Wattle, Silver

Silver wattle occurs throughout eucalypt forests and woodlands in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. It is a fast-growing species that can reach heights of around 30 metres and a stem diameter of up to 75 centimetres. Because silver wattle has a relatively short lifespan and regenerates well after fire, supplies are usually readily available from stands of regrowth harvested on rotation.

This species yields a striking light brown to subtle pink timber with a straight grain and porous even texture. Silver wattle’s distinctive growth rings create an appealing and attractive figure; a striped pattern often results on back-sawn surfaces. It is a timber of choice among furniture designers and manufacturers, by whom it is often used in decorative counterpoint to blackwood, a closely related more common and much darker hardwood timber.

Silver wattle is easy to work with both machine and hand tools. It may be turned, bored, sawed and planed with excellent results. Pre-drilling is recommended when nailing, in order to prevent splitting. Silver wattle is an excellent bending timber. It glues satisfactorily with most common adhesives, accepts most finishes readily, and may be polished to a smooth, lustrous surface.

Silver wattle is not recommended for external applications, but is sufficiently durable for most internal applications including decorative, architectural and structural use. The untreated sapwood of this species is susceptible to lyctid borer attack.