TIMBER TRUTHS

What makes a timber a ‘hardwood’? Not its ‘hardness’ but its biological make-up. Most hardwoods are denser and stronger than softwoods, but not always. If in doubt, look for the Janka rating, an impact test carried out on wood species to largely determine whether it is suitable for flooring. “The higher the number, the greater the hardness,” says Michelle. Species such as ironbark (14.0) and spotted gum (11.0) score highly – at the other end of the scale, (below, from left) cypress pine, American oak and European oak score 6.1, 6.0 and 6.0 respectively.

“Have the installer pre-stain some timber samples and see how each appears in different light all around the house” ~ Sally Rhys-Jones, interior architect