Follow us
Account Login

Email

Password

Forgot your password?
Free Sign Up

Featured Project

The acoustic properties of timber make it a natural for a school auditorium

View more inspiration
General Resources
Why Wood Articles
What is...

Warp restraint
In drying timber and other wood products, the application of external loads to a rack, stack or pack of the timber to prevent or reduce warp.

Visit Glossary

Rose Gum | Eucalyptus grandis

Rose Gum offers a warm coloured timber with lovely soft pink and peach hues characterised by interesting insect trails and pinholes.

Rose Gum – a character filled hardwood ideal for furniture making and joinery as well as general construction and flooring.

Rose Gum is a fast growing Australian native hardwood with a wide range of applications from general construction to fine furniture making.

Other Names: Flooded Gum, Scrub Gum

Overview
Properties
Description
Applications
Case Studies
Suppliers

Overview

Rose Gum (Eucalyptus grandis) is a large, fast growing hardwood timber. When grown in a favourable environment, Rose Gum is one of the most productive plantation eucalypts. It is a very tall forest tree, reaching 45 to 55 metres in height, with a trunk of between one and two metres in diameter. The trunk displays rough, stringy grey-brown bark at the base, with a white, powdery bark extending above.

The Rose Gum grows on the eastern coast of Australia, tolerating sandy through to heavy clay soils. It stretches from Newcastle on the New South Wales central coast to Bundaberg in southern Queensland. Smaller stands of Rose Gum occur to the west of Mackay on the central Queensland coast and in pockets in the ranges from north west of Townsville to west of Bloomfield in far north Queensland. Rose Gum has been grown in plantations in Queensland and New South Wales, making the sawn timber of this sought after species readily available.

In Australia, Rose Gum is mainly harvested for paneling, sawn building timber, flooring and joinery. It has decorative applications in high quality furniture, as it is easy to carve and turn. Boats and structural plywood can also be built from this timber. It has a range of general construction uses due to its class 2 above ground durability (15 to 40 years), although it is less durable in-ground (5-15 years). While its sapwood is not susceptible to lyctid borer, the timber is not termite resistant.

As its name suggests, Rose Gum has heartwood that is pink to red-brown in colour, with paler sapwood. The timber can be moderately course and is predominantly straight grained.

Properties

Shrinkage

	Very Low	Low	Medium	High	Very High
Tangential:
Tangential:				7.5
Radial:				4 - 5
Unit Movement:				0.3 %

Strength Group

	Very High	High	Reasonably High	Medium High	Medium	Reasonably Low	Low	Very Low
Unseasoned:	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	S7
Unseasoned:
Seasoned:	SD1	SD2	SD3	SD4	SD5	SD6	SD7	SD8
Seasoned:

Stress Grade

	Structural No. 1	Structural No. 2	Structural No. 3	Structural No. 4	Structural No. 5
Unseasoned:	F17	F14	F11	F8	F7
Seasoned:	F22	F17	F14	F11	F8

Density per Standard

Unseasoned:	950 kg/m³
Seasoned:	750 kg/m³

Joint Group

	Very High	High	Reasonably High	Medium	Low	Very Low
Unseasoned:	J1	J2	J3	J4	J5	J6
Unseasoned:
Seasoned:	JD1	JD2	JD3	JD4	JD5	JD6
Seasoned:

Colour

White, yellow, pale straw to light brown	Pink to pink brown	Light to dark red	Brown, chocolate, mottled or streaky

Mechanical Properties

Modulus of Rupture - Unseasoned:	79
Modulus of Rupture - Seasoned:	122
Modulus of Elasticity - Unseasoned:	13
Modulus of Elasticity - Seasoned:	17
Maximum Crushing Strength - Unseasoned:	36
Maximum Crushing Strength - Seasoned:	66
Impact - Unseasoned:	15
Impact - Seasoned:	16
Toughness - Unseasoned:	Medium - 15 - 25 Nm
Toughness - Seasoned:	Medium - 15 - 25 Nm
Hardness - Unseasoned:	5.3
Hardness - Seasoned:	7.5

Durability

	Low	Moderate	Reasonably High	High
	(0 - 5 yrs)	(5 - 15 yrs)	(15 - 25 yrs)	(more than 25 yrs)
In-Ground:
	(0 - 7 yrs)	(7 - 15 yrs)	(15 - 40 yrs)	(More than 40 yrs)
Above ground:
	(0 - 20 yrs, usually < 5)	(21 - 40 yrs)	(41 - 64 yrs)	(More than 60 yrs)
Marine Borer Resistance:

Lyctid Borer Susceptibility:	Not Susceptible
Termite Resistance:	Not Resistant

Fire Properties

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
EFH Ignitibility:

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
EFH Spread-of-Flame Index:
EFH Smoke-Developed Index:

Critical Radiance Flux - Lower:	>2.2 and <4.5 kW/m²
Critical Radiance Flux - Higher:	>2.2 and <4.5 kW/m²
Smoke Development Rate:	<750

	1 - non-combustible	2 - reasonably non-combustible	3 - slightly combustible	4 - combustible
Fire Properties Group Number:

Group Number - Other:	For plywood- Fire Properties - EFH Spread-of-flame Index: 8
Average Specific Extinction Area:	<250
Bushfire Resistance:	BAL 12.5 and 19 – All AS3959 required applications

Description

Botanical Name:	Eucalyptus grandis
Preferred Common Name:	Rose Gum
Other Names:	Flooded Gum, Scrub Gum
Species Type:	Hardwood

Appearance

Rose Gum produces a warm coloured timber with pink hues that are deep without being too dark. The heartwood ranges in colour from pale pink to red-brown, however the sapwood is paler and not always clearly differentiated from the heartwood.

The wonderful blend of soft pinks and peach tones make this a charming timber, and Rose Gum may contain evidence of insect trails and pinholes that add to its character and beauty. The grain is fairly uniform: straight to slightly interlocked, creating no distinctive figure. The timber's texture is moderately course and even.

Common Applications

Rose Gum is an extremely versatile timber for construction and decorative applications. As sawn timber in general house framing, cladding, internal and external flooring and mouldings, Rose Gum is a perfect choice. It is also ideal for use in linings, joinery, fascia and barge-boards.

The decorative applications of Rose Gum are obvious if you're looking for a timber of distinctive warmth. It has been used for fine furniture, as well as durable outdoor furniture. The timber's character features distinctive pinhole and insect marks making it well suited for use in joinery, carving and turnery.

Other uses of Rose Gum include structural plywood and in boat building (framing components, planking and decking). Rose Gum has also been used for boat oars, dowel rods, broom handles, brush ware and fruit cases.

Common Form

Sawn

Workability

Rose Gum is moderately easy to work with hand tools (rated 3 on a 6 class scale). It can be easily sanded and machines and turns well to deliver a smooth finish.

This species of timber can be dried satisfactorily with conventional air and kiln seasoning methods, although care should be taken in the early stages of drying to avoid collapse and surface checking. The sapwood is able to accept impregnation with preservative but the heartwood is resistant to contemporary commercial treatments.

No difficulty has been experienced with the use of standard fittings and fastenings with Rose Gum. The timber can be bonded using standard glues and it will readily accept paint, stain and polish. In addition, Rose Gum accepts oiling.

Origin of Timber

NSW, QLD

Readily Available

NSW, QLD

Availability - Further Information

Rose Gum is widely available as sawn timber. There are several natural sources along the east coast of Australia and it has also been grown in plantations in Queensland and New South Wales.

Source of Timber

Native Forest, Plantation

Applications

Decking

Timber decking creates spaces that are functional, practical and aesthetically pleasing. With the right design and care a timber deck will make a valuable addition to any home or business, creating an outdoor living space that will be enjoyed for years to come.
External Cladding

The natural appeal, versatility and strength of timber makes it the superior choice for external cladding. Through specification, planning, design and finishing processes, timber cladding not only creates a building of superior strength, acoustic and thermal performance but also creates a place of beauty, style and natural appeal.
Fencing

When it comes to fencing, timber is your natural choice. A material that is durable, strong and reliable it compliments almost every outdoor landscape and environment. Clear specification, detailed installation and appropriate maintenance will see any timber fence provide a natural and lasting property boundary and back drop for years to come.
Flooring

Whether for structural or finished flooring applications, timber offers durability, versatility and adaptability. The warmth, strength and natural beauty of timber flooring has proved enduringly popular in a wide variety of interior settings.
Framing

Since people began building simple shelters, wooden framing has played an important role in shaping structures of many kinds. One of the most popular types of wooden framing is known as lightweight timber construction.
Interior Rails and Balustrades

With its natural beauty and inherent strength, timber is a popular material choice in internal balustrade construction. Commonly built from treated softwoods and durable hardwoods, interior balustrades and handrails are typically finished with a clear lacquer to generate the most natural result.
Interior Stairs

Timber should be the material of choice for designers seeking internal staircases of strength, beauty and durability. The construction procedure described here applies to most general type stairs of either conventional or contemporary construction.
Internal Paneling

Timber paneling creates interiors as warm as they are stylish. Commonly utilising an MDF or plywood substrate, internal timber paneling is natural and versatile and comes as either solid natural timber panels or as sheets of engineered wood products
Pergolas

A timber pergola is a practical, functional and attractive way to extend living and entertainment spaces into the outdoors.
Timber Joinery Products

Timber joinery products offer a classic, unique and stylish touch to any interior design.
Timber Mouldings

Mouldings are extremely versatile and durable, enhancing the aesthetics of any interior and functioning as the icing on the cake for designs with a focus on beauty and splendour.
Timber Portal Frames

For buildings that require large spans and column free interiors, timber portal frames provide one of the most aesthetically pleasing solutions. Utilising modern engineering technology, portal frame design transforms timber into a highly effective, efficient and economical structural product. This application guide provides a comprehensive overview of the process of using timber in the specification, fabrication and erection of portal frame structures.

Case Studies

Joy Yeo Performing Arts Centre, Roseville College

In Roseville College's Joy Yeo Performing Arts Centre, the use of Jarrah and Rose Gum pleases the ear as well as the eye.

Applications: Flooring, Internal Paneling,