NZ Kauri (Agathis australis) Heavy logging which began around 1820 and continued for a century has considerably decreased the number of kauri trees in New Zealand. It has been estimated that before European colonisation, the kauri forests of northern New Zealand occupied at least 12,000 square kilometers. By the 1950S this area had decreased to about 1,400 km², comprising some 47 forests which were depleted of their best kauri. By 1900, less than 10% of the original kauri had survived. It is estimated that today, there is 4% of uncut forest left in small pockets.
Although today their use is far more restricted, in the past the size and strength of kauri timber made it a popular wood for construction and ship building, particularly for masts of sailing ships due to its parallel grain and the absence of branches extending for much of its height. Kauri is also a superb timber for building the hulls and decks of boats because of its resistance to rot. Kauri crown and stump wood was much appreciated for its beauty, and was sought after for ornamental wood paneling as well as high-end furniture. Though not as highly prized, the light colour of kauri trunk wood made it also well-suited for more utilitarian furniture construction.
NZ Rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) is a large evergreen coniferous tree endemic to the forests of New Zealand. It was formerly known as "red pine", although this name is misleading since it is not a true pine but a member of the southern conifer group the podocarps. The name "red pine" has fallen out of common use and the Māori name rimu is now used.
Historically, rimu and other native trees such as kauri and totara were the main sources of wood for New Zealand, including furniture and house construction. However, many of New Zealand's original stands of rimu have been destroyed, and recent government policies forbid the felling of rimu in public forests, though allowing limited logging on private land.
King Billy Pine (Athrotaxis selaginoides) is a species of Athrotaxis, endemic to Tasmania in Australia, where it grows at 400–1,120 m altitude. In its habitat in the mountains snow in winter is very usual. It is often called King Billy Pine or King William Pine, although it is not a pine.
It is an evergreen coniferous tree growing to 20–30 m tall, with a trunk up to 1.5 m diameter. The leaves are claw-like, 7–18 mm long and 3–4 mm broad, arranged spirally on the shoots. The seed cones are globose, 15–30 mm diameter, with 20–30 spirally-arranged scales; they are mature about six months after pollination. The pollen cones are 4–5 mm long.
The species is threatened, with the major cause of decline being out-of-control bushfires set to clear logging debris after timber harvests in nearby Eucalyptus forests; about a third of the species' range has been lost due to fires in the 20th century. Although most of the native stands are now in protected areas, fire still remains a serious risk to the species. Logging for its timber has also caused some decline.
Oregon (Pseudotsuga menziesii) A native to Canada the heartwood colour ranges from a yellowish to pale reddish yellow (slow growing) to orange red or reddish brown (fast growing), the colour varying greatly in different samples. Sapwood is distinctly paler varying in width from about 50mm in mature trees to 75mm in fast growing plantations. Growth rings are very prominent because of the considerable difference in density between earlywood and latewood; this also leads to a course uneven surface texture.
The timber is easy to work, although due to the difference in hardness between earlywood and latewood some care is required in plane and dressing.
It has been regularly used as construction timber in Australia for over 100 years as well as high grade joinery such as windows, doors, moldings, staircase components and exposed beams.
Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys) is a native Eucalypt species common in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. It grows in forests near the coast on moderate to fertile soils in a protected, sunny position.Tallowwood is drought and frost tender.
It is a tall evergreen tree growing to 40 metres, occasionally to 70 m with rough, fibrous orange bark and a dense crown. The leaves are 8-12 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm broad. The flowers are produced in umbels of 7-11.
Tallowwood is so named owing to the greasy feel of the wood when cut. It is one of the species whose leaves are used for food by Koalas.
The timber is naturally oily with a high tannin content and is heavily used for decking and recently, garden furniture. It has a distinct yellowish brown to olive-green colour. The nectar of tallowwood is much prized by bee keepers
Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii) Only found in Tasmania, the wood was highly prized for its golden yellow colour, fine grain and natural oils that resisted rotting. The chemical that gives the timber its unique smell and preservative qualities is methyl eugenol.
Heavy logging of the trees for its timber coupled with the trees' slow growth has led to remaining stands being less than 105 square kilometres (26,000 acres). The remaining stands of this species of tree now have protected status within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
The timber eagle and the logo on this website are prime examples of Huon Pine showing one side natural and the other polished.
Red Iron bark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) or Mugga, Red Ironbark or Mugga Ironbark, is a small to medium-sized or occasionally tall tree. The bark is persistent on the trunk and large branches, hard and deeply furrowed, dark grey to black, with upper limbs smooth and whitish.
This tree produces a stunning array of timber hues from pale brown to dark chocolate brown and also dark, luscious reds. The grain is usually interlocked, with a moderately coarse texture.
The wood is relatively hard and dense, and is often used for firewood. It is has very high resistance to rotting and can be used for fence posts, piers, sleepers. Heartwood dark red, sapwood pale yellow. Very dense, hard, fine grained timber, difficult to work, but polishes to a high sheen. Has been used for furniture, turnery, boat-building, benchtops. Popular as a craft furniture timber during the 1990s and early 2000s, Nicholas Datner famously used ironbark that had been submerged as a wharf pier for 80 years in a range of tables. At about 1130 kg/m3 it is one of the few timbers that will not float.
Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) is a species of Eucalyptus tree only found in southwest of Western Australia. The tree and the wood are usually referred to by the Aboriginal name Jarrah. Jarrah is an important element in its ecology, providing numerous habitats for animal life especially birds and bees while it is alive, and in the hollows that form as the heartwood decays. When it falls, it provides shelter to ground-dwellers such as the chuditch, a carnivorous marsupial.
Jarrah flowers are used to make honey, but its wood is its main use. It is a heavy timber, with a specific gravity of 1.1 when green. Its long, straight trunks of richly coloured and beautifully grained termite resistant timber make it valuable for cabinet making, flooring, panelling and outdoor furniture. The finished timber has a deep rich reddish-brown colour and an attractive grain. When fresh, jarrah is quite workable but when seasoned it becomes so hard that conventional wood-working tools are useless. It is very durable, even in wet and weathered situations, making it a choice structural material for bridges, wharves, railway sleepers, ship building and telegraph poles.
The English, in the early 1900'S transported this amazingly beautiful timber back to the motherland to bury under ashfalt to make roads. Now thats environmental crime.
White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla) - Heartwood colour ranges from a light yellowish-orange to brown with some very dark brown streaks. The occurance of numerous knots is a characteristic of the timber which provides a remarkably decorative figure on the exposed faces. The knots are usually very tight and do not readily fall out of the finished timber.
The heartwood of cypress is regarded as highly resistant to termite attack and very durable. The distinctive odour of the timber is attributed to the natural resins in the wood fibre which acts as repellent to the termites.The sapwood, like most timber species, however, does not have the same properties and is not termite resistant or durable. Apart from its area of occurance, where it is used for most building and finishing components, Cypress is widely known as flooring, decking, panelling and weatherboards.
The natural high durabliltiy and hardness set it apart from exotic imported and plantation softwoods and make it ideal for these exposed or high wear applications.
Baltic Pine (Pinus sylvestris) The Scots Pine as it is known around the world is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Ireland, Great Britain and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as Lapland. In the north of its range, it occurs from sea level to 1,000 m, while in the south of its range, it is a high altitude mountain tree, growing at 1,200-2,600 m altitude.
The timber listed below is what we mostly stock at Reborn Timber however if what you are looking for is not listed we will endevour to source the timber you require.
Tongue and Groove Dave Andrewartha on 0418 210 492
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