Imported Timber Species

American Walnut

Juglans nigra

Applications: Furniture, cabinet making, architectural interiors, joinery, flooring, gunstocks, and panelling.

Also referred to as American black walnut or Black Walnut, this species is highly sought after for use in decorative applications. Heartwood ranges from grey-brown to chocolate brown in colour and will lighten as it ages. In contrast, sapwood is creamy white and is often steamed by producers to darken its colour. Generally American Walnut is straight grained, but sometimes presents a wavy or curly grain that produces an attractive figure.

This is a medium density hardwood with a weight of approximately 610kg/m3 when dry. It is easily workable and produces exceptional finish when polished.

Availability

Generally available in random widths in 25mm, 38mm, 50mm, and 75mm thicknesses.

American White Oak

Quercus Alba

Applications: Furniture, flooring, staircases, internal joinery, benchtops, and wine barrels

Initially establishing popularity as a major cabinet species in the Australian market, today American White Oak finds wide application in furniture, flooring, kitchen cupboard doors, and internal joinery as well as its traditional application in the wine industry.

White Oak has a very pronounced cathedral grain when back sawn, an air-dry density of approximately 750kg/m3 and is relatively easy to work. It also has extremely good steam bending properties.

Availability

Generally available in 25mm 38mm 50mm and occasionally 75mm thicknesses.

Cedrata (Bosse)

Guarea cedrata

Applications: Cabinetmaking, shop fitting, high class external joinery, furniture, boat building, and flooring.

This relatively unknown species native to Africa is gaining popularity in joinery applications for its uniform colour and lustrous finish. Bosse can have a distinct, cedar like odour while being worked. Heartwood is pale pinkish brown and darkens with age to golden toffee to medium brown tones. The grain varies widely from straight, interlocked to highly figured.

This is a moderately dense hardwood that may cause blunting of tool edges when being worked. Personal protective equipment is a necessary when working with this species as it is known to cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat.

Availability

Improving availability in 25mm, 38mm, and 50mm thicknesses. Packs are generally random width, set length.  

Burmese Teak

Tectona Grandis

Applications: Furniture, Joinery, Flooring, and Boating.

This species has long been revered in the boat construction industry. Its high durability, stability and beautiful grain make it an obvious choice for sail boats and yachts. Burmese Teak heartwood is a uniform golden brown and often contains dark marking. Its grain is usually straight to slightly wavy. Texture is coarse and uneven. The wood contains an oleo-resin, making it oily to the touch and resulting in a distinct, leathery, odour.

Moderate in density at approximately 670kg/m3 when dry, this species requires care when working. Tungsten carbide tips are often necessary for Teak to machine it successfully. It glues well on surfaces that are freshly cut or sanded.

Availability

Available in widths 150mm and wider in 25mm, 38mm and 50mm. However, occasionally there will be lengthy wait times to import.

European Beech

Fagus Sylvatica

Applications: Furniture, joinery, and flooring.

The Heartwood of European Beech is a pale cream to yellow/brown colour. The Sapwood is very similar and is often hard to distinguish. Generally, this species presents with a straight grain and a fine texture.

It has a density of approximately 725kg/m3 when dry and is easy to work. It bends well when steamed, making it a popular option for decorative applications and furniture such as bentwood dining chairs.

Availability

Available in board widths 100mm & wider in 25mm, 38mm and 50mm thicknesses.

European Oak

Quercus Spp, Quercus Robur

Applications: Exterior joinery, cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring, boatbuilding, wine barrels, and veneer.

Also known as French Oak or English Oak, the Quercus family consists of approximately 600 species variations all occurring naturally in the northern hemisphere. Quercus Robur is one of the most notable sub-species for use in decorative and feature applications. There can be a fair amount of variation in colour dependant on growth region and subspecies. Generally, this oak presents with a heartwood that is a light to medium brown and darkens with age and light exposure. Sapwood is a much lighter shade of brown and is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood. Quartersawn sections display prominent ray fleck patterns which distinguish this oak from others.

When dry, it has a density of approximately 700kg/m3 but despite this it is relatively easy to work and produces good results with hand and machine tools. It is rated BAL 12.5.

Availability

Available in board widths 100mm & wider in 25mm, 38mm and 50mm thicknesses.

Garapa

Apuleia leiocarpa, Apuleia mollaris

Applications: Decking, fencing, flooring and docks.

Garapa is a high-density hardwood species native to Brazil. Despite being a lesser-known species in Australia, it is a premier choice for decking in New Zealand. Garapa is a light yellow to honey-brown colour with interlocked grain and a fine texture. It is a very durable timber that resists rot, decay, and fire though it is vulnerable to termite and other insect attacks. The timber is lustrous and does not bleed. It has a high silica content and is scratch resistant. Garapa is consistently in demand as a decking product as it is one of the few commercially available hardwoods in this colour pallet that is also suitable for exterior applications. Nearly all other exterior woods are much darker in colour. Air dry it has a density of approximately 700kg/m3. Despite its density, it is easy to work, glues and finishes well.

Availability

Reasonable availability for kiln dry product ex 100x25mm and ex 150x25mm however, expect lengthy wait times.

Jelutong

Dyera Costulata

Applications: Carving, Sculpting, Fishing Lures.

This low-density softwood species is very easily worked by hand and with machine tools. It is a preferred specie for hand carved fishing lures. It is a pale straw in colour with a straight grain and has a dry weight of approximately 400kg/m3.

Availability

Available in board widths 150mm & wider in 25mm, 38mm and 50mm thicknesses.

Kwila/Merbau

Intsia Palembanica

Applications: Exterior Joinery, decking, construction, infrastructure, cladding, flooring, and joinery.

A dense, heavy hardwood derived largely from Malaysia and Indonesia. It is durable, strong, and naturally resistant to termites. These properties make it ideal for external engineering and construction applications. You will find this species used widely in outdoor furniture as well as decking. It is deep red in colour. The grain of Merbau can vary but it is usually interlocked or wavy, with a coarse but even texture.

Sawing is difficult as wood clogs saw teeth and dulls cutting edges; carbide tooling recommended. It has a density of approximately 830kg/m3 when dry. It is rated BAL 29.

Availability

Available in 25mm, 38mm, 50mm, 75mm and 100mm thicknesses in various widths.

Posts: 125mm x 125mm and 150mm x 150mm

New Guinea Rosewood

Pterocarpus indicus

Applications: Exterior joinery, Musical Instruments, Flooring, and Veneers/Panelling.

This remarkably stable hardwood grows throughout Southeast Asian, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. It weighs approximately 650kh/m3 when dry and is rated BAL 12.5. Colour varies from golden browns to rich reds. It has a moderately course texture. Grain is usually interlocked, sometimes wavy. It is durable, stable, and easy to work. As a result, it is consistently in high demand for use in joinery applications and to a lesser extent, flooring, and furniture. There is an increasing demand for squares for use by luthiers.

Availability

Rough sawn boards are available in widths 125mm and wider in 25mm, 38mm and 50mm thicknesses.

Special cut squares are also available in 100×100 and 125×125 however, expect lengthy wait times to allow for adherence to correct drying protocols.

Quality veneers and panelling are extremely difficult to secure.

Vitex

Vitex Cofassus

Applications: Decking, boat building, cladding and joinery.

Vitex, also known as Pacific Teak, is a durable hardwood commonly used as decking. Its combination of strength, durability and workability make sought after among shipbuilders. Recently, it has enjoyed renewed popularity in joinery applications. It has a pale yellowish to creamy-grey appearance with a fine texture. The grain is even but may be interlocked or straight. Finished, it has a slight lustre.

Vitex has a density of approximately 700kg/m3 and while it is easily sawn, its high silica content can cause blunting of tools. Use of a tungsten-carbide blade is recommended.

Wenge

Millettia Laurenti

Applications: Furniture, joinery, and musical instruments.

This African species is easily identifiable by its rich dark brown colour and contrasting near black veins. The grain is reasonably straight with a coarse texture. Its excellent durability, structure, and appearance, make it a premier dark species. Despite its rising cost due to increased unavailability, Wenge continues to be in high demand for use in decorative applications.

Given the density of Wenge (approximately 910kg/m3), working can result in blunt tools and it can be difficult to hand cut and polish. Carbide tips are often necessary. Personal protective equipment is a necessary when working with this species as it is well documented to cause dermatological and respiratory reactions.   

Availability

Available in board widths 100mm & wider in 25mm, 38mm and 50mm thicknesses.

Zebrano

Microberlinia Brazzavillensis

Applications: Furniture, joinery, and musical instruments.

As the name suggests, this species has a distinctive striped appearance on the quartered surface. The heartwood is light golden-yellow with narrow streaks of dark brown. It is a hard stable timber used mainly for decorative purposes. The species can be difficult to work due to its coarse texture and lustrous surface. Additionally, it may cause eye and skin irritation.

Availability

Available in board widths 150mm & wider in 25mm, 38mm and 50mm thicknesses.