All opinions welcome...photos of wood floors.

Hi everybody,

I would like your opinions about the style and look of the following floors in the pics below. I love the wide plank flooring but to achieve this look is an extra 9k. Just wondering what every one else thinks, does it really make a difference? I was going to get wide planks in blackbutt but will this still look alright in the strip type of wood?

Anyway, could everyone pick their fav pictures just so that I can get an idea of what people like/dislike about wood floors. Ultimately, it is my decision but I still would really appreciate advise. BTW all these floors I have picked have a good hardness rating.

Thanks
Kempas wide plank



Blackbutt



Brushbox




Wide planks...not sure of wood



Red Iron Bark




Mrs B

Hi Mrs B,

I love the Blackbutt and quite like the not sure of wood one , but I wouldn't bother with the wide plank look. I can think of plenty of other ways to spend 9k that would give far more benefit and /or enjoyment.

But remember I'm not having wooden floors so really have no idea.

Jo

Immediately liked the blackbutt, Mrs B, but I alwyas tend to prefer the more pale timbers. If the cost were only slightly more, I'd be tempted to go for the wider boards, but not for $9k. That pic of the blackbutt is gorgeous. Looks like we won't be going for the wide planks, either...oh,well...
Think of it this way, Mrs B - $9K buys you a few marvellous Miele items!!!!

I also like the wide plank one but not for that price.

I don't think it makes that much of an impact.

I prefer pale colours myself so can't help you on colour.

Much as I like the wide planks, I think they are best suited to a more country style home rather than contemporary. I like the ordinary width Blackbutt the best. It's a classic look that goes with most furnishing colours (actually, probably all).

Judie

Mrs B, out of what you've pictured, i like the Brushbox and Red Ironbark.

If you like the hardness of the Ironbark (which has a Janka rating of 14 if memory serves me correctly) check out Grey Ironbark.... We had it at our old place with a high gloss finish and loved it.

It depends i suppose on the look you like in regards to colours and plank widths? If you are happy to pay $9k to have the wider planks then do it. Be happy with your selections, there's no point saying "I should have, or what if!"

Do what makes you happy.... (sorry i'm probably no help whatsoever.. )

As usual, only too willing to provide an opinion, especially on something we agonised about for months!

Personally I don't like the wide plank look at all. It can look a bit artificial/not quite right, particularly in Kempas.
Widths of 90mm look really good in modern houses, wouldn't go above 120mm.

Choose whichever Australian timber you love the colour of. Blackbutt, Brush Box, Red Ironbark all look great.
My personal favourites are Sydney Blue Gum (looks good in almost any width) and Spotted Gum (stick to narrower boards).

Our floor boards are around 85mm wide, mixed Eastern Victorian species (I shouldn't really say 'our floor' - the other half won on this!).
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff151/melbournelyn/3861.jpg
Wish our kickers were charcoal - pick the floor before your kitchen colours!!

Whatever you do, make sure you are buying an Australian timber & not some illegally harvested Asian rainforest.

Oh, and if you choose a lighter (generally less dense) floor, don't drop full peanut butter jars in the kitchen.

Can I just say thankyou so much, your honest replies are exactly what I need. I will reply further to all your posts later on the day

Please keep the replies coming...it really does help as some of you have confirmed a few things for me.

I love this forum Mrs B

Lyn - love the floor, looks stunning! How did your other half win the floor - not that Boral Slimwood comp? I was supposed to win that!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like the Blackbutt's winning, Mrs B. I read somewhere that it's the 'timber of choice' of most interior decorators atm - maybe Michelle could comment! Funny, that's wat DH has wanted from Day 1!!!

I prefer the narrower boards also; you tend to get more character and IMO a better looking floor.

I like wide personally - sometimes the narrow boards can draw the eyes to the floor more than the other parts of the room.

100mm to 150mm or there abouts is my preference.

and as Lyn said


Rengerative Australian grown timber species only please

Blackbutt in wide planks is my personal favourite of the lot, but I wouldn't go for it just because I like it.

I am a firm believer in matching the floor to the style and colours of the rest of the house, so I'd pick the floor on that basis.

I actually prefer the Brushbox, to me the Blackbutt is a touch to light, I also like the thinner strips

Good luck Mrs B, I am petrified to get to flooring

Hello Mrs B

From the pics, I love Red Ironbark and Brushbox Personally, I've seen Red Ironbark and I think they look gorgeous.

Can I ask, are they scratch resistant? I mean, I'm asking for future knowledge. Salesmen will say anything to get a sale but I'm sure you guys will be honest about stuff like this.

We don't wear shoes in our home but we worry about guests. I mean, you can't tell someone not to wear shoes in your home if they don't ask your preference on that when they enter your house.

DH originally wanted them but changed his mind cos' my in laws like to bring ther friend over and there's this one lady that wears stiletto heels and he doesn't want to take the risk of having the timber scratched ... know what I mean. We didn't know anyone with them either at that time, so we thought better safe than sorry. Thanks.

You are not seriously suggesting that you would change your preference in flooring just because of one silly woman's stilettos?? Please don't let this influence your choice!! Just pick the flooring YOU love and YES you can ask guests to please take off their shoes in your house, I have had to do it often enough and now I'm used to it (never had to in Europe but it seems to be an Australian thing).

When we go somewhere, we just ask if they prefer us to take off our shoes and I make sure I have warm socks on, or maybe you could provide some warm fluffy slippers for said lady You know, the high heeled pompon houseslipper ones?

Just my opinion, of course.

Els

Sorry guys, after posting, I just realised I should have gonr through the whole section to get the answer I want .. so, sorry if I sound like a dufus ... too early this morning ...

Els

It's not just one woman - she happens to be my MIL's bestfriend. My MIL does not take too kindly to us asking her and her friends what is what we consider decent when you enter someone's house. Having said that, they raised an eyebrow if you enter their house with your shoes on.

All our friends are great, they'd ask or are quick to notice we're not wearing shoes inside. I have had others doing what this lady did and DH just does not want to bother himself asking people to leave their shoes outside. In a way, I suppose you can say - we feel embarass having to even ask. It should be common knowledge for some that before you enter someone's house, look at the person's feet if they have any shoes ... whatsoever. Heck, even tradesmen that drop by to fix stuff - even ask

Brushbox for me

I think the wide look in the first photo does seem a bit 'fake' for want of a better word.

Blackbutt - give a much lighter "airier" look, more spacious looking than the darker timbers.

Hmmm... unfortunately when I said he 'won' I meant that he won the argument and got the floor that he wanted, and no, we didn't win the Boral comp (more is the pity!!).
Our floor is a mixed eastern Victorian species marketed as Firestreak - the other half calls it feature but I still call it defect. The installer did a really good job, very neat edging & good mixing of boards.
It was pretty much the cheapest overlay flooring we could find to get installed at the time that the builder had told us the house would be ready. If we had known that handover would be delayed by another 2 months we could have sourced Sydney Blue Gum for the same price. Some days I love the floor and others I don't ... but I did get to choose a fair bit of other stuff during the building negotiations.

I like the Red Ironbark. I just seem to like the darker timbers better. I also like the Sydney Blue Gum (even tho it's not on the list lol).

Mrs B, do you know what the prices are for the different timbers?

many thanks.