The choice of species influences the colour of a floor.

The many timber species used in timber floors provide us with a rich array of colours and grain patterns. In some species, the natural colours will be fairly consistent while others can involve a blend of several colours and tones. This is particularly the case where the sapwood (the outer layer of timber beneath the bark) is often much lighter in colour than the heartwood. Even within a single species and within individual trees, large colour variations of the heartwood can occur. In addition, the age of the tree has a significant effect on the colour with timber from younger trees often being lighter in colour than more mature trees.

When choosing a timber species you therefore need to consider the following:

• Are you looking for a timber species or a timber colour? If you are more concerned with colour then ensure that you are accepting of the colour variations that may occur in that species. You may also wish to consider another similar coloured species or whether mixed species of similar colour are available that would be more suited to the look you are seeking.

• Photos in magazines or off computer screens will NOT give you a realistic representation of species colour. Even a sample flooring board provides just one representation of the colour in that species. Due to this, larger panels in showrooms should be viewed although even these are unlikely to be able to cover the full range of potential colour variation.

• If you like the colours in a species from one supplier, should you expect that the colours in that species will be the same from another supplier? No, there is no assurance that this will be the case due to differences in growing region and tree age.

It is important to remember that when choosing a timber floor, no matter how large the showroom sample is that you have seen, it is only indicative of the species colour and natural variation that may be expected.

Your floor will be different from these samples and totally unique to you in its beauty.
Talk to D.I.Y. Parquetry, Timber & Cork Flooring, your flooring specialists today
on 0409 081 679.

Article courtesy of Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA)