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Hardwood Timber Flooring Vs. Engineered Timber Flooring

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By Suburban Flooring 9 Feb 2023

If you’re considering installing hardwood timber flooring into your home or business, you might like to weigh up the options of engineered timber flooring. Engineered timber flooring is manufactured using real hardwood and several other sustainably manufactured composite layers.

Suburban Flooring Co take sustainability seriously. Wood is one of a very few, versatile, renewable source materials that can be used for flooring.

It can be easy to forget the impact our actions have on our environment.

Shopping for products that support sustainability for our future should be our number one priority.

For many years Suburban Flooring Co have gone the extra mile to limit the environmental impact of our planet by sourcing sustainably.

We proudly support businesses that support our future.

We love timber floors, but we love our environment more.

In this article we’ll discuss

  • What Are The Hardwood Timber Flooring Prices In Melbourne?
  • Hardwood Floor Cost Vs. Engineered Timber Flooring
  • Engineered Timber Flooring is The Cost-Effective Option
  • Hardwood Timber Flooring Options In Melbourne
  • What Are The Different Hardwood Timber Flooring Types?
  • Timber Hardwood Flooring Examples For Melbourne
  • What’s the Difference Between An Engineered Timber Floor And A Solid Timber Floor?
  • What’s The Difference Between Timber Flooring And Laminate Flooring?
  • Timber Flooring Australia & Sustainability
  • Which Timber Flooring Is Best?

What Are Hardwood Timber Flooring Prices In Melbourne?

Spartan flooring, inspired by the Australian hardwood tradition

At Suburban Flooring Co, we install engineered timber floors that are sustainable, because we care about the environment.

Engineered timber floors have many benefits over hardwood timber.

In terms of Melbourne hardwood timber flooring prices, you’ll find that engineered timber floors boast the same elegance and authenticity as a full hardwood floor — but without the cost or the drawbacks to the environment.

Hardwood Floor Cost Vs. Engineered Timber Flooring

Full hardwood floors typically cost more to install than partial hardwood engineered timber flooring because they’re generally more time consuming to install.

Planning for the future, where little accidents can happen around any home, hardwood flooring typically costs more to repair when damaged; for both materials and labour. And that’s if you can find the same tone and texture of hardwood plank.

Hardwood floors also need to be sanded and finished, requiring even more time before you can begin to enjoy the floor.

Engineered Timber Flooring is The Cost Effective Option

Engineered timber flooring is a cost effective option for homes and businesses that want to enjoy the elegance of a hardwood floor, without the drawbacks — both financially and to the environment.

Some of our engineered timber floors even use real hardwood for the top layer, so by eye, it’s all but impossible to tell the difference between an engineered timber floor and a hardwood floor.

Engineered Timber Flooring Is Easier To Repair

Another great factor for modern timber flooring is that when it comes to the repairs of engineered timber flooring, the boards snap together and can usually be fixed by a professional without a lot of time or fuss.

Suburban Flooring Co also stocks repair kits, so small scratches and scuffs can be taken care of, keeping the floor looking just as elegant as the day it was installed.

Even better, engineered timber floors are UV resistant, so they won’t fade in sunny rooms and they’re more water resistant than full hardwood floors.

For hardwood flooring timber prices in Melbourne engineered timber flooring is consistently the popular choice.

We’d like to invite you to come into our Highett showroom to take a look at the range of engineered timber floors that use real hardwood, or even the laminate and hybrid floor options we have available.

We’re sure that you’ll be impressed by hardwood timber flooring in Melbourne. Call us to and tell us about your plans: (03) 9078 8556

Our beautiful Spartan Hybrid flooring in Washed Blackbutt is inspired by the neutral colour palettes and clean lines that define the Australian hardwood tradition. Simple in design and soft in tone, they are all about understated elegance and warm functionality that creates a modern yet homely feel in any interior.

Hardwood Timber Flooring Options In Melbourne

When it comes to hardwood timber flooring in Melbourne, Suburban Flooring Co is the business of choice for many homeowners and businesses.

We’re passionate about flooring.

When we chat with our customers, we’re not selling a floor, we’re completing a home.

We set up our Highett showroom so that we can fully educate our wonderful customers about the full range of flooring options available.

We carry and install engineered timber floors where the plank’s top layer is real hardwood. Due to the many benefits that engineered timber flooring has over traditional hardwood flooring, not to mention the sustainability benefits and that engineered timber floors are indistinguishable from real hardwood has led to it being the most popular choice for many our customers.

Visit our showroom and you’ll see that we carry engineered timber flooring that incorporates real hardwood.

You’ll also be interested to see our hybrid vinyl and laminate options that come with a hardwood look and are great for the whole house due to their waterproof qualities; including kitchens and bathrooms.

What Are The Different Hardwood Timber Flooring Types?

Australian Hardwood Flooring

Suburban Flooring carries many Melbourne hardwood timber flooring types. Our engineered timber floors are manufactured with several composite layers — the top layer consisting of real hardwood.

We also carry hardwood look laminate and hybrid vinyl flooring options.

In terms of different hardwood timber flooring types relating to traditional hardwood Vs. engineered timber flooring, the range of flooring options available at our showroom is quite extensive.

Whether you’re looking for a traditional Australian hardwood or something more exotic, you’ll be pleased to find that we can accommodate your tastes.

And best of all, your floor will be sustainably sources, so you’ll feel great about your contribution to the environment.

Timber Hardwood Flooring Examples For Melbourne

The engineered timber floors that we showcase in our Highett showroom are crafted from real hardwood.

Engineered timber uses less timber and requires less work to produce and install. This means a more affordable flooring solution for your home.

Engineered timber is made by combining multiple layers of timber board.

Each layer is carefully selected and bonded, dramatically increasing its stability and minimising swelling and shrinkage compared to vinyl, laminate, and even natural hardwood!

Gallery | Timber Hardwood Flooring Examples

For timber hardwood flooring examples, for actual installations, please visit our Facebook page. We post regular updates of the installations we’re doing around Melbourne for our wonderful customers. We’re also proud of the fantastic reviews our customers have left for us. We regularly take photos of our work.

What’s the Difference Between An Engineered Timber Floor And A Solid Timber Floor?

An engineered timber floor is made up of three layers of real wood, whereas a solid timber floor has just one continuous layer. The precision manufacturing process of engineered flooring in combination with the carefully selected materials makes engineered floors significantly less sensitive to contracting and expanding, offering a much more stable and long lasting floor.

While engineered timber floors can only be sanded or refinished several times, due to the 2.5-3.0 mm thickness of the face layer, a common misconception is that solid timber floors can be sanded almost indefinitely. However, solid timber floors also have their restrictions. They can only be sanded down to the depth of the tongue of the plank.

Another great benefit of engineered timber floors is that they can be installed as a floating floor or glued down. On the other hand, solid timber floors must be glued down. Traditional tongue and groove installation is also time consuming.

There are also associated costs with solid timber flooring that are a non-issue with engineered flooring. Engineered timber floors are finished during the manufacturing process. Once they’re installed, they’re ready for traffic. Thanks to seven layers of varnish, they’re manufactured to be durable and long lasting.

Solid timber flooring needs to be sanded, oiled, varnished and waxed. This makes for a much longer installation process and further costs that aren’t present with engineered timber floors.

Engineered floors are manufactured with a dirt-repelling lacquer which makes them easy to clean with very little maintenance. Timber floors must be regularly waxed and oiled. Due to this maintenance requirement of solid timber flooring, engineered floors are a more convenient option for most flooring projects.

Since engineered timber floors look exactly like solid timber floors, they’re the obvious choice for many homes and businesses. They cost less, they’re more stable, they look just as elegant, they’re ready for use as soon as they’re installed and they’re sturdier. These are just some of the benefits to engineered timber flooring over timber flooring.

What’s The Difference Between Timber Flooring And Laminate Flooring?

Engineered Timber flooring uses actual timber for the face layer, while laminate flooring uses a photo image that gives the appearance of real wood.

Laminate flooring is manufactured by pressing multiple layers of wood together that is then covered with a tough layer of melamine plastic.

Laminate flooring is typically best for use in areas that are expected to get wet, such as laundries and kitchens.

There are many factors to take into consideration before deciding to go with laminate flooring over engineered timber flooring.

At Suburban Flooring Co offer an extensive range of both laminate and timber flooring. We invite you to have a chat with us to find out which type of flooring would best suit your needs.

Timber Flooring Australia & Sustainability

At Suburban Flooring Co, we care about the environment. We source sustainable products.

Many of our customers have installed engineered timber flooring because it ticks all the boxes for Australians who are conscious of the environment.

In terms of the manufacturing process, engineered timber flooring is the sustainable option. At Suburban Flooring Co, we care about the environment.

Our hardwood flooring options are sustainably sourced, leaving a minimal carbon footprint.

However, that’s not where the benefits end.

Timber flooring is also incredibly hard wearing and versatile. Engineered floors are manufactured to be exceptionally stable when placed over the substrate.

Unlike solid timber floors that need to be sanded and varnished, engineered timber floors can be walked on as soon as they’ve been installed. They’re quicker to install so there are less labour costs. They’re easier to maintain and repair.

In most cases, if damage is done to the floor, repairs can be done by simply replacing a plank. On the other hand, with solid timber floors, if damage is done, repairs can become quite messy and costly. In this day and age it simply makes sense to install a sustainability sourced, engineered timber floor.

Which Timber Flooring Is Best?

So what’s the verdict? Which timber flooring is best?

Full hardwood timber flooring or engineered timber flooring?

In terms of check-boxes, engineered timber flooring is the clear winner. It’s more sustainable, more affordable and quicker to install.

Engineered timber flooring is built using real hardwood along with several other sustainably manufactured composite layers. Engineered timber flooring is more water resistant than hardwood, doesn’t warp or bend as easily, is less costly to repair and looks just like the real thing — because the top layer that you see is the real thing.

Engineered timber flooring is an option not to be overlooked when making a decision to install a hardwood floor.

Suburban Flooring Co invites you to come in to our Highett showroom and have a chat with Frank and Billy.

We’re not here to sell you a floor. We built our showroom because we’re passionate about flooring and want out customers to be fully informed about the options.

Installing a floor is a big decision and one that lasts a long time. If you have any questions regarding hardwood timber flooring, pick up the phone and give us a call. We’d love the opportunity to transform you into out next raving customer: (03) 9078 8556


What costs more Hardwood flooring or engineered timber flooring?

Solid hardwood floors typically cost more to install than engineered hardwood timber flooring because they’re generally more time consuming to install.


Is Engineered timber more cost-effective than hardwood?

It is more cost-effective. It’s also cheaper to repair and replace.


What’s the Difference Between An Engineered Timber Floor And A Solid Timber Floor?

An engineered timber floor is made up of multiple layers of real wood, whereas a solid timber floor has just one continuous layer. The precision manufacturing process of engineered flooring in combination with the carefully selected materials makes engineered floors significantly less sensitive to contracting and expanding, offering a much more stable and long lasting floor.

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