Choosing, installing and caring for a timber floor raises a lot of questions — and the right answer often depends on your home, your subfloor, and the Sydney climate. Below, the Acorn Timber Flooring team answers the questions we hear most often, from choosing between board thicknesses through to keeping your floor looking its best for decades.

Choosing your timber floor

Should I choose a 14mm or 19mm Solid hardwood floor?

A 14mm board suits flat, solid subfloors and non-structural applications, while a 19mm board is designed to be fixed over floor joists as a structural floor. Both use the same quality wear layer, so the decision usually comes down to your subfloor type rather than finish quality.

A 14mm board typically comes in shorter, more manageable board lengths and holds less core moisture, which generally makes it the more dimensionally stable option. A 19mm board offers a longer average board length and is the appropriate choice where the floor needs to be fixed directly to structural joists rather than a flat surface. The right option depends on your subfloor and the look you're after — talk to our team about what suits your project.

How do I know which timber species is right for my home?

The right species comes down to the look you want, your budget, and how hard-wearing you need the floor to be. Stains and coating choices can significantly change the final appearance of any species, so it's worth viewing samples finished the way you intend to use them.

Grain density, timber grade and coating type all affect how a floor performs day to day, so it's worth matching these to your household and traffic levels. Our showroom team can talk you through species options and finished samples.

What is the Janka hardness rating?

The Janka rating is a standard scale used to measure how resistant a timber species is to denting and wear — the higher the number, the harder the timber. It's a useful reference point when comparing species for high-traffic areas of the home, such as hallways and living rooms, where a harder timber will generally hold up better over time.

Is hardwood flooring suitable for bathrooms and laundries?

Timber flooring can technically be installed almost anywhere in the home, but bathrooms and laundries carry a higher risk due to frequent exposure to water and humidity. Spills, overflows and constant moisture in these areas can lead to cupping, movement or coating failure over time.

Because of this risk, most manufacturers — including the ranges we supply — do not extend warranty cover to timber flooring installed in wet areas. If you love the look of timber in these spaces, we can talk you through the risks and alternative options during your consultation.

Is timber flooring an environmentally responsible choice?

Yes — quality hardwood flooring is one of the more sustainable flooring choices available, made from a renewable natural resource that, properly maintained, will likely outlast the building it's installed in. We supply timber sourced through suppliers with proper chain-of-custody certification, meaning the timber is milled from responsibly managed, sustainable forestry.

What's the difference between prefinished and unfinished (site-finished) flooring?

Unfinished timber gives you more flexibility — a wider choice of grades, sizes and species, along with full control over the final coating applied on site. Prefinished flooring is simpler: what you see in the sample is what arrives on site, in a single grade, finish and size, ready to install.

Unfinished boards suit projects where matching an existing floor or achieving a specific custom finish matters. Prefinished boards suit projects where speed, consistency and less on-site disruption are the priority.

Preparing for installation

Does timber flooring need to acclimatise before installation?

Yes, but how long depends on several factors rather than a fixed rule. Many people assume timber needs several weeks to acclimatise, but in most Sydney and NSW metro settings this isn't the case — the right acclimatisation period depends on the manufacturer, your local climate, and whether the flooring is going into a new build or an existing renovation.

New homes, in particular, don't yet have a "normal" indoor climate for the timber to acclimatise to, so the right approach differs from an established home. We'll assess your specific project and advise the correct acclimatisation period before installation begins.

What moisture content should hardwood flooring have?

Quality kiln-dried hardwood flooring typically sits between 9–14% moisture content at the time of supply and performs best when the surrounding environment stays within a similar range. Keeping humidity and temperature within this band minimises the natural expansion and contraction all timber floors experience.

Do I need a moisture barrier under my new timber floor?

Yes — a moisture barrier is recommended for every timber floor installed over a concrete slab, whether the slab is old, new or suspended. Typically this means an epoxy moisture barrier when gluing timber directly to concrete, or a plastic membrane barrier when installing over a plywood base.

Rising moisture from a slab can seriously affect the appearance and performance of a new timber floor if it isn't properly managed, so this step is essentially non-negotiable for warranty protection.

What moisture-related problems should I watch for?

Cupping and crowning are the two most common moisture-related issues, both caused by trapped moisture between the timber and the subfloor. If a board absorbs moisture unevenly, or dries unevenly afterwards, the board can bow — cupping downward at the edges or crowning upward in the centre.

Where in the home can hardwood flooring be installed?

Hardwood flooring can be installed in virtually any above-ground room in the home, but it isn't recommended for wet areas such as bathrooms, saunas, laundries, or enclosed spaces regularly exposed to moisture or wet-mopping. Extended exposure to water in these settings can cause warping, swelling or cracking over time.

Softer timber species are best avoided in high-traffic zones — check the Janka hardness rating of any species you're considering for busy living areas or hallways.

Can solid or engineered flooring be installed over radiant/underfloor heating?

Solid hardwood is generally not recommended over radiant or in-slab heating, but engineered timber flooring can be installed over most underfloor heating systems. The exact installation approach depends on the type of heating system in use, so it's important to confirm compatibility before ordering.

What's the difference between floating, gluing and nailing a timber floor?

Floating involves interlocking engineered boards together without fixing them to the subfloor, gluing bonds the flooring directly to the subfloor using a flexible adhesive that allows natural movement, and nailing (or stapling) fixes solid boards through the tongue directly into the subfloor below. Engineered flooring is typically floated or glued, while solid flooring is typically nailed or stapled.

The right method depends on your subfloor type, board format, and — in apartments — your building's acoustic and strata requirements. Our installation team will confirm the correct method during your quote.

Is there a minimum job size?

No — we're happy to quote and install projects of any size, from a single room to a full home, commercial space or retail project.

Caring for your timber floor

How do I clean my hardwood floor day to day?

Regular sweeping, dust-mopping or vacuuming is the best way to keep a timber floor in good condition. Avoid excess moisture at all times — never use a steam mop, as trapped moisture can cause cupping, buckling or coating failure. A lightly damp mop is fine for cleaning up an isolated spill, but standing water or wet-mopping should always be avoided.

Can I use any floor cleaner on my timber floor?

No — always use a manufacturer-recommended cleaning product, whether your floor is prefinished or was coated on site. General-purpose or supermarket floor cleaners can damage the coating or dull the finish over time.

How do I protect my timber floor from scratches?

Fit felt protector pads under every piece of furniture that sits on the floor, including chairs, tables and couches. Most scratching happens when furniture is dragged rather than lifted, so protector pads on moveable items are the single most effective prevention step — no coating type is fully scratch-proof.

The floor under my rug looks lighter than the rest of the room — why?

This is a normal effect of sunlight exposure. Timber floors gradually darken (or occasionally lighten, depending on species) with UV exposure over time, and an area shielded by a rug simply won't age at the same rate as the surrounding floor. Rotating rugs and furniture periodically will help the colour even out over time.

How do I protect a newly installed floor from Sydney's climate?

Timber floors naturally expand and contract with the seasons, and this movement is more pronounced during extended dry or wet periods. Large glass areas, floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights can create intense heat and low humidity in a room, accelerating shrinkage — window coverings are a simple, effective way to reduce this risk.

Air conditioning and heating systems can also significantly affect a room's humidity levels, so it's worth telling us what climate control you're using so we can advise the right precautions for your specific home.

How do I remove a stubborn stain from my timber floor?

Apply a manufacturer-recommended cleaning product to a soft cloth and gently rub the affected area, repeating if necessary. Avoid using any other cleaning products, as this can affect the floor's finish. If a stain persists, get in touch and we'll advise the right next step for your specific coating.

How do I restore my floor's original appearance after years of wear?

The right approach depends on your coating type. Hard wax finishes can often be buffed and revived without a full re-sand, while polyurethane and water-based coatings generally need to be fully sanded back to raw timber and recoated to restore the original look. Speak to our team before attempting a DIY refresh — the wrong product on the wrong coating can make the result worse, not better.

Have a question we haven't answered here? Visit the Acorn Timber Flooring showroom at 209 Albion St, Surry Hills, or call us on (02) 9167 3624 — our team is happy to talk through your specific project, subfloor and timber choice.

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