Australian Timber Naturals

Australian Timber Naturals exists for one reason: some people want an Australian hardwood floor, not an oak one, and not a printed decor pretending to be either.

Native species like Spotted Gum, Blackbutt and Jarrah are magnificent floors and genuinely difficult ones. They are dense, richly coloured and extremely hard-wearing, but as solid boards they are also notoriously reactive to moisture. A solid Jarrah floor in a Peninsula house will cup through a wet winter and gap through a dry summer, and there is a limit to how much of that can be designed out. Bonding a real hardwood veneer to an engineered core solves the movement problem while keeping the species.

The veneer here is 3mm — noticeably more than the 2mm on our European Oak collections, and enough to be sanded back and refinished more than once. On a floor made from timber this hard, that matters: these species reward recoating rather than replacement, and a 3mm wear layer means the floor can be brought back decades from now. Beneath it sits an eight-layer multi-ply core that cancels the veneer's natural tension, and the whole board runs 14mm thick.

Boards are 1900mm long and available in two widths, 136mm and 190mm. That choice is genuinely useful rather than cosmetic. The 136mm board is closer to the width of original hardwood strip flooring in a period house, so in a 1950s or 1960s home it looks right next to what is already there. The 190mm board reads contemporary and suits an extension or a new build. Both widths carry the same specification.

Installation uses a drop-lock click profile, and the range carries a 5-star acoustic rating. It is rated as suitable for underfloor heating — worth noting, because many solid and engineered hardwoods are not.

The environmental credentials are unusually good. The timber is FSC-certified from sustainably managed forests, and the boards are manufactured formaldehyde-free and VOC-free. For anyone sensitive to indoor air quality, or specifying for a household with asthma, that is a substantive difference rather than a marketing line.

Some specification detail for this range is not yet published — the surface finish, the warranty terms and exact box coverage per width are all listed as confirm-on-enquiry below rather than estimated. Box coverage in particular varies between the 136mm and 190mm formats, so we quote it per project once the width is chosen.

This range suits period restorations where the new floor has to sit against existing hardwood, owners who specifically want an Australian species rather than oak, and households where indoor air quality is a live concern. Use it through living areas, bedrooms and hallways. Keep it out of bathrooms and laundries — it is real timber and behaves like it.

The timber behind this range: Blackbutt floors on the Peninsula , Spotted Gum floors on the Peninsula , Jarrah floors on the Peninsula , Blackwood floors on the Peninsula and Tasmanian Oak floors on the Peninsula .

Deciding on a surface? Our guide to coatings and finishes covers what matte, satin and wire-brushed actually change day to day. For the full species library, see the timber species guide.

Already have boards under carpet? It may be worth restoring them instead — see timber floor restoration and floor sanding & polishing.