearth or non-combustible zone in front of the heater, and avoid running the room very hot for long periods.

### Can I put parquet over the old boards in my Battery Point or North Hobart cottage?

Often, yes, once your installer confirms the joists are sound, the subfloor is ventilated and dry, and the boards are flat enough or re-sheeted. Heritage listings usually concern structure and facades, but check if other work is planned.

### Is there a Timbo partner in Hobart?

Timbo is appointing partners in Hobart. Email partnerships@timbo.com.au and Timbo will connect you with a flooring business that can supply and install.

### Does freight to Tasmania cost more?

Freight is quoted per order from Melbourne, so the cost depends on the quantity and delivery point. Ask Timbo or your partner for a quote.

## Related pages

- [European oak vs Tasmanian oak flooring: what's the difference and which to choose](https://timbo.com.au/compare/european-oak-vs-tasmanian-oak) – European oak vs Tasmanian oak compared – why Tas oak isn't a true oak, Janka hardness, colour, staining, supply, cost per m² and which floor suits your home.
- [Timber flooring in bushfire-prone areas (AS 3959)](https://timbo.com.au/guides/timber-flooring-bushfire-areas) – Does AS 3959 restrict timber floorboards in bushfire-prone areas? What BAL rules cover, why internal floors over a slab are usually unaffected, what to check.
- [Oak floorboards & herringbone flooring in Melbourne](https://timbo.com.au/locations/melbourne) – Prime grade European oak floorboards and herringbone parquet in Melbourne, from Timbo's Altona North warehouse through seven local partners. Find one near you.