Australian hardwood species are some of the most sought after wood species in the world. They are favored for their strength and durability, as well as their aesthetic beauty. Some of the most popular Australian hardwood species include Blackbutt, Spotted Gum, Jarrah, Tallowwood and Victorian Ash. These hardwoods are typically used for flooring, decking, and outdoor furniture due to their natural resistance to rot and decay. They are also popular for their beautiful grain patterns and colours, ranging from light to dark brown, and even red, grey and black.

Identifying the right species of hardwood for your particular application is easier when you understand some basic facts about where those timbers come from and what they are most commonly used for. Australian timbers are highly regarded and picking the right Australian timber species is an important step of your project, whether you're planning hardwood floors, exterior cladding, or heavy construction.

In this blog post we'll give you a breakdown of some of the Australian hardwood species available for your project:

Blackbutt 

Blackbutt - or Eucalyptus pilularis - is a type of Eucalypt native to eastern Australia, from northern New South Wales through much of Queensland.

It is a medium to dark brown wood with a straight grain and good durability. It is a popular timber species for construction, furniture making, flooring, and other woodworking applications. It is a good choice for outdoor structures due to its good resistance to rot and insects. It is a light, strong timber and is easy to work with.

It is also one of the least expensive hardwoods available. Being relatively inexpensive, it is also used for firewood, wood chips and charcoal.

Spotted Gum 

 

Spotted Gum is another great Australian hardwood species that grows in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Its scientific name is Corymbia maculata.

It is a strong and durable timber that is often used for outdoor decking, flooring, fencing, and other construction projects. Common applications include furniture-making and interior joinery. Spotted gum is a distinctive timber, with a light to mid-brown colour, interspersed with darker spots, giving it its name. It has a medium to coarse texture and is quite strong, with a density of around 830kg per cubic metre.

Jarrah 

 

Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) is a species of Eucalyptus tree that is native to southwestern Australia. It is mostly found in the coastal regions of Western Australia. It is a renewable resource and is harvested from managed forests, making it a sustainable material. Jarrah is a hardwood tree with a deep red heartwood that is highly valued for its durability and resistance to rot and insects. It has a unique and attractive reddish-brown color with occasional streaks of pink and yellow.

Jarrah is highly resistant to wear and tear and resistant to termites and other wood-destroying insects. It is one of the strongest and most durable hardwoods, making it ideal for heavy-duty exterior applications like hardwood decking. Despite its durability, Jarrah remains easy to work with, making it suitable for a variety of applications.

Tallowwood

 

Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys) is a species of Eucalyptus tree native to Australia. It grows naturally along the eastern coast of Australia, from the northern tip of Queensland down to Victoria. It is also found in parts of South Australia.

Tallowwood has a light yellow-brown colour when freshly cut, making it perfect for decorative applications. It has an interlocked grain that is often wavy in appearance. Being easy to work with, Tallowwood is ideal for joinery and furniture making. Like other species of Eucalyptus, Tallowwood is a very durable timber, with a natural resistance to decay and termite attack, which has made it a popular choice for structural applications.

Its light colour means Tallowwood can be finished easily with either stain or paint.

Victorian Ash

 

Victorian Ash is the name given to wood from two native Australian trees; Eucalyptus regnans and Eucalyptus delegatensis. It is an attractive, light-colored timber with a tight, straight grain. It is a tough and durable timber that is often used for furniture, flooring, interior and exterior joinery, and panelling. It has also traditionally been used for boat-building, as it is resistant to splitting and warping.

The trees used to produce Victorian Ash are found in south-eastern Australia, from New South Wales to Victoria and South Australia. They are most commonly found in lowlands and foothills, and in wetter areas, such as along waterways.

Conclusion

Timber suppliers and large retailers like Bunnings have a comprehensive range of hardwood timber suitable for any project. And that extensive range means you can choose from one of the timbers listed in this post, or pick a different timber to achieve the natural colour you want for your project.

Whether you're installing decking outside, you need hardwood woodchips, you want an attractive material for internal flooring, or you need a strong timber for heavy construction applications, Australian native hardwood is a great choice.

At PaintAccess we can help you find all the paint, stain, brushes, rollers and other supplies you need to transform your raw timber into the deck or flooring style of your choice. If you need painting or staining supplies, you can order them online from https://www.paintaccess.com.au/. And if you’re in Sydney and want to check out our Testing Bar, come and visit our Matraville store. When we say “try before you buy”, we mean it.