Timber

Messmate is a hardwood native to Tasmania and Victoria and the tablelands of New South Wales and southern Queensland. It has been known to grow to 90 metres tall, with a trunk up to three metres in diameter.
A well-known Australian hardwood that is in high demand for a wide variety of applications, messmate is often sold with mountain ash as Tasmanian oak. It varies in colour from pale browns through to light yellows with subtle hints of peach. The sapwood is pale yellow to pale brown, with light brown heartwood. A species rich and warm in detail, it has an even, moderately coarse texture. The sometimes interlocking, straight grains feature beautifully defined rings. Gum veins are quite common. Messmate timber has moderate hardness and strength making it perfect for furniture making.

Victorian ash is the trade name for two of the tallest hardwood species in the world. This Australian hardwood takes its name from the fact that it grows in the alpine areas of Victoria,  It can refer to either mountain ash or alpine ash and as these species are species segregated in Victoria it is marketed under the trade name Victorian ash, it is important to note that the proportions of each species can vary considerably but Victorian mountain ash and alpine ash are very similar in characteristics and look.  

Victorian ash timber usually has a straight grain but may also produce fiddleback markings and have visible gum veins. It has a course texture. The colour ranges from pale pink to yellowish brown.

Spotted gum is one of Australia’s premium native hardwoods with a striking appearance and a high degree of natural durability and strength, making it an ideal timber for a variety of structural, exterior and interior applications. Architects and designers throughout the world value spotted gum timbers for their back-sawn grain structure, attractive markings and vibrant colour palette.

Spotted gum is the common name for four species that grow along the east coast of Australia, from northeast Victoria to the northern tablelands of Queensland, with some occurrence in western areas of southern Queensland. Sawn timber from these species is generally available throughout Australia. These species have straight, slender trunks with smooth bark that is shed in patches, giving the trees their characteristic spotted appearance.

The species referred to as spotted gum vary in appearance but not in durability class or other properties. The heartwood ranges from light brown through to dark red-brown hues. Sapwood is usually white to light brown in colour. The presence of a wavy grain can produce an attractive fiddle-back figure. The wood has a slightly greasy feel, a characteristic that aids machining and boring. Spotted Gum components that are 18mm thick or greater do not require fire retardant treatment for use in construction in bush-fire prone areas.

Spotted gum is used in engineering applications such as wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers, cross-arms and mining timbers. It is suitable for a range of building applications, such as posts and poles, framing, flooring, lining, decking and cladding. Spotted gum is also used in the manufacture of veneer and plywood. Other applications include boatbuilding, tool and implement handles, polo sticks and diving boards. Compared to other Australian hardwoods, spotted gum is a minimal staining timber as it is less prone to bleed-through of tannins than other species. Spotted gum is also a good timber for carving and woodturning.

Tasmanian oak is the name used for three almost identical species of eucalypt hardwoods that are normally marketed collectively. E. delegatensis (alpine ash) occurs at higher altitudes, while E. regnans (mountain ash) is found in wetter sites; E. obliqua (messmate) has a wide distribution, occurring in wet forests but also extending into drier areas.

Warm, dense and resilient, Tasmanian oak is the preferred hardwood for a wide range of applications. It works extremely well and produces an excellent finish. It can be used in all forms of construction and in interior applications such as panelling and flooring. It can be glue-laminated to cover long spans. Veneers, plywood and engineered products are also available. It is also a popular furniture timber, and its fibre is sought after for reconstituted board and production of high quality paper.

Tasmanian oak is light in colour, varying from straw to reddish brown with intermediate shades of cream to pink. It is recognised for its excellent staining qualities, which allow ready matching with other timbers, finishes or furnishings.

Tasmanian oak is marketed under different names depending on where it is being sold. In Victoria and NSW; it is also sometimes mistakenly referred to as Victorian ash. It should be noted however that, unlike Victorian ash, Tasmania oak also includes messmate. Consequently, Tasmanian oak has a wider and less consistent colour mix.

Blackwood is a medium-sized Australian hardwood that grows in South Australia and the eastern states. In the wetter areas of Tasmania it is grown in large volumes for commercial use. 

It is definitely an ‘appearance timber’, with a heartwood that is a rich golden brown. This is sometimes complimented by reddish streaks or a narrow band of darker colour, indicative of the growth rings. The sapwood is much paler in appearance. Blackwood has a medium and even texture. Its grain can either be straight or have a wavy, fiddleback pattern, which is valued for furniture and veneers.

Blackwood is easy to work and nails and glues well. A smooth, polished finish can be achieved, making blackwood ideal for furniture. It is also good for steam bending. If the grain is wavy then this may require the planer angle to be adjusted. It is important that safety precautions are taken when sanding blackwood, as the dust can cause irritations.

Marri is a distinctive bloodwood native to Western Australia. It is an adaptable tree that grows in both jarrah and karri forests in the state's southwest, from north of Geraldton to Cape Riche and inland beyond Narrogin, and can also be found on the Swan Coastal Plain and Darling Scarp.

Marri is often called red gum due to the gummy red protrusions often seen on its trunk. As the name suggests, the timber is high in gum, resulting in low recovery rates of first grade timber. In the past, few timber millers produced it, however marri's feature grain has become more popular in recent times for making fine, handcrafted furniture.

The dark red gum of the marri tree contrasts beautifully with the yellow to pale brown heartwood, while the 40mm wide sapwood is noticeably paler and often tending to white. Marri has a rather coarse but even texture with slightly interlocked grain. Gum veins are common and logs are generally sound to the centre.

Marri timber is increasingly used for modern household furniture. The finished honey-coloured timber with a distinctive vein structure makes handsome flooring. It can also be used for general construction, handles, oars and sporting equipment, while preservative-treated material is useful for piles, poles and posts.

The common name blackbutt came about due to the tree's appearance after bushfire, whereby the buttress - or butt - was significantly darkened. It is also known as coastal blackbutt to distinguish it from the tableland species, New England blackbutt.

Due to its quick growth and versatility, blackbutt makes a good plantation timber. It is a commonly available commercial hardwood species in New South Wales and southern Queensland, often used for building framework.

The heartwood ranges from golden yellow to pale brown, although occasionally a slight pinkish colour may be present. The sapwood, which is not always easy to distinguish, is much paler in appearance and is resistant to attack by lyctid borer. Blackbutt has an even texture and generally straight grain making it appealing for interior use applications.

Blackbutt can be stained, painted or polished but there can be issues with painting because of its tendency to surface check. The high extractives of mature wood can cause problems with some adhesives, but this is much less of an issue with young regrowth wood. These extractives can also cause staining on painted surfaces exposed to the weather. Blackbutt machines well but is only fair for steam bending.

Blackbutt provides good fire resistance and is one of seven hardwood timber species that was found to be suitable by the Building Commission in Victoria for home construction in bushfire areas (provided it has a thickness greater than 18mm).

A strong, durable hardwood, blackbutt can be used for a range of structural, exterior and interior applications including framework, decking, flooring and poles.

Australian Wormy Chestnut (sometimes known as Firestreak) does not actually come from a chestnut tree at all. The timber is named for its characteristics rather than its species, and comes from a blend of eucalyptus obliqua, eucalyptus sieberi and eucalyptus fastigata. Australian Wormy Chestnut timber tells the tale of its growth in the forests of Victoria’s East Gippsland region, where these hardwood species are scorched by fire, stunted by drought, and riddled by moth larvae and ambrosia beetles.

The ashy brown to rich chocolate timber is perfectly imperfect, adding rustic charm and instant character to any space. All of our timber is carefully graded so that you can be sure the natural imperfections of this wood will not cause structural weakness in the finished product. Wormy Chestnut is, in fact, a solid and extremely hardwearing timber.