Hardwood flooring comes in many different types, such as the standard solid hardwood, parquet-style with a smooth finish, and engineered wood with a laminate or bamboo top coat. The cost of hardwood flooring varies depending on the style, manufacturer and if it is solid or engineered. Using natural wood materials for wooden floors costs more than laminate or engineered timber flooring.
Solid Timber Flooring Types
Solid hardwood flooring is the most traditional and expensive option. It comes in a variety of types, textures and colours.
The cost of a timber floor varies widely depending on the type you choose and where you buy it from. More expensive manufacturers charge more for their product because it’s made with high-quality materials and they have high overheads.
Installation costs for solid hardwood can be expensive because they are difficult to handle and require a high level of expertise. A budget installer may likely use the glue-down method, meaning that all of your boards may be nailed down in each corner and then glued into place. This is relatively quick but lacks the durability of more secure methods such as screwing or floating options where nails are used sparingly to keep from splitting the wood in some places.
Floating floor installations cost far less in labour charges, however, you’ll need a professional glueless underlay in order for this to work correctly if it isn’t laid on a concrete slab. Only certain types of underlay work effectively with floating floors.
Types of Timber Flooring Include:
- Blackbutt, a type of eucalyptus, is the cheapest option in timber flooring.
- Jarrah, Ironbark and Bamboo are more expensive options with correspondingly better quality.
- Parquetry floors have a higher price because they replicate patterns in much the same way that tiles do.
You could expect to pay anywhere from $1200 to $6500 or more for timber floors, depending on the materials, manufacturer and the quality of installation.
Timber Flooring Cost
Laying Blackbutt could cost around $65 per square metre of timber flooring. Jarrah comes at around $70 per square metre of timber flooring. Ironbark and Bamboo flooring have similar costs of around $90 per square metre of timber flooring. The most expensive timber flooring is considered to be Parquetry which comes at around $150 or more per square metre. Timber flooring experts would probably recommend a Jarrah or Blackbutt type of flooring because they are the most cost-effective for a timber flooring installation.
Hardwood Timber Floorboards
Hardwood timber floorboards are usually laid as floating floors. This is the most economical flooring option and is highly recommended by timber flooring specialists. A floating or glue-free installation can potentially be done properly with professional underlay, otherwise, the hardwood might squeak, buckle or not lay flush against each other.
Even if you can’t afford expensive quality brands of hardwood timber floorboards, there are local retailers who specialise in quality hardwood timber flooring installation within a budget.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring Types
As with timber floors, engineered timber flooring comes in different styles and finishes, but it also includes pre-finished products that have been coated during manufacturing so they don’t require sanding or finishing after installation.
Engineered Timber Flooring Types
There are several flooring options available when it comes to engineered timber.
Site Finished
This option is where your timber flooring may be finished off onsite. It’s the most common type of engineered finish because it doesn’t cost much and can look fantastic in any setting with little effort.
Sanded
With this option, the boards are sanded before they are sent to you for finishing. The end result can be a clear varnish that brings out all of the natural beauty of your planks or a more interesting matte finish.
Stained
Staining wood flooring has become somewhat fashionable these days, giving room to some unusual colour choices that aren’t always available on solid hardwood floors. If you choose this route, you could know that many stains require an additional finishing coat of oil or wax which adds a bit more time to your project.
Prefinished
When you choose prefinished flooring, the manufacturer does all of the necessary steps before shipping. The result is a consistent and durable finish that requires very little maintenance once installed.
Solid timber floors are an excellent choice for any home because they add value and beauty at the same time. A new solid hardwood floor can be completely transformed by polishing, staining or waxing depending on your tastes and needs. Solid hardwood may definitely stand up to heavy foot traffic better than engineered options but it’s important to remember that solid hardwood is also much more expensive in some cases.
A quality timber floor can last decades if properly maintained, however, you could consider engineered wood if you’re looking to save some money and don’t mind living with a less beautiful floor for the next 7-10 years.
Hardwood Flooring Price
The average hardwood flooring cost in Australia is around AUD$6.5-10/sqm which excludes the cost of labour and any additional products you might want to add to your order. An engineered floor with a finish coat may cost less than a solid one but take up more space in your home because it’s essentially made up of multiple layers rather than a single piece of lumber. The average timber floor cost can be as low as $50 per square metre and up to around $150 per square metre.
Hardwood Floor Costs
When it comes to the total cost of a project, you could be prepared to pay anywhere from $1500 upwards to have your floor installed. This doesn’t include the cost of removal and disposal of carpet if necessary. If you live in an older apartment building or rent, you might not get permission for this type of revamping so it’s best to think ahead before starting such a project
Laying Engineered Hardwood Flooring
The average labour fee for installing an engineered wood floor is about $60 -$70 per sqm, while the base material costs about $80-$100 per square metre.
Solid Hardwood and Installation
On average, a solid timber board may cost around $200 per square metre while the installation or labour may cost you about $90 or more per square metre.
Finishing the Job
Depending on the type of flooring and finishing you desire, your total cost could go up by another $1500 or more. It’s important to note, there are other extras like underlay and moving furniture which can add to your final bill. There’s also a variety of factors that might influence how much it costs but the best thing to do is get quotes from different companies before starting such a project
Hardwood Floor Care Tips
To keep your solid hardwood floor beautiful for years to come, take care not to introduce too many foreign substances like dirt and chemicals into its environment. Make sure you sweep regularly and always use furniture pads so that your hardwood floor doesn’t scratch or become uneven.
Don’t use a damp mop to clean your wood floors as this may cause them to lose their shine and lustre. To properly care for your solid hardwood floor, you could hire professional cleaners every three to six months who offer specialised techniques and cleaning solutions that can easily remove dirt, dust and other harmful substances from the surface of the floor without damaging it.
Structural Timber floors
Timber flooring is much easier to maintain than engineered wood flooring because the finish doesn’t chip or peel so regular cleaning with a mop and some water may be enough. If you need to remove excess dirt, use a specialised cleaner so that it doesn’t scratch, damage or dull your timber floor surface in any way. Structural timber flooring is the most expensive type on the market.
Laminate floors
Laminate flooring is a type of engineered wood put down on the surface of your existing floorboards, which gives them an attractive and durable new look that can be modified to suit any person’s needs.
How does a Laminate Floor Work?
Laminate is made from layers of different products such as polyester, melamine, and wood. All these flooring materials are very strong and durable but used in different ways to create the finished product. The layers screws together and butted against each other like puzzle pieces with high-density foam or cork pads between them for shock absorption and insulation. Laminate floors are an easier way to get a new floor surface without having to tear up your existing one, you can do it quickly and with little mess.
Why You Should Avoid Low-grade Timber Floors
One of the most disappointing experiences people have with their home is when they install a low quality or cheap timber floor. Whether it’s laminate, engineered wood or solid hardwood, you’ll find that these kinds of products don’t last very long and end up needing to be replaced after only a couple of years.
On top of that, the installation job for the lowest timber grade is usually pretty bad too with visible gaps between each piece and poor adhesive application. You can avoid this by doing your research into which company offers the best value for money because just like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. The timber chosen for a wooden floor installation could have few or no defects.
Best Flooring Timber
If you’re looking for solid hardwood flooring, be sure to choose Acacia that’s grown in Indonesia. It’s pretty much the best wood available on the market because it has beautiful natural features like knots and mineral deposits which give each individual piece of timber its own special character. Oak flooring such as Tasmanian oak is also another good choice for solid hardwood floors because it’s definitely one of the most durable and aesthetically pleasing types you can buy.
You could also avoid Parawood, Bog Oak and Canadian Maple timber species. These types of woods are usually used by companies who want to make money by offering an inferior product at a lower flooring cost. Solid hardwoods tend to cost more but they last longer so invest your money wisely.
Factors Impacting the Cost of Hardwood Flooring
Size and thickness may be the two main factors affecting the overall cost of installation. The thicker the floor, the better it may look. To get an idea about how much it costs to install hardwood floors, you could get in touch with multiple companies so you can compare prices and get everything booked in before your quote runs out.
