A Brief History Of Hardwood Flooring

Wood has always been a popular flooring choice throughout history, although in a much cruder format compared to the uniform, beautifully finished floors that we see today. Due to the abundance of trees during early history, it’s no surprise that people used wood for their houses and it was common for oak and pine planks to be used in the upper levels of homes. These planks were hand-planed so there were no uniform widths or thicknesses. Of course, only the rich had access to wood flooring. As time went on, designs became more elaborate and examples of beautiful parquetry date back to 16th century France.

The polished timber floors that we’re used to today didn’t become widely used in the late 19th century. Technology improved and machines made it possible to produce uniform planks of wood and better housing led to an increased demand for improved flooring materials. Oak, which was widely available at the time, was the most popular timber choice due to it being hard wearing and cheap to produce. For the rich, they had access to more elaborate parquet flooring.

Up until World War II, timber flooring remained the most common flooring material. However, after this time there was the rise of carpeting in the home thanks to advances in synthetic materials. As a result, the popularity of timber floors decreased for the next 30 years. However, there was a resurgence in the use of timber flooring in the 1990s and this was the period where people began pulling up old carpet and lino to reveal beautiful old boards underneath. Since then, timber flooring has been one of the most sought after flooring options.

Engineered timber first made its appearance in the 1960s and was used in the basements and first floors of buildings with concrete slabs as hardwood boards were difficult to install. In the early days of engineered timber, the timber choices and finishes were very limited. These days, engineered timber has taken off as a hard-wearing, sustainable alternative to solid timber flooring and you have access to numerous options for your finished product.

Kustom Timber will transform your home with our stunning engineered European oak timber flooring. Designed to last for generations, we have a range of styles and finishes to suit every home. We use only renewable FSC approved trees to ensure ongoing sustainability into the future, and our end-to-end service means a hassle-free process and beautiful final result.

For immaculate engineered timber flooring, contact Kustom Timber today on (03) 9645 3857.