Thread: Pine vs Cypress

Our house has timber floorboards (covered in carpet of course). From underneath they look to be in good condition, but I am not sure if they are pine or cypress. I would like to find out before I decide to rip up any carpet. The house is a 50 year old double brick 'Canberra cottage'.

I am sure the differences are obvious to evveryone else in this forum, and I would be grateful for any clues as to what I should look for!

I believe Cypress is a fairly knotty, caramel coloured timber - do you or someone you know have a digital camera? this would help immensely. Cypress is Pine by the way, but I imagine you mean: is it Cypress or Radiata?

thanks

Might also be Baltic pine too. Baltic is much lighter than Cypress.

You should be able to tell from having a look from underneath.

Personally, I prefer Baltic to Cypress, but as I say that's just a personal preferance.

Are you sure it's pine? I doubt it would be baltic since it's a 1950's home. More likely hardwood I reckon.
Pull up one corner and take a look. You can always put the carpet back if it's only a small area.

I have seen the floor boards from underneath the house and they are almost certainly not hardwood. If they are cypress I will be more inclined to take up the carpet and put them on show. I will see if I can get a photo posted.

FWIW, regardless of the type of timber they are, (and seeing as your house is 50+ years old the timber is almost certainly way better than you coud buy today without spending an arm and a leg) I reckon floorboards and rugs are the way to go.

We've had them for abot 12 years now and there's no way I'd go back to carpet.

With bare boards, you SEE the dust.

If you do have white cypress as a floor, consider yourself lucky, as there is several distinct advantages over pine (Cypress is Callist??a..not pinus....... bl@@dy shocking memory I have) Being a hard growing high silica content timber it has relatively good wear and hardness properties (well compared to the others mentioned here so far anyway)Termites are loath to go near it,Shrinkage/expansion factors are almost zilch, unique chemical composition doesn't require any treatment therefore safer for your family & its' cheap as chips if you go to the right place. Age of dwelling also gives no clues as there are 100+ yr old houses constructed of cypress out in the brigalow areas.
Post a couple of pix, White & Black cypress are very distinctive timbers easily identified to the experienced.

I live down your way, Stix. And I know how cold it gets in winter. You might consider putting some sort of insulation under the floor. At least use something around the perimeter of the rooms to stop draughts coming up between the floor and the wall.

My silly idea for the day - rip up the carpet and staple it underneath.

london to a brick its cypress.

I have attached a couple of photos of the underside of the boards - I don't know if the flash has provided an accurate rendition of the colour. Anyway, hopefully they are good enough for an identification.

Originally Posted by Stix

I have attached a couple of photos of the underside of the boards - I don't know if the flash has provided an accurate rendition of the colour. Anyway, hopefully they are good enough for an identification.

yes that's done the trick. It's definitely wood !

Don't look like cypress to me. More of a Baltic colour.
Whatewver, they look like real nice boards, hardly any knots in the photos.

What are you waiting for.

Get rid of those carpets.

I think I have seen Gumby use that line on another thread!!

Originally Posted by Stix

I don't know if the flash has provided an accurate rendition of the colour. Anyway, hopefully they are good enough for an identification.

Sorry Stix, doesn't look like any sort of native cypress I'm aware of, & at this stage I'd go along with the Baltic guesstimate. But take that with a grain of salt, what I know bout softwoods you could easily carve on the back of an aspirin with an axe.

Seems odd, but that seems like radiata to me? I have baltic in our hallway and it is bit paler and the grain is lighter.

Insulation under a floor? I was talking to a builder the other day who staples rolls of netting across the top bearers before the floor joists go on, he then puts insulation on top of the netting and her reckons it works a treat.

Cheers

Pinus I reckon.... the 50's still had some good pinus not like the weed of today
but then I know nothing
Pete

For what it's worth, I'd go with the baltic theory but whatever it is.........just get into it, it look snice.

Its definately Radiata Pine.
The growth rings are far too coarse for Baltic.

yup - radiata..... no doubt whatsoever - it is nothing like Baltic.

Clear radiata pine.
Ken