Species
Spotted Gum is very unique and probably the second most popular Australian timber. There is not another timber in the world like Spotted Gum. The colour varies widely between pale straw to chocolate brown, sometimes having an olive green or red tinge. Not only visually impressive, spotted gum is extremely hardy. The NSW variety is a little browner and lighter on average.
Variation Disclaimer
Timber is a natural material. Variation in appearance and properties is an enticing part of designing and building with real timber! Each fibre in each plank in each project is uniquely designed by nature. We strive in good faith to present you with the most accurate portrayal of what you can expect in your timber by using images, past job portfolios, detailed information and samples, the other part of this responsibility is advising you that your timber’s appearance WILL vary from these guides. Please use this information as a guide only.
Manufacturer
Boral has been developing and producing timber products for well over a century and they remain one of the largest, most experienced and most trusted timber manufacturers in Australia. Boral offers most of the popular Australian timber species in a wide range of products including: flooring, decking, cladding and structural timber, distributed across domestic, international, residential and commercial markets.
Board Type
19mm Solid strip timber floors are one of the most tried and true floor types available.
• Kiln dried
• Precision milled with a uninail tongue & groove, end matched joint system and warp grooves on the underside
• Continuous solid timber through the entire thickness of the board with a ~5mm wear segment on top
• Backsawn timber
Boral uses a special uninail (BTF2) profile which aims to maximise board stability, wear segment thickness, improve secret nail seating and minimise waste during manufacturing.
Grades
Timber has many natural features that tell the story of the living tree. The features seen in NSW Spotted Gum are:
• Gum Veins & gum pockets
• Knots
• Surface checking
• Sapwood
• Burrs (aka burls)
This product is available in the following grades:
Classic grade; is mostly clean boards with minimal natural features. Classic grade gives a more uniform, clean, sophisticated and minimal appearance. Classic grade can be thought of as the top third cleanest timber and is equivalent to a ‘select grade’.
Standard & better grade; has a wider range of features having mixed cleaner boards and moderately featured boards. It can be thought of as the top 50% cleanest boards.
Australiana grade; offers a moderate amount of natural features. Australiana grade shows off the more natural side of a timber species while not being too busy. Australiana grade can be thought of as the in-between third cleanest timber and is equivalent to a ‘standard grade’ or ‘medium feature grade’.
Natural grade; has the highest amount of natural features. A rough, rustic look that shows off the timber in its rawest natural beauty. As a rule of thumb, you can expect at least one sizeable feature in every board. This is equivalent to a ‘feature grade’, ‘high feature grade’ or ‘rustic grade’.
Installation Summary
19mm solid strip floorboards are typically suitable for gluing and nailing over joist, battens, plywood, particleboard, or existing timber floors. They come in a raw state and need to be sanded and finished after installation. THIS IS NOT A DIY FRIENDLY PRODUCT, only an experienced installer and sander or a very experienced carpenter should attempt the installation of solid timber floorboards.
Sustainability
Timber is a truly renewable resource, a mature tree is harvested, a young tree grows in its place and a few decades later is ready for harvesting again. Australia’s vast forests are carefully, conservatively managed to ensure a responsible amount of wood is harvested. Timber uses a relatively small amount of energy during processing compared to other building materials like metals and concrete, the timber itself is a carbon storer and has a long working life.
