The hardness of the timber is another key component in your decision. Timber hardness reflects its resistance to abrasion or indentation. Hardwood timbers are also considerably harder to work with in terms of sawing, planing and drilling.

The two main factors influencing the hardness of a particular timber are the natural durability of the species and the type - and degree - of hazard to which the timber has been exposed.

As with colour, we do our best to narrow down your search by answering all the big questions upfront. Questions like:

Q - Does hardness vary between species?

A - Yes. Hardwood timbers generally have a Janka rating of 5.0 upwards. Each specie has its own ranking. All timbers are also assessed for their durability and have a grading between 1 - 4. These rankings are important as they give an indication of what timbers are best suited for particular uses

Q - Can I use any hardness timber on my floor?

A - Yes. But in high traffic areas, such as restaurants and foyers woods with Janka ratings 5.0 and above are recommended (Durability Classes 1 and 2).

Q - What timber do I use for structural purposes?

A - Structural timber is best if devoid of knots, large gum veins and sloping grain. Strength is measured in terms of "stress grades". Both Janka and Durability Classes should also be observed.

Simply by fielding a few questions at the outset, we can save you valuable time and worry in determining the timber you need.

So, however hard the timber, we'll make it easy to find.