Spotted Gum Flooring
Celebrated for its beauty, strength, and durability, this Australian timber is a popular hardwood flooring solution for homeowners across the country. From its light brown sapwood (the outer portion of the tree) to its deep-red heartwood (the tree’s inner part), spotted gum is an elegant flooring option to match a wide variety of rooms and interior design styles.
The Natural Beauty of Australia Brought Into the Home
The spotted gum tree is endemic to Eastern Australia – from Victoria up to Queensland. The spotted gum sheds its bark during the summer, revealing uneven patches of new cream-coloured bark to contrast against the older dark grey bark. The effect is how it earned its name ‘spotted’ or originally Eucalyptus maculata (from the Latin maculatus, meaning ‘spotted’).
The spotted gum is also known as lemon-scented gum due to its leaves’ fragrance, which is especially noticeable when they are crushed or crumbled.
While industry experts celebrate the spotted gum’s durability and versatility, homeowners appreciate the aesthetic appeal of the spotted gum’s wavy grain, which allows them to bring a bit of Australia’s natural beauty into the home.
The density of spotted gum timber makes it resistant to wide fluctuations in temperature and humidity, allowing it to thrive in Australia’s often volatile climate. It is this same density and strength that makes the spotted gum such an appealing timber for hardwood flooring.
In rooms that are likely to experience heavy foot traffic, in rooms that are exposed to plenty of natural light, and in rooms susceptible to moisture, spotted gum withstands wear and tear, maintaining its beauty and elegance over time.
Spotted Gum Flooring – A Sustainable Flooring Solution
The spotted gum tree is relatively resistant to both droughts and bushfires, which further cements its status as a popular timber in the industry. It requires very little – apart from natural light and rainwater – to grow, and it is sourced locally in New South Wales and Queensland.
Furthermore, thanks to the durability of spotted gum, it is sure to last decades upon decades and is an organic product that can be reused and recycled countless times.
Australian timber in general, and especially spotted gum, is a sustainable, ecologically responsible solution for hardwood flooring.
How Does Spotted Gum Look?
Spotted gum ranges in colour depending on which of the timber’s part is used (sapwood or heartwood), and the finishing or polish applied. Its colour can range from a light, creamy brown to dark chocolate with tinges of red.
Spotted gum flooring often features varying wavy grains, referred to as fiddle-back – a grain pattern consisting of many tight curls and curves reminiscent of the backs of violins or other stringed instruments.
Spotted gum also responds well to varnishes and oils and can be stained to match nearly any interior design concept.
Common, Yet Unique
As spotted gum flooring is a product derived from living natural organisms, every floor laid with spotted gum is unique. Although spotted gum is a popular choice in homes throughout Australia, no two spotted gum floors are identical. Each is unique, with its unique tinges, hues and patterns of wavy grains.
What Are the Benefits of Spotted Gum Flooring?
In addition to the natural beauty that it brings to the home, spotted gum is celebrated by industry experts and homeowners for its incredible resistance and durability.
Spotted gum has a rating of 11 on the Janka Hardness Scale – a rating that is superior even to that of blackbutt and jarrah which are durable woods in their own right. Spotted gum’s strength and durability make it resistant to scratches and scuffs of everyday use, and its density makes it naturally impermeable to termite infestation.
Spotted gum is easy to clean and maintain. And, as it is a locally sourced organic product, spotted gum is an environmentally friendly option for hardwood flooring in any room of the home.
The Takeaway
Australian timbers, such as spotted gum, are renowned for their durability, resistance to damage (be it from insect infestation, humidity, or fire), and for their elegance and natural beauty.
For your home and flooring needs, you have several options of engineered Australian timber to choose from, each with its distinct qualities and characteristics.
Contact us today if you wish to enquire about spotted gum flooring or get a quote for your next home flooring project. Alternatively, come visit our showroom in Helensvale, Queensland where you can peruse our extensive floor displays and full-size planks of different Australian timbers.