If you have been looking at custom timber vanities, you have probably noticed that Australian makers work with a handful of key species. The two most popular are Blackwood and Tasmanian Oak. They look different, cost different amounts, and suit different bathrooms. Here is how they compare.
At a Glance
| Tasmanian Oak | Blackwood | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Pale straw to golden honey | Rich golden brown to dark chocolate |
| Grain | Straight, even, consistent | Varied, often with dramatic fiddleback figure |
| Hardness (Janka) | 6.0 kN | 5.2 kN |
| Moisture resistance | Good with proper finish | Good with proper finish |
| Best for | Modern, light, Scandinavian-style bathrooms | Statement pieces, moody or warm-toned bathrooms |
| Price | More accessible | Premium |
| Availability | Readily available as reclaimed timber | Less common, harder to source in wide boards |
Tasmanian Oak: The Versatile All-Rounder
Tasmanian Oak is actually a marketing name for three eucalyptus species (E. regnans, E. obliqua, and E. delegatensis). It has become the go-to timber for Australian furniture making because it is beautiful, workable, and available.
In a bathroom, Tas Oak brings a warm, light feel. The straight grain gives it a clean, modern look that pairs beautifully with white tile, concrete, and matte black tapware. If you are going for a Scandinavian or coastal aesthetic, Tas Oak is your timber.
It is also our most accessible option for custom vanities, which means you get genuine handmade, solid timber quality without stretching to premium pricing. Our Charo record player stand starts from $1,800 in Tas Oak for the same reason – it is simply good value for a stunning timber.
Blackwood: The Statement Maker
Tasmanian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) is what most furniture makers consider Australia’s finest furniture timber. And for good reason. The grain can be straight, interlocked, or wavy, and it often produces a fiddleback figure that genuinely stops people in their tracks.
No two boards of Blackwood look the same. That is both its appeal and its challenge – it takes a maker with experience to read the grain and place each board where it belongs. In a vanity, the colour variation creates a piece that feels alive. The rich chocolate tones deepen over time, and in certain lights the fiddleback figure seems to shift and move.
Blackwood costs more than Tas Oak because the boards are harder to source (especially in the wide dimensions needed for vanity tops), and the timber demands more care during construction. But the result is a vanity that will be the talking point of your bathroom for decades.
What About Moisture?
This is the question everyone asks, and the answer is the same for both timbers: with the right finish, solid timber performs beautifully in a bathroom.
We finish all our vanities with a natural oil that penetrates the timber fibres and creates a water-resistant surface. It is not a plastic coating sitting on top of the wood – it actually becomes part of the timber. Water beads on the surface rather than soaking in.
The key is ventilation. A bathroom with a good exhaust fan and reasonable airflow will keep any timber vanity in excellent condition. We have vanities we built years ago that still look and feel as good as the day they were delivered.
Which One Should You Choose?
Go with Tasmanian Oak if you want a light, bright bathroom feel, prefer a consistent grain pattern, are working to a tighter budget, or love a modern, clean-lined aesthetic.
Go with Blackwood if you want a vanity that is a genuine one-of-a-kind statement piece, love rich, warm tones and dramatic grain, are designing a moody or luxurious bathroom, or want the premium timber that Australian makers consider the best in the country.
See Both in Person
Photos never quite capture what these timbers look like in real life. If you are deciding between Tas Oak and Blackwood for your vanity, you are welcome to visit our Warburton workshop to see and touch timber samples. We can talk through your bathroom, your style, and help you choose the timber that is right for your space.
Get in touch to book a workshop visit or discuss your vanity project.
Want to learn about all the timbers we work with? Read our complete Australian Timber Guide.