Description
Turpentine external shiplap cladding
Appearance
The heartwood of this species exhibits rich hues, ranging from deep red to reddish-brown, while its sapwood stands out with a creamy, pale tone. Turpentine timber features a fine to medium texture, often displaying a wavy and interlocked grain pattern. Notably, it is free from gum veins, enhancing its appeal and durability.
Common Applications
Turpentine is renowned as Australia’s primary choice for marine pilings due to its high silica content, which provides resistance to Teredinidae marine borers. It is also widely used in heavy engineering projects, including wharf and bridge construction, where it serves as both sawn and round timber. Other notable uses include railway sleepers, mining timbers, and a variety of construction purposes, such as house framing, flooring, decking, lining, and cladding.
Additionally, Turpentine is ideal for crafting plywood, laminated beams, benchtops, joinery, and parquetry. In boatbuilding, it is valued for components like knees, gunwales, planking, and decking. Other specialized uses include oyster stakes, wine casks, mallets, and bearings.
Workability
This timber is exceptionally hard, rated 1 on a six-class scale for indentation resistance, making it challenging to work by hand. The presence of silica can be abrasive to machine tools, but the wood readily accepts paint, stains, and polish. Standard fastenings and fittings perform well with Turpentine, although its natural extractives can make gluing more difficult.
Origin and Availability
- Region: Commonly found in New South Wales (NSW) and southern Queensland.
- Source: Harvested from native forests.
- Availability: Readily accessible within NSW.
