Solid timber floors move. Melbourne’s dry heated winters and humid stretches push boards to shrink and swell a little every year.
Solid timber suits people who are happy for the floor to change a little with the seasons.
Seasonal movement in Melbourne
Expect gaps in the dry months and tighter joints when the air is moist. That annual cycle is normal and is not a warranty event by itself.
Indoor RH for occupied timber floors is often discussed around 40–60%. Empty houses with heaters on full, or wet builds still drying out, sit outside that band, and the boards respond before anyone notices the air feels different.
Cupping (edges high) or crowning (centre high) can show if moisture hits one face harder than the other. Common causes are spills, slab moisture under battens, strong sun on one side of a board, or regular wet mopping that never quite dries.
Wide boards (130–180mm and up) move more across the face than narrow strip, simply because there is more timber to expand and contract. Expect to see seasonal lines more clearly on wide solid than on 80–100mm strip.
A hairline seasonal gap is not a failed floor. A sudden wide split after a flood, or a heater left on full in an empty house, is a different situation — see common flooring problems.
Acclimatisation before install still matters — typically several days to about 1–2 weeks depending on product and site, with the manufacturer’s instructions taking precedence. Details: acclimatising timber flooring.
Colour and character
No two boards match the way a laminate print does. Gum vein, streaks and pale sapwood in some grades are part of the product. Site-finished floors look continuous, but they still show natural variation. See grades and colour.
Australian hardwoods sit mostly in the hard to very hard Janka bands, which helps with dents from daily life. It doesn’t stop high heels, dropped tools or grit from leaving marks over time.
Sun will shift the colour over the years, and rugs leave darker patches underneath when they’re moved. Both are normal. Rotating rugs evens it out if it bothers you.
Sound and feel
Nailed solid over joists feels firm and sounds different to a floating floor. There is some life in the structure — footsteps and kids running carry, and you may hear the occasional creak as the house settles or humidity changes.
Some noise is building movement rather than a bad install. Persistent squeaks after a wet week can point to fastener or subfloor issues, so call the installer back if the floor is new. An old house creaking gently in a dry July is usually just seasonal.
Compared with floating hybrid on foam, solid over joists usually feels more planted underfoot. If quietness is the priority, underlay and acoustic systems matter more than species choice.
Living with it
Felt pads under chairs, mats at the doors, and a soft broom or vacuum before mopping. Use sensible cleaners and avoid steam mops. The routine is covered in floor care.
Pet claws and grit do the most damage. Wipe spills promptly, don’t leave wet towels sitting on the boards, and keep heating steady rather than blasting an empty room for a week.
Resanding is where solid timber earns its keep over the long term. A properly thick strip floor can be sanded and recoated multiple times over decades, provided wear stays in the face. Each sand removes thickness, so don’t sand more often than the floor needs.
Normal vs problem
Usually normal
- Fine seasonal gaps that open in dry heated periods and ease when humidity rises
- Colour variation board to board, and feature marks in feature grades
- Gradual sun fade or darkening, and rug shadows when rugs move
- Mild creaks in timber-framed houses as seasons change
- Small dents from heavy point loads over years
Worth investigating
- Sudden wide gaps or boards lifting after a leak, flood or appliance failure
- Cupping or crowning that appears quickly after a moisture event
- Persistent squeaks tied to soft or wet subfloor areas
- Finish peeling in sheets, which points to a coating failure or prep issue rather than the timber
- Movement that keeps getting worse with no seasonal pattern