The secret stories of trees are written in the floorboards

Friday 1 Aug 2025

 
Have you ever examined timber floorboards and pondered why they look the way they do? Perhaps you admired the super-fine grain, a stunning red hue or a swirling knot, and wondered how it came to be?

Or perhaps you don’t know what tree species your floorboards are made from, and how to best look after them? Finely polished floorboards reveal detail about the timber that can be much harder to detect in unpolished boards or other sawn timbers.

“Reading” the knots, stubs and other characteristics of floorboards can reveal what type of tree produced it and how it grew. It can also reveal fascinating details about the lives of the trees they once were.

A variety of tree species are used to make timber floors. Hardwood species include the pale cream of Tasmanian oak, the honeyed hues of spotted gum and the deep red of jarrah. Other times, softwood such as pine or spruce is used. Such species are often fast-growing, and prized for their availability and affordability.

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Source: The Conversation / Author: Gregory Moore, University of Melbourne


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