JBM lists solid hardwood tongue and groove flooring in 12 mm, 14 mm, 19 mm and 21 mm thicknesses, hybrid flooring, and engineered boards. This guide explains the differences and how to work out an order.
Solid hardwood tongue and groove
Solid boards are milled from one piece of timber with a tongue on one edge and a groove on the other. They are sanded and finished on site, can be re-sanded many times, and are the traditional choice for a long lasting floor.
- 12 mm and 14 mm overlay: laid over an existing structural floor (particleboard, plywood or an old timber floor) and glued and secret nailed.
- 19 mm and 21 mm structural: thick enough to be laid directly over joists or battens as the floor itself, as well as over a subfloor.
Common species in the JBM range include Blackbutt, Spotted Gum, Tasmanian Oak, Brush Box, Grey Ironbark, Stringybark and Jarrah. Lighter species such as Tasmanian Oak and Blackbutt suit modern interiors; the red and brown species give a warmer, traditional look.
Hybrid and engineered flooring
Hybrid flooring is a rigid composite board with a printed timber look and a wear layer; it is waterproof, clicks together and is laid floating over an underlay. Engineered boards have a real timber top layer bonded to a plywood or HDF core, so they look like solid timber but are more stable in changing humidity. Neither needs sanding or coating after installation.
Grades
Hardwood flooring grades describe the amount of natural feature in the boards, not their strength. Select grade has the fewest features; Standard and Better, and Feature grade, show more gum vein, knots and colour variation. JBM to confirm: the grade names it uses on each product.
How much to order
Solid boards are priced per lineal metre; packs and sheet products are priced per pack or per square metre, and the product page tells you which. For lineal metre boards, divide the floor area by the board's cover width (the face width, not the full width with the tongue) and add an allowance for cutting and waste, usually five to ten percent. For products sold by area, enter the area to cover and the site works out whole packs.
Before it is laid
Solid timber should acclimatise in the room where it will be laid, stacked so air can move around it, for the period the installer recommends. Keep boards dry and off concrete. JBM to confirm: its advice on acclimatisation and the finishes it recommends.