Hardwood floors continue to be one of the most coveted home features in the country. The natural look of timber flooring never goes out of style and complements most home designs, so you can opt not to replace or recolour it for years. Additionally, if you decide to sell your house in the future, you can count on hardwood flooring to increase the property’s value.
Timber flooring, however, can be expensive, especially solid hardwood. Standard timbers cost around $50 to $70 per m2 – more if the wood used is rare or has a high grade.The prohibitive cost, along with the situation with the pandemic causing some woods to be in short supply, is why many homeowners are reluctant and possibly not able to have hardwood floors installed.
The good news is that timber flooring comes in various types and grades, with some being more affordable than others. So, you can find timber floor options that won’t break the bank as long as you know which features to go for or avoid.
Check out Tile Importer’s comprehensive 2021 guide on the cost of timber flooring below to learn how to choose wood options that would suit your budget.
Type of Wood
Timbers have different levels of durability and variations of visual features, which affect their price. Some hardwoods are also more difficult to procure than others, so these tend to cost more.
Below are the costs of standard grade timbers that are commonly used for floors:
Jarrah($80 to $110 per m2)
Jarrah is considered one of the best hardwoods for flooring. It has wavy lines of interlocking grain and comes in a range of rich colours, from reds and pinks to browns, that adds to the beauty of the room or area it is installed.
This timber is also highly resistant to fire, termites, rot and wear – all ideal wood flooring qualities usually, but especially when you live in an area prone to these issues. Lastly, you can expect it to last years, which will lead to a higher ROI on the installation cost.
Tasmanian Oak ($50 to $80 per m2)
A favourite hardwood product among homeowners, Tasmanian Oak is a dense and resilient timber with a uniformly straight grain. It has a light colouring ranging from pale yellow to warm brown that readily match the other wood fixtures in your home, making it perfect for indoor floors. Tasmanian Oak is also an affordable option considering that it offers much in the way of durability and aesthetic value.
Cypress Pine ($70 to $100 per m2)
Australian Cypress Pine is technically a softwood, but many consider it a hardwood because it’s harder than radiata or Baltic Pine.The best thing about Cypress Pine is that a homeowner can get a material with a level of durability almost on par with most hardwoods for the price of a softwood.Additionally, it’s naturally resistant to termites and can endure prolonged weathering when cared for properly.
The wood has a golden-brown hue with streaks of orange or yellow highlights and dark brown knots and grain.
Solid vs. Engineered Wood
Solid wood flooring, as the name suggests, is made purely of wood all throughout. It’s hard wearing and offers the natural wood look that many homeowners love. The biggest advantages of solid hardwood floors are that they last a lifetime – a century or longer – and rarely need replacements. You can also sand and refinish them many times over its lifespan.
Solid wood timbers can be subject to warping in excessively damp, humid conditions, before committing to using this material.
Engineered timber flooring on the other hand, uses a solid hardwood veneer that’s bound with other building materials like sawdust, wood fibres or adhesives. Compared to solid hardwood, engineered timbers are easier to maintain because the wood is protected by the composite material. They’re also more stable, which means they’re less likely to warp or splinter due to temperature changes.
When it comes to price, engineered timbers are considerably more cost effective. Solid wood flooring costs more because it requires more raw materials to produce. Timbers taken from rare species or from trees with heavily regulated logging activities will be especially pricey.
So, if you want to use premium hardwood for your floors, you can opt for engineered timber instead to make sure it still falls within your budget. You’ll still be getting the natural wood look you want but at a more affordable price.
Engineered Australian timbers like jarrah and cypress pine range from $75 to $140 per m2. Meanwhile, engineered European or American variants typically cost between $65 and $140 per m2.
Timber Grade
Timbers have different amounts of surface texture even if they’re cut from the same species, so they are graded visually to determine their price range. Visual features like knots and a high slope of grain (i.e., wood grain that doesn’t run parallel with the timber’s cut) can reduce the timber’s structural capacity. Thus, timbers with more surface features like these, are graded lower.
Cleaner timbers are more expensive because they’re more structurally sound and are harder to come by, whereas lower grade options are more affordable.
Here’s the estimated price range for various timber grades:
- $40 per m2 – low-grade timber with several visible imperfections
- $50 to $70 per m2 – mid-grade timber with minor flaws
- $60 to $100 per m2 – high-grade timber with little to no defects
Note that only solid wood timbers are graded. The pricing of engineered timbers is determined by the thickness of the real hardwood it uses.
Installation Method
The timber flooring’s installation method also contributes to its cost. Solid hardwood floors are more difficult to install than engineered options because they’re thicker and require the use of a special flooring nailer. You’ll also need to sand the floors before applying the finish.
Installing solid hardwood timber flooring can be burdensome to do on your own, so it’s better to hire a professional to do the work. The labour costs, however, add up to your total installation expenses. Installers charge around $30 to $50 per square metre, depending on where you live.
On the other hand, engineered timber flooring can be installed in two ways: floating or direct-stick.
- Floating installation: This relies on the pre-installed click-lock system on the timbers, eliminating the need for glue or nails. The timbers essentially ‘click’ into place like a jigsaw puzzle, so you can install them yourself. But if you were to hire a professional, expect to pay around $30 to $35 per square metre for the job.
- Direct-stick installation: This method is a bit more complicated and expensive than floating installation because it glues down the individual timbers onto the subfloor. The cost is worth it, though, because the glue increases the stability of the wood against moisture. This method also provides a quieter, more comfortable underfoot feeling. Professionals charge around $40 to $45 per square metre to do this installation method.
Calculating Timber Flooring Costs
If you want to find the overall most affordable timber flooring option, it would be better to ask the friendly staff at Tile Importer or a professional installer for their recommendations. They’ll estimate how much it would cost to cover your entire floor using different wood options so you can compare prices, pros and cons and make a better-informed decision.
Tile Importer is a one-stop shop for timber, tiles and other building materials. We provide DIY renovators and builders with high-quality timber flooring products, including solid wood and engineered wood options.
Check out our online shop to see our selection of timber products.
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