Forest red gum is a versatile, dense and durable hardwood, with a light to dark red heartwood perfect for flooring, decking, construction and furniture making.
Blue Gum (Qld), Red Irongum (Qld), Red Gum, Blakely's Red Gum, Eucalyptus umbellata, Eucalyptus vlakelyi, Eucalyptus blakelyi
Eucalyptus tereticornis
Forest red gum produces a reliable timber suited to a wide range of uses. The timber is highly durable with an extremely high density. It displays a tight interlocking grain alongside its lush red colour, making it excellent for applications where appearance and durability are important.
As the name suggests, forest red gum is a medium to tall forest tree. Trees of this species grow to a height of 20 to 50 metres, with a girth of up to two metres. The trunk is straight and is usually unbranched for more than half the total height of the tree, with limbs that are more steeply inclined than other eucalypt species. The bark is shed in irregular sheets, resulting in a smooth trunk surface, coloured in patches of white, grey and blue. Rough dark grey to black dead bark is retained at the base of the stem.
A versatile timber, forest red gum can be used in wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers, cross-arms and mining timbers. It is suitable for all building members including posts and poles, framing, flooring, lining, decking and cladding. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor furniture. As well as sawn and round applications, forest red gum is suitable for the manufacture of structural plywood.
Eucalyptus tereticornis, the most commercially important of the two sub-species, spreads from coastal south-eastern Victoria to southern Papua New Guinea. E. blakelyi subsp. blakelyi is found from northern Victoria through New South Wales and into southern Queensland. Timber appearance and properties are identical for both species. E. tereticornis sapwood is not susceptible to lyctid borer attack, unlike E. blakelyi. This species is not susceptible to termites.
Shrinkage
| Very Low | Low | Medium | High | Very High | |
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Tangential :
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8.60% | ||||
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Radial :
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4.80% | ||||
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Unit Movement Tangential:
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0.34% | ||||
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Unit Movement Radial:
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0.25% |
Strength Group
| Very High | High | Reasonably High | Medium High | Medium | Reasonably Low | Low | Very Low | |
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| Unseasoned: | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | S7 | S8 |
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| Seasoned: | SD1 | SD2 | SD3 | SD4 | SD5 | SD6 | SD7 | SD8 |
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Stress Grade
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Structural No. 1 |
Structural No. 2 |
Structural No. 3 |
Structural No. 4 |
Structural No. 5 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unseasoned: | F17 | F14 | F11 | F8 | F7 |
| Seasoned: | F22 | F17 | F14 | F11 | F8 |
Density per Standard
| Seasoned: | 1000kg/m3 |
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| Unseasoned: | 1170kg/m3 |
Joint Group
| Very High | High | Reasonably High | Medium | Low | Very Low | |
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| Unseasoned: | J1 | J2 | J3 | J4 | J5 | J6 |
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| Seasoned: | JD1 | JD2 | JD3 | JD4 | JD5 | JD6 |
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Colour
| White, yellow, pale straw to light brown | Pink to pink brown | Light to dark red | Brown, chocolate, mottled or streaky | |
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Mechanical Properties
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Modulus of Rupture - Unseasoned:
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85 |
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Modulus of Rupture - Seasoned:
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120 |
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Modulus of Elasticity - Unseasoned:
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12 |
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Modulus of Elasticity - Seasoned:
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14 |
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Maximum Crushing Strength - Unseasoned:
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44 |
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Maximum Crushing Strength - Seasoned:
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70 |
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Impact - Unseasoned:
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17 |
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Impact - Seasoned:
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15 |
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Toughness - Unseasoned:
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Medium - 15 - 24 Nm |
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Toughness - Seasoned:
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Medium - 15 - 24 Nm |
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Hardness - Unseasoned:
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8.6 |
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Hardness - Seasoned:
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11.3 |
Durability
| Low | Moderate | Reasonably High | High | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (0 - 5 yrs) | (5 - 15 yrs) | (15 - 25 yrs) | (more than 25 yrs) | |
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In-Ground:
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| (0 - 7 yrs) | (7 - 15 yrs) | (15 - 40 yrs) | (More than 40 yrs) | |
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Above ground:
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| (0 - 20 yrs, usually < 5) | (21 - 40 yrs) | (41 - 64 yrs) | (More than 60 yrs) | |
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Marine Borer Resistance:
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Lyctid Borer Susceptibility:
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Not Susceptible |
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| Lyctid Borer Susceptibility - Other: | |
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Termite Resistance:
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Resistant |
Fire Properties
| 1 - non-combustible | 2 - reasonably non-combustible | 3 - slightly combustible | 4 - combustible | |
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Fire Properties Group Number: |
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| Group Number - Other: | 3 if used on MDF or particleboard ≥12mm; veneer thickness 0.6-0.85mm |
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Average Specific Extinction Area:
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<250 |
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Bushfire Resistance:
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BAL 12.5 and 19 – All AS3959 required applications |
The timber from forest red gum, as its common name indicates, is predominantly red. Heartwood ranges in colour from light to dark red. The sapwood is distinctly paler in colour, a grey or cream-red that is distinguishable from the heartwood. A moderately coarse grain that is uniform in texture complements these rich colours. Forest red gum is a timber that reliably displays interlocked grain.
Timbers of this species have a range of applications. As sawn and round timber, forest red gum is used in wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers, cross arms, poles, piles (including wharf piles) and in mining timbers.
For general construction purposes, sawn timber can be used in general house framing, cladding, fascia and barge boards. It is ideal for internal and external flooring, linings and joinery due to attractive colour and reliably interlocked grain. Its durability and strength make it excellent for fencing, landscaping, retaining walls. Decorative applications include use in outdoor furniture, turnery, joinery and structural plywood.
Forest red gum is also suitable for some boatbuilding applications, including keels, framing and planking. The timber’s hardwearing characteristics make it useful for machinery bearings and underwater bearing applications of low stress.
NSW
