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  Oregon Maple

  Oregon Maple is popular in veneer production for furniture and cabinetry. Its highly figured wood is sought after for musical instruments such as guitar bodies, stringed instruments and piano frames, as well as salad bowls. The Indigenous Lakwungen people of Vancouver Island knew it as the ‘Paddle Tree’ and created paddles and spindle wheels from its wood.

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Hardwood Species

Australia has a unique resource in its native hardwoods, producing some of the most durable and attractive timbers in the world. Native hardwoods are sourced from managed forests and more recently from plantations and farm forestry. Australia also imports a number of hardwood timbers from overseas.

The distinction between hardwood and softwood is botanical, rather than referring to the strength or hardness of the wood. Hardwoods are relatively broad-leafed trees with seeds that are produced in an enclosed form, such as a fruit or nut; softwoods are coniferous or cone bearing trees with needle-like leaves. Due to a higher density, hardwood is usually stronger than softwood but this is not always the case; for example, balsa is a hardwood and white cypress is very strong softwood.

Hardwood timbers are ideal for high strength structural applications, such as bearers, joists, lintels and roof beams. The natural durability of most hardwoods also makes them perfect for external applications, such as decking and cladding, and for interior flooring and stairs. Hardwood timbers are also highly recyclable due to their long above-ground life, with some of Australia’s indigenous hardwood species, such as jarrah, blackwood and red gum, much prized for recycled flooring, panelling, furniture and landscaping.

To find the right timber for your project, search hardwood species using botanical name, common name or applications.

90 result(s) found

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  American Ash

  Botanical name: Fraxinus spp., Common name: American Ash.
  American Ash is the trade name for a number of sub species of Ash that grow throughout the eastern USA. It is a versatile and attractive hardwood with good strength properties.
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  American Black Walnut

  Botanical name: Juglans nigra, Common name: American Black Walnut.
  American Black Walnut is a premium cabinet and furniture making timber, native to the eastern regions of North America. Availability in Australia is generally limited to the upper grades.
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  American Cherry

  Botanical name: Prunus serotina, Common name: American Cherry.
  American Cherry is a hardwood native to eastern USA. Its heartwood ranges from a dark, rich red to a reddish brown, and is prized for high-end interior applications, turning and carving, and musical instruments.
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  American Hard Maple

  Botanical name: Accer saccharum, Common name: American Hard Maple.
  American Hard Maple produces timber with good strength properties and an attractive appearance. Its most common applications are flooring, cabinet making, furniture and interior joinery.
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  American Hickory

  Botanical name: Carya glabra, Common name: American Hickory.
  American Hickory is considered one of the most important of the commercially available eastern USA hardwoods for its combination of strength, toughness, hardness, and stiffness.
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  American Red Alder

  Botanical name: Alnus rubra, Common name: American Red Alder.
  American Red Alder grows on the west coast of the USA and is the most common commercial hardwood in that region. This attractive timber is used for furniture, interior mouldings, doors and turning and carving.
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  American Red Oak

  Botanical name: Quercus spp., Common name: American Red Oak.
  American Red Oak is the trade name for eight commercially available species of Oak that are sold as both timber and veneer and used in a range of interior applications.
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  American Soft Maple

  Botanical name: Acer spp., Common name: American Soft Maple.
  American Soft Maple is about 25% less hard than American Hard Maple, making it easier to work but not as hard-wearing. It is widespread throughout eastern USA, but the Big Leaf Maple grows only in the Pacific Northwest region.
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  American Tulipwood

  Botanical name: Liriodendron tulipfera, Common name: American Tulipwood.
  American Tulipwood is one of the largest trees native to the eastern USA. It is used for both sawn timber and veneers, and is a versatile and attractive timber for a range of interior applications.
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  American White Oak

  Botanical name: Quercus alba, Common name: American White Oak.
  American White Oak is the trade name for a variety of hardwood species from the Quercus genus. The timber is imported from eastern USA and used for a variety of applications, including furniture, flooring and joinery.