Timber

Characteristics

One of the many wonderful attributes of Australian Hardwood are the beautiful characteristics in grain pattern, feature, gum veins and colour. If you are wanting super clear surfaces or singular colour and lack of feature / grain pattern then Australian Hardwood is probably not for you.

Each species of Eucalypt will have its own unique characteristic and it is important to understand these, especially when it comes to grading for cladding applications or for structural purposes for beams and posts.

Cladding Characteristics / Grading:

Australian Hardwood cladding offers a bespoke natural look with incredible grain features including gum veins and wavy like patterns in the timber. Species like Spotted Gum can offer a variety of colours even within the same board from light blond through to brown and deep red. Some species are susceptible to insect attack so might have very small pin holes / tracking marks but these are not detrimental to the boards performance, they are purely aesthetic. It is really important to understand all these characteristics when it comes to receiving and installing your cladding.

Small holes less than 8mm caused by insect damage can be filled onsite.

Dressed cladding with generally look like this with some beautiful natural grain pattern.

All of our hardwood cladding have minimal knot feature but if present can look like this which is acceptable.

A further example shown of a feature knot - this is a tight knot and is part of the hardwoods character.

Surface splits can also be present which can go up to around 5mm deep. Anything deeper or splitting all the way through is deemed out of grade

Feature in this board can be seen in the lap and on the face which is part of the character of the hardwood.

An Insect tracking mark can be seen here leaving small tracking marks. Species like Tallowwood are susceptible to minor insect feature.

Small pin holes in some species can be found. As long as there is no more than 10 per 100mm this is within grade and is not detrimental to the performance of the board.

Most of the hardwood species will present to a standard or nearly clear grade with the odd feature.

Small hairline surface checking can be a feature of Australian Hardwood and is within grade.

Knots such as this one must not have a crack going all the way through the board where water penetration is possible.

An example of Queensland Spotted Gum colour from light through brown through to red all in the same species.

An example of tight knots, smalll insect pin holes all within grade.

Blackbutt can have some gum veins that add beautiful character to the timber.

Another further example of a gum vein in Blackbutt cladding adding to the character and beauty.

Incredible grain, gum veins and colour can be found on occasion in Spotted Gum and is all within grade.