Guide
Brush Box
Cypress Pine
Jarrah
Merbau (Kwila)
Oregon
Radiata Pine
Spotted Gum
Teak
Treated Pine
Victorian Ash
Western Red Cedar
There are two main types of timber, softwood and hardwood. These terms are not an indication of the hardness of the wood but refer to the type of seed the tree produces. For example, pine is a softwood tree, eucalypts and balsa are hardwood trees. Ensure that a dust mask is worn when sanding timber as sanding dust can be irritating to the breathing passages.
Brush Box
An Australian hard, dense, pinkish grey to reddish brown timber with a natural waxiness commonly used in NSW and Queensland.
Common Uses: Flooring, furniture, cladding and fences.
Cypress Pine*
An Australian hard, knotty and fairly strong timber with a fine texture
Common Uses: Flooring, paneling, decking and structural timber.
Jarrah*
Heavy, tough and dark red hardwood from Western Australia.
Common Uses: Flooring, paneling, joinery, decking and furniture.
Merbau (Kwila)*
Durable, dark reddish brown Asian rainforest hardwood timber that is susceptible to tannin bleed. May require repeat applications of Reviva.
Common Uses: Decking, fences, flooring and panelling.
Oregon*
A hard timber that is easy to work with. It has a high resin content that can crystalise on the surface. Scrape off crystals before coating.
Common Uses: Pergolas and structural timber.
Radiata Pine
A common plantation softwood ideal for staining. It is susceptible to ‘bluestain’, a fungus that can enter the timber just after it is felled, manifesting itselft as blue stain on the timber surface. Removal is not possible and the only way to hide these stains is by using a darker timber stain.
Common Uses: Furniture and general construction.
Spotted Gum*
A very dense, oily Australian hardwood. Nature’s Timber Oil is recommended for coating this timber in exterior applications. Note: Spotted Gum is often presented in timber sold as ‘mixed hardwood’.
Common Uses: Flooring, cladding, decking, fencing, landscaping, retaining walls and as structural timber.
Teak*
A golden brown Asian hardwood that is rich in oils with a waxy feel.
Common Uses: Furniture, veneers and ship’s decking.
Treated Pine*
Radiata Pine that has been pressure treated to resist decay, termites and fungi.
Common Uses: Decks, pergolas and fences.
Victorian Ash (Tasmanian Oak)
A hard timber with a light beige to pink colour that readily accepts stains and coatings.
Common Uses: Flooring, cupboards, wall panelling and furniture.
Western Red Cedar*
A pale to dark brown North American softwood that is easy to work with.
Common Uses: Window frames, garage doors and cladding.
*All timber used in exterior applications should be cleaned and prepared with Intergrain Reviva Timber Cleaner prior to coating.