Engineered timber flooring in Australia in 2026 typically lands between $80 and $220 per m2 supplied, plus $45 to $80 per m2 to lay it. Where you sit in those ranges comes down to four things: the thickness of the real-timber wear layer, the core construction, the plank width, and the condition of the subfloor underneath. This guide breaks the price down line by line so you can build a realistic budget before you walk into a showroom.
2026 engineered timber price bands (supply only)
The headline number on a sample is the supply price per square metre. These are the bands we see in the Australian market right now, sorted by the thickness of the real-timber lamella on top.
- Entry tier ($80-$110 per m2): 2 mm oak lamella over an HDF or thin multi-ply core, narrow planks (around 165-180 mm wide), factory-lacquered finish. Good-looking floors, but the 2 mm wear layer can only be lightly buffed and recoated once.
- Mid tier ($120-$170 per m2): 3 mm European oak lamella over a multi-ply birch or eucalyptus core, 190-220 mm wide planks, UV-oiled or matte-lacquered. This is the sweet spot for most homes — sandable once or twice over the floor’s life.
- Premium tier ($180-$260 per m2): 4 mm or thicker lamella, wide planks (220 mm and up), character-grade or hand-finished surfaces, herringbone format, or Australian species like Spotted Gum and Blackbutt as the lamella.
Herringbone planks usually carry a 15-25% supply premium over straight planks in the same range because each block is shorter, narrower and machined to tighter tolerances. If you’re weighing the format up, the herringbone flooring hub has the patterns we stock.
Installation costs per m2
Labour is quoted separately from supply. In 2026, expect:
- Floating install over underlay: $35-$55 per m2. Click-system planks (5G or 2G) laid over an acoustic underlay. Fastest method.
- Direct-stick to concrete or particleboard: $55-$80 per m2. Requires a flat substrate and the right adhesive — quieter and more solid underfoot, harder to lift later.
- Herringbone or chevron pattern: $90-$140 per m2. Set-out from the centre of the room, every block hand-placed, more cuts at the perimeter.
- Stairs and nosings: $80-$140 per step, supply and labour combined.
Sydney metro labour rates sit around 15-20% above regional NSW and Victoria. Brisbane is roughly comparable to Sydney; Perth and Adelaide tend to come in a touch lower.
Underlay, prep and trims
The line items most quotes hide at the bottom of the page:
- Acoustic underlay: $6-$15 per m2 depending on density and whether a moisture barrier is built in. Required by most strata schemes for upper-floor apartments.
- Self-levelling compound: $25-$45 per m2 if the slab needs flattening before the planks go down. Engineered timber needs a subfloor flat to within 3 mm over a 2 m straight edge.
- Removal of existing flooring: $20-$45 per m2 for carpet and underlay; $35-$60 per m2 for old tiles or glued vinyl.
- Skirting boards: $12-$28 per linear metre supplied and installed, depending on profile and material.
- Scotia, transition strips and door bars: $8-$20 per piece.
A worked example: 60 m2 living and dining
Mid-tier 3 mm oak engineered, 190 mm wide, floating install over a flat slab in a Sydney apartment:
- Supply: 60 m2 at $145 per m2 = $8,700
- Acoustic underlay: 60 m2 at $10 per m2 = $600
- Carpet removal and disposal: 60 m2 at $25 per m2 = $1,500
- Floating install: 60 m2 at $45 per m2 = $2,700
- Skirting (40 lineal metres at $20): $800
- Trims and door bars: $200
All-in: around $14,500, or roughly $240 per m2 finished. Swap the same job to herringbone in a premium range and it’s closer to $20,000-$22,000.
How to compare quotes without getting caught
Get three written quotes for any job over $5,000. Each one should break out:
- Supply per m2 (with the brand, range and lamella thickness named).
- Underlay per m2.
- Removal and disposal of the existing floor.
- Subfloor prep — moisture testing and self-levelling if needed.
- Install method and rate per m2.
- Skirting, scotia and trims as separate line items.
- Waste allowance (usually 7-10% on top of the measured area).
If a quote is a single all-in number with no breakdown, ask for one. The cheapest headline rate often hides a thinner wear layer or a missing prep line that turns into a variation invoice halfway through the job. For brand-by-brand picks at each tier, see our guide to the best engineered timber flooring brands in Australia.
When engineered timber isn’t the right spend
Engineered timber suits living areas, hallways, dining rooms and most bedrooms — the best flooring for bedrooms guide covers why. It doesn’t suit bathrooms, laundries or ground-floor rooms in flood-prone areas; the lamella is real timber and real timber doesn’t like standing water. For wet zones the practical alternatives are tiles or hybrid. Our hybrid flooring cost guide and the tiler rates per m2 in Australia pillar are the right reads if you’re weighing the alternatives on cost.
The short answer
For most Australian homes in 2026, budget $200-$260 per m2 finished for a mid-tier engineered oak floor laid over a flat subfloor. Premium ranges, wide planks, herringbone format, or rooms that need significant levelling will push that toward $300 per m2 and beyond. Get the quote broken down into supply, underlay, prep, install and trims — that’s the only way to compare like for like. We carry these ranges across our Sydney and Brisbane showrooms and we’re happy to run a measure-and-quote on your plans.
Ready to shop? Browse our full engineered timber flooring range online, or drop into our Sydney or Brisbane showroom to see the range in person.