When choosing hardwood flooring, Eucalyptus stands out for its durability and stunning beauty. Eucalyptus hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for those wanting an alternative to the look of oak flooring but still wanting a timber species that's suitable for our New Zealand home and our unique Kiwi climate.
Sustainability and Growth
Eucalyptus timber is commonly farmed on managed forests in Australia, where the trees grow quickly without losing their excellent hardness rating. This rapid growth rate makes Eucalyptus a highly sustainable choice for eco-conscious consumers. With a variety of grades available, each floorboard tells a story with unique gum cracks that reflect periods of fast growth.
Durability and Maintenance
Eucalyptus hardwood floors are known for their rich tones and subtle grain patterns, offering style flexibility that complements both classic and contemporary interiors. However, Eucalyptus hardwood flooring performs best when finished with lacquer to prevent the floors from drying out.
Eucalyptus has a high oil content, which makes the trees highly resistant to decay and pests during growth. However, the high oil content makes Eucalyptus unsuitable for installation with any underfloor heating system.
Eucalyptus Plank Length Variety
Eucalyptus hardwood flooring packs may contain up to 50% short boards—twice as many as our other timbers, which usually have about 25%. This higher proportion of short planks highlights the floor's appeal upon entering a room as the eye is more likely to be drawn to the floor.
While the increased number of shorter plank sizes in a Eucalyptus floor help to make spacious areas feel more intimate and cosy, small rooms might appear tighter. For a more open feel, consider longer and wider planks from our alternative timber ranges.
Varieties of Eucalyptus Hardwood Flooring
Blackbutt
Blackbutt is a dense hardwood timber and less prone to denting compared to oak and features a tight, easy-to-clean grain. Its natural colour palette ranges from red browns to pinker heartwood and soft golden blondes, allowing for versatile home styling. Blackbutt flooring is available in engineered timber planks, or you can steal the look of Blackbutt with a range of mimics available in laminate and waterproof hybrid floors.
Spotted Gum
Characterised by a wavy grain and tones that range from chocolate browns to splashes of red and yellow, Spotted Gum doesn't require staining to showcase its richness. It's a borer-resistant and durable choice that suits various home styles and offers easy maintenance. Spotted gum is currently available in engineered timber in the Amato and Cascada ranges, which offer a watertight surface for even more versatility throughout the home. You can also achieve the look of Spotted Gum with a range of mimics in the laminate and waterproof hybrid floor options.
Ironbark
Known for its tight grain and deep colours, Ironbark is ideal for high-traffic areas due to its high hardness rating. Each hardwood plank is unique and can feature milled gum splits and cracks that add strong character throughout the floor. Ironbark can be found in our engineered timber range at our showroom.
Brushbox
Gum veins are uncommon, so Brushbox has a softer tone and texture than other eucalyptus varieties. This variety provides a warm and inviting look and is an excellent option for those who prefer a modern aesthetic. Brushbox is available as a prefinished in engineered timber for stability and easy care.
Blue Gum
A commonly found eucalyptus along the east coast of Australia. Blue gum is known for its lush reddish hues framed with browns and highlights of pink and features a wide, relatively straight grain. Blue Gum is available in engineered timber that's finished with high-quality UV-cured coating systems, giving this floor an easy care surface and long-term durability.
Key Takeaways
Sustainable: Eucalyptus is a quick-growing, sustainable hardwood.
Durable: The high oil content of Eucalyptus means it's unsuitable for use with underfloor heating.
Plank sizes: Increased number of short boards compared to our other timber floors
Eucalyptus varieties: Blackbutt, Spotted Gum, Ironbark, Brushbox, Blue Gum
Floorboards specialise in quality hard surface flooring, and we have a beautiful selection of Eucalyptus hardwood in our engineered timber ranges. Contact Us or see Eucalyptus hardwood flooring samples at our Hamilton showroom located at 79 Church Road. For Bay of Plenty enquiries, contact our Mount Maunganui office.
Hamilton & Waikato
Phone 07 959 1861
Tauranga & Bay of Plenty
Phone 021 977 548
