Native Timber Flooring

Matai.
Hard-wearing,
beautifully two-toned.

Known for its hardness and distinctive two-tone character — deep red-brown heartwood alongside lighter sapwood in the same board. A staple of 1950s–1970s Auckland homes and one of the most durable native timbers you can lay.

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Varieties in
good stock

60–150mm

Board widths,
machined to spec

Thickness options:
19mm · 12mm · 9mm

Personal service,
every order

Hard

Extremely
durable

About the Timber

Tough. Characterful.
A floor that lasts a lifetime.

Matai is one of New Zealand's hardest native timbers — used extensively in homes built from the 1950s through the 1970s. It is straight-grained with few knots, and the heart timber has a silky orange-to-red-brown colour that deepens beautifully with age. The two-tone character of Coloured Matai, where the darker heartwood sits alongside lighter sapwood in the same board, is a look that cannot be replicated.

Generally good stocks of ex 4" salvaged boards; ex 6" is less abundant. Remachined to widths from 60mm to 150mm in all three standard profiles. If you are working with a 1950s–1970s home, this is very likely what was there originally.

T&G floorboard — 19mm thick

T&G overlay — 12mm thick

D4S overlay — 9mm thick

Widths from 60mm to 150mm

Original salvaged boards available

Custom widths machined on site

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The Two Varieties

One or two tones —
both worth considering.

Matai comes in two distinct looks. Heart Matai is cut from the heartwood — a consistent red-brown that is one of the most hard-wearing floors you can install. Coloured Matai brings both the dark heart and the lighter sapwood into the same board, creating a two-tone contrast that gives a room far more visual character.

Variety 01

Heart Matai

Red-brown to silky orange — uniform & hard-wearing

Cut from the centre of the tree, Heart Matai is one of New Zealand's hardest and most durable native timbers. The colour runs from red-brown to a silky orange, straight-grained with very few knots. It is an excellent choice when you want a consistent, refined look — the kind of floor that looks better the longer it is down. Excellent stocks in ex 4"; ex 6" more limited.

Good stocks — remachined & original boards

Variety 02

Coloured Matai

Dark heart & light sapwood — striking contrast

Coloured Matai features the full contrast of dark heartwood and lighter sapwood in the same board — a look that is entirely natural and impossible to manufacture. Found predominantly in homes built from the 1950s to the 1970s, it is the most visually distinctive of the Matai options. If you want a floor that draws the eye, Coloured Matai is the one. Good stocks available.

Good stocks — remachined & original boards

Technical Specifications

Every option,
clearly laid out.

Whether you are laying a full floor, adding an overlay, or matching an existing board width — here is exactly what is available. All machined on site to order.

Specification	Detail	Best used for
Thickness	19mm	Full floor installations over joists
Profile	Tongue & Groove (T&G)	Standard structural flooring
Widths available	60mm to 150mm	New installs or exact-width matching
Varieties	Heart, Coloured	Choose by colour and character preference
Supply form	Remachined or original salvaged	Remachined for consistent laying; original for character

Ideal for: new floors laid over joists, full-room installs, and extensions in homes where Matai was the original flooring. Good stocks in ex 4" salvaged; ex 6" less abundant.

Specification	Detail	Best used for
Thickness	12mm	Overlay on existing subfloor or concrete
Profile	Tongue & Groove (T&G)	Floating or glue-down overlay
Widths available	60mm to 150mm	Matching existing Matai board widths
Varieties	Heart, Coloured	Most commonly requested for overlays
Supply form	Remachined	Consistent, straight, ready to lay

Ideal for: laying over an existing floor or concrete slab where full 19mm depth is not possible. Common in renovations and level changes in 1950s–1970s homes.

Specification	Detail	Best used for
Thickness	9mm	Thin overlay where clearance is tight
Profile	Dressed 4 Sides (D4S)	Glue-down installations
Widths available	60mm to 150mm	Fine matching for repairs and patching
Varieties	Heart, Coloured	Depending on what you are matching
Supply form	Remachined	Smooth-faced, ready for adhesive lay

Ideal for: rooms where door clearances are tight, patching a section of floor, or matching a very low-profile existing Matai board. Glue-down installation method.

Matai in the Home

The contrast floor
that never goes out of style.

Living Room — Coloured Matai

Period Home — Heart Matai

Close Detail — Two-Tone Grain

At the Yard — Before Machining

Stock on Site

"People always underestimate Matai. Then they see it laid and finished — that contrast between the dark heart and the light sap is something you just cannot buy new."

David — Recycled Timber Solutions, Titirangi

Where It Works Best

1950s and 1960s homes.
Anywhere that needs
a floor built to last.

Matai is the right choice for anyone working with a mid-century Auckland home — whether you are matching an existing floor, extending a room, or starting fresh. Its hardness makes it ideal for high-traffic areas where you need a floor that will not show wear.

Matching a 1950s–1970s floor

Matai was one of the most common floorings in post-war Auckland homes. If your house was built between the 1950s and 1970s, the chances are high that Matai is what is under there. Board widths are machined to match exactly — so additions and repairs blend in.

High-traffic areas

Matai's hardness makes it one of the best choices for hallways, kitchens, and living areas that get heavy use. It does not dent easily and holds a finish well. Heart Matai in particular is one of the toughest native timber floors you can lay.

Where visual contrast is the point

Coloured Matai is one of the only native timbers that gives you a natural two-tone floor without any staining or treatment. If you want a floor with genuine visual interest — something that looks like it belongs in the room — Coloured Matai delivers it.

Overlays where depth is limited

The 12mm and 9mm overlay options mean Matai is achievable even in constrained renovations. Talk to David about your clearances and he will confirm what is possible.