Knowing Timber
September 10th 2008 00:22
It’s easy to say that wood is wood. All timber is the same. It is more difficult to identify the different kinds of timber, as they come from different and varied species of tree. Different kinds or species of timber will have varying colour and hardness, two important factors to consider when choosing timber for your next renovation.
Australian hardwoods, and imported hardwoods come under the Australian Standard AS 2796. Softwoods are under AS 4785. Australian standards maintain a level of grade for the wood to ensure its quality in building uses. The character of the floor is influenced by the species characteristics and therefore the grade. Grading is a process that sorts boards according to the number and size of features present (e.g. gum veins and knots). Grades are part of Australian Standards, but manufacturers often have their own grades.
Identifying what kind of timber you need can be tricky. Here is a list of different timbers and their colours, in order of hardness. Hardness indicates the resistance a species has to wear and tear, scratches and dents.
Australian Hardwoods with colour in brackets include:
Very Hard
Spotted Gum brown (dark brown, light sapwood)
Ironbark (dark brown or dark red brown)
Blackbutt (golden yellow to pale brown)
New England Blackbutt (straw to pale brown)
Forest Red Gum (dark brown or dark red brown)
Hard
Brushbox (mid brown even colour)
Jarrah (dark red brown)
Karri (rich reddish-browns to pale pinks)
Rose Gum (straw pink to light red)
Sydney Blue Gum (pink to dark red)
Tallowwood (pale straw to light brown)
Southern Blue Gum (pale brown with some pink)
Stringybark (yellow brown with pink tinge)
Moderately Hard
Messmate (pale yellow to pale brown)
Tasmanian Oak (pale straw to light brown, pink)
Victorian Ash (pale straw to light brown, pink)
Manna/Ribbon Gum (pale straw pinks)
Imported Hardwoods:
Kwila / Merbau (dark brown)
Northern Box (mid brown even colour)
Australian Softwoods:
Radiata (white to straw)
Araucaria/Hoop Pine (straw)
In terms of colour, when looking at a species of timber, the mix of product may come from different manufacturers, which may explain variations in colour. Even within one species, the heartwood will be darker than sapwood, leading to variations in colour. A range of colours are to be expected, as the age of the timber also determines colour. Be careful of choosing colours of timber in showrooms, as samples may darken with age.
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