Dr Retro is right - again!

Our mixed hardwood floor has stood the test of time, children & now grandchildren

Timber can be stained to your colour preference

Covering strategic areas with a rug helps minimise scratches - like entries and hallways

Our floor will probably outlast the rest of the house!!

Hi monicafowler96

There are pros and cons for either a solid hardwood timber flooring or a quality engineered flooring. Solid will give you a longer life span with more times it can be sanded and refinished but ususally more expensive to lay and finish in the desired finish. A roasted solid timber is a good option if you want a dark floor- also makes it harder and colour penetrates right through. Make sure the timber is acclimatised before laying to minimise movement (shrinkage and expansion) or cupping can occur.

A quality engineered flooring with a thick wear layer is often chosen because it still gives you 2-3 sands. It comes prefinished so it's cost effective. Some are smoked so any scratches are minimal in appearance. Check out the Venture plank range from Havwoods for a product with a thick wear layer. https://www.havwoods.com.au/flooringsearch/engineered-timber-flooring/venture-plank Stay away from any of the thin or mdf backed products.

Arena Venture plank pictured above

Just a further thought- make sure you have alot of natural light if you want a very dark floor and they do require more cleaning as they show the dust.

Best wishes

Hardwood. Cypress pine is also a good option as its usually cheaper depending on location.

Nevertheless solid timber and preferably Australian.

I had the same dilemma. I ended up putting an engineered 220mm wide board direct stuck to the concrete floor. I chose a premium grade French oak in the RAW finish. The raw finish allowed me to stain the floor what ever stain I wanted. I went with an ebony colour and had it hand stained ( rag on rag off). This method brings out all the grain in the timber and I am SO happy with the result.
If you purchase a quality product it is just as durable as the solid hard wood. My product I chose still has the 6mm veneered oak timber. It can be sanded back the same about of times as solid timber, 6mm is the general tolerance across all timbers before the integrity of the board is compromised.
Engineered boards are more stable in different temperatures and humidity.

out of interest, where did you purchase this from.

I purchased it through Queensland Timber Flooring.
Many flooring places will sell it. It is the premium grade raw finish. 220mm Wide planks.

We have both hardwood and engineered floors throughout our house. Engineered is definitely better for cost and ease of install (in existing premises), but looks engineered (IMO) and scratches more easily in our experience. I like the look of our engineered floors regardless and the outlay suits the price point of our home. We have some hardwood (spotted gym) installed when we needed to raise a floor area, and we did experience cupping and had a dispute with the installer. It settled over a couple of years and there’s no indication of it now. Still, there is nothing to beat the beauty and warmth of real timber, laid well.

We had premium grade Blackbutt laid in our lounge/dining/entrance/hallway with a satin finish. it looked gorgeous in winter on still days but was a nightmare in the Qld summer/humidity. It was constantly expanding and contracting. We had to shut all the doors and put the aircon on to show it off to visitors. That said it man
aged red wine spills, dog pee burn (tenants) and stilleto heels. we sanded it back twice due to injury and it came up like new. This reno, we're doing 6mm engineered oak.

I also live in Queensland (Noosa) MATT finish floors. Absolutely love it. (I Don’t have to do the, shut doors and put aircon on thing). Everyone comments on how awesome the floor is.

how do you wash this floor?

If the choice is between engineered blackbutt (4mm veneer) or solid oak in Melbourne climate, what is the recommendation, Houzzers?

It’s common to feel stuck when choosing flooring for a big open area. If you want a dark timber look, most people go for hybrid flooring because it’s waterproof, durable, and comes in lots of dark shades. Laminate is a good budget option, and engineered timber gives the most natural look if you’re okay with a bit more care. Dark floors can change a lot depending on the room. Happy to help if you want suggestions based on the exact shade you like!

Sayed , this is a 6 year old post

I was in a similar spot with my renovation a few years ago and ended up going with engineered wood floors in a dark oak finish for the main living and kitchen area. What really sold me was the maintenance, so much easier to clean after kitchen messes, and the boards still looked good even after a few scratches from the kids. I found the better-made engineered boards with a thick top layer can be refinished at least once, and they feel pretty solid underfoot. In my hallway, I went with solid timber as a bit of a test; honestly, both have their strengths, but the engineered option gave me more of the color and look I wanted with less stress about upkeep. If you’re leaning towards a dark timber look, I found a lot of inspiration just browsing different styles at places that specialize specifically in natural wood floor, places that let you see the real thing laid out. It definitely helped me make the final call.

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