Bonaflooring
Substrates

Timber species & primer compatibility

32 Australian hardwoods, imported species and engineered products mapped to Bona's four primer options. Tannin level shown where Bona has flagged it as a specification driver — high-tannin species require Prime Intense or equivalent to prevent bleed-through.

Data: species_primer_matrix.json, sourced from Bona Primers DL Brochure and per-primer TDS documents.

Species Tannin Recommended primer Specifier FAQ
American Oak
Quercus alba (white) / Quercus rubra (red)
 Medium-high see FAQ Which primer? →
Bamboo
Bambusoideae (grass, not timber)
 Low see FAQ Which primer? →
Blackbutt
Eucalyptus pilularis
 High Prime Intense Which primer? →
Blackwood
Acacia melanoxylon
 Medium-high see FAQ Which primer? →
Brush Box
Lophostemon confertus
 Medium see FAQ Which primer? →
Cypress Pine
Callitris glaucophylla
 Low see FAQ Which primer? →
Engineered flooring (construction type)
Various species over plywood/HDF core
 Varies see FAQ Which primer? →
European Oak
Quercus robur / Quercus petraea
 Medium-high see FAQ Which primer? →
Forest Red Gum
Eucalyptus tereticornis
 High see FAQ Which primer? →
Grey Box
Eucalyptus microcarpa / E. moluccana
 Medium-high see FAQ Which primer? →
Grey Gum
Eucalyptus propinqua / E. punctata
 Medium-high see FAQ Which primer? →
Grey Ironbark
Eucalyptus paniculata
 High see FAQ Which primer? →
Hoop Pine
Araucaria cunninghamii
 Low Prime Classic Which primer? →
Ironbark (generic)
Eucalyptus paniculata / E. crebra / E. sideroxylon (generic)
 High see FAQ Which primer? →
Jarrah
Eucalyptus marginata
 Medium-high see FAQ Which primer? →
Merbau
Intsia bijuga / I. palembanica
 High see FAQ Which primer? →
Messmate
Eucalyptus obliqua
 Medium see FAQ Which primer? →
Oak (generic)
Quercus spp.
 Medium-high see FAQ Which primer? →
Parquetry (construction type)
Various - substrate construction, not a species
 Varies Prime Classic Which primer? →
Pine (generic softwood plank)
Pinus spp.
 Low Prime Classic Which primer? →
Radiata Pine
Pinus radiata
 Low Prime Classic Which primer? →
Red Bloodwood
Corymbia gummifera
 High see FAQ Which primer? →
Red Ironbark
Eucalyptus sideroxylon / E. tricarpa
 High see FAQ Which primer? →
River Red Gum
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
 High see FAQ Which primer? →
Spotted Gum
Corymbia maculata / C. citriodora subsp. variegata
 Low-medium see FAQ Which primer? →
Stringybark (generic)
Eucalyptus spp. (E. obliqua, E. eugenioides, E. agglomerata, etc.)
 Medium see FAQ Which primer? →
Tallowwood
Eucalyptus microcorys
 High Prime Intense Which primer? →
Tasmanian Oak
Eucalyptus delegatensis / E. obliqua / E. regnans (blend)
 Low-medium see FAQ Which primer? →
Turpentine
Syncarpia glomulifera
 High see FAQ Which primer? →
Western Australian Blackbutt
Eucalyptus patens
 High Prime Intense Which primer? →
White Stringybark
Eucalyptus eugenioides
 Medium see FAQ Which primer? →
Yellow Stringybark
Eucalyptus muelleriana
 Medium see FAQ Which primer? →

How to read this table

High-tannin species (Blackbutt, Tallowwood, Brushbox, Jarrah, Ironbark) produce a discolouration — sometimes visible within 24 hours of coating — when a non-specialist primer is used. Bona explicitly contra-indicates Prime Classic on these and directs to Prime Intense. Prime Intense is also the default where tannin level is unknown or mixed.

Medium / low-tannin species (most Oaks, imported species, engineered, pine) are compatible with Prime Classic or Prime Classic UX and can also take Prime White where a limed / white-base look is specified.

Engineered and parquetry rows refer to the substrate format rather than a species — always cross-reference the topcoat selection with the board manufacturer's acceptance for waterborne systems.

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