Information About Timber We Sell

If you want to purchase timber from a truly sustainable resource, planted, grown and harvested in accordance with the strictest codes of practice and consistent with the world’s leading environmental standards always buy certified timber and timber products. N.K.Collins Industries P/L is certified under Australian Forestry Standard AS4708 (AFS which is an Australian certification scheme developed under the Standards Australia process. Also certified under Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) which is an international certification scheme that endorses various national schemes including AFS. If you see these two symbols you know that the product is certified.

White Cypress

Callitris Glaucophylla (Botanical Name)  Species Data Information

Description and Occurrence

White Cypress is a native softwood that has a widespread natural distribution extending from central western Queensland through to central western New South Wales . The tree generally grows in areas with low rainfall and due to this, growth rates are slow. It does however develop into a medium sized tree, frequently reaching 25 meters in height and 500mm in diameter. White Cypress has very distinctive properties including natural resistance to termite attack, an aromatic odour and as a softwood, relatively high density and hardness. The timber has a knotty appearance with a distinct variation in colour from the golden brown heartwood to the golden yellow sapwood.

Properties

Colour

Heartwood is a distinctive golden brown which contrasts with the golden yellow sapwood. The timber is often characterized by mane small darker brown knots.

Grain

The grain is generally straight except for deviation around knots.

Shrinkage

From green to 12% moisture content average tangential shrinkage is 2.6%. Radial shrinkage is 2.4%.

Stability

From timber after seasoning the average unit movement is 0.28 tangentially and 0.23 radially.

Mechanical Properties

Strength Group: S5 unseasoned, SD6 seasoned

Stress Grades: Visually stress Graded to AS - 2858, Mechanically stress graded to AS/NZ - 1748 or AS - 3519. F4, F5 and F7 (unseasoned) (n.b. Cypress for structural purpose is used green)

Modulus of Rupture

71MPa (unseasoned)
79Mpa (seasoned)

Maximum Crushing Strength

40MPa (unseasoned)
53 (seasoned)

Modulus of Elasticity

7.7GPa(unseasoned)
9.0GPa(seasoned)

Durability

Heartwood is highly durable (Class 1) against decay and insect attack.

Preservation

Sapwood does not treat. In above ground external application brush on water repellants should be applied followed oil based undercoats or stains.

Seasoning

Material is relatively easy to dry and is achieved through either air-drying or kill drying at moderate temperatures.

Other Properties

Hardness

Very hard.
Janka hardness
5.6 kN(unseasoned)
6.5kN(seasoned)

Working properties

Machines well both along and across the grain but it is prone to chip out around knots. Has good overall working properties but is less suitable for turning due to the presence of knots.

Fixing

Cypress is prone to splitting. Fixing should incorporate predrilling and the use of chisel-point nails on unseasoned structural material.

Gluing

The timber glues satisfactorily, particularly with a slightly roughened surface.

Finishing

The timber will readily accept paints and other finished.

Fire resistance

Ignitability 13 [Scale 1 low to 20 high]
Spread of flame 8 [scale 1 low to 10 high]
Smoke developed 3 [scale 1 low to 10 high]

Common Uses

Construction

Used unseasoned for house framing an externally for cladding and decking. In external applications correct detailing and a maintained coating system is necessary to provide a satisfactory service life for material containing sapwood.

Decorative

Furniture (indoor and outdoor), flooring, parquet, lining, cabinets and laminated bench tops, exposed trusses and rafters in buildings.

 

Non-Certified Species

Ironbark

Narrow or Leavedried Ironbark

Eucalyptus crebra (Botanical Name)
Myrtaceae (Family Name)
Ironbark, Narrow-leaved Ironbark, Red Ironbark (Local Names)

Tree Description and Occurrence

A large hardwood with deeply furrowed, grey or black bark. Grows to 30 metres in height and 0.7 metres in diameter. The most widely distributed of the ironbarks as it occurs on both sides of and on the Great Dividing Range as well as in the interior. Extent from Sydney to Cairns. It grows on a wide variety of soils and is drought and forest resistant.

Wood Appearance

Colour. Heartwood is red-brown to dark red and sapwood white to pink-white.

Grain. Close grained, occasionally interlocked.

Wood Properties

Density. 1090 kilograms per cubic meter at 12% moisture content; approximately 0.9 cubic meters of seasoned sawn timber per tonne.

Strength Group. S5 unseasoned; SD6 seasoned.

Stress Grades. F11, F14, F17, F22 (unseasoned) F14, F17, F22, F27 (seasoned) when visually stress-graded in accordance with AS2082-1979 ‘Visually stress graded hardwoods for structure purpose'.

Shrinkage to 12% MC. Approximately 5 percent (tangential), and 3.5 percent (radial).

Unit Shrinkage. Not Available.

Durability. Class 1-Highly resistant to decay when in ground contact or in persistently damp or badly ventilated situations.

Lyctid Susceptibility. Sapwood is not susceptible to lyctid borer attack.

Preservation. Sapwood readily accepts preservation impregnation.

Seasoning. Slow to dry, has greater resistance to surface checking than the other commercial ironbarks.

Hardness. Very hard (rated 1on 6 class scale) in relation to resistance to indentation and ease of working with hand tools.

Machining. Hard to work due to high density and interlocking grain.

Fixing. No difficulty has been experienced with the use of standard fitting and fastenings.

Gluing. As with most high density species, machining and surface preparation should be done immediately before gluing.

Finishing. Will readily accept paint, stain and polish.

Uses

Engineering. Sleepers, girders, bridgework, wharves, heavy engineering construction, poles and crossarms.

Construction. As unseasoned timber in general house framing, and as seasoned dressed timber in cladding, internal and external flooring, linings and joinery. Also in fencing, landscaping and retaining walls.

Decorative. Despite their hardness, the ironbarks have found favour with woodcraftsmen who have salvaged old fence posts for turnery.

Other. Outdoor furniture.

Identification Features

Wood structure of White Cypress X30

General Characteristics
Sapwood. White to pink-white, distinct from heartwood.
Heartwood. Red brown to dark red.
Texture. Fine texture, grain shallowly interlocked.

Wood Structures
Growth Rings. Absent.
Vessels. Small, solitary and numerous. Vessel lines inconspicuous. Vessels tylosed.
Rays. Fine, visible only with lens.

Other Features
Burning Splinter Test. A match size splinter generally burns to a charcoal.

Spotted Gum

Species

Eucalyptus maculata, E. citriodora, E. henryi (Botanical Name)
Myrtaceae (Family Name)
Lemon-scented gum (E. citriodora only), spotted irongum (Local Names)

Tree Description and Occurrence

On favourable sites, these species grow to 45 metres total height and 1.3 metres stem diameter, but they attain only half these dimensions on poorer sites. They have straight slender trunks with smooth bark. This is shed in patches leaving slight depressions in the surface which give a characteristic spotted appearance. Colour tonings range from pink to grey-blue.

Mainly distributed in the coastal areas of New South Wales and Queensland , but extending to western areas in Queensland : E. citriodora - Rockhampton to Windsor Tableland, north Queensland ; E. maculata - Bega ( New South Wales ) to Rockhampton; E. henryi - northern New South Wales and southern Queensland .

Sawn timber from these species is readily available.

Wood Appearance

Colour. The heartwood ranges from a light-brown. Sapwood is usually white in colour and up to 50 mm wide.

Grain. Moderately coarse textured and variable. Gum veins common. The presence of wavy grain can produce an attractive fiddle back figure.

Wood Properties

Density. 1010 kilograms per cubic meter at 12% moisture content; approximately 1.0 cubic meters of seasoned sawn timber per tonne.

Strength Group. S2 unseasoned; SD2 seasoned.

Stress Grades. F11, F14, F17, F22 (unseasoned) F17, F22, F27, F34 (seasoned), when visually stress-graded in accordance with AS2082-1979 'Visually stress graded hardwoods for structure purpose'.

Shrinkage to 12% MC. 6.1% (tangential); and 0.32 percent (radial). These values apply to timber of E. maculata.

Unit Shrinkage. 0.38 percent (tangential); 0.32 percent (radial). These values apply to timber of E. maculata reconditioned after seasoning.

Durability. Class 2 - Highly resistant to decay when fully exposed to the weather, clear of the ground and well drained with free air circulation. Moderately decay resistant in the ground.

Lyctid Susceptibility. Untreated sapwood susceptible to lyctid borer attack.

Preservation. Sapwood readily accepts preservation impregnation but penetration of heartwood is negligible using currently available commercial processes.

Seasoning. Can be satisfactorily dried using conventional air and kiln seasoning methods.

Hardness. Very hard (rated 1on 6 class scale) in relation to resistance to indentation and ease of working with hand tools.

Machining. Machines well done to its natural greasiness.

Fixing. No difficulty has been experienced with the use of standard fitting and fastenings.

Gluing. As with most high density species, machining and surface preparation should be done immediately before gluing.

Finishing. Will readily accept paint, stain and polish. Has lower tannin content than most other eucalypts, therefore staining of paintwork, brickwork etc., as a result of water running over unpainted timber surfaces, is unlikely to occur.

Uses

Engineering. As sawn or round timber in wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers, cross-arms, poles piles mining timbers.

Construction. As unseasoned timber in general house framing, and as seasoned dressed timber in cladding, internal and external flooring, linings and joinery. Also in fencing, landscaping and retaining walls and as structural plywood and hardboard.

Decorative. Internal quality furniture, outdoor furniture, turnery, joinery, parquetry.

Other. Tool handles, boat building (keel and framing components, planking, decking), coach, vehicle and carriage building, agricultural machinery, sporting goods (baseball bats, croquet mallets, spring and diving boards, parallel bars), bent work. Has been used for butcher's blocks, meat skewers, mallet heads, ladder rungs, wheel spokes, wine casks, broom handles. Spotted gum is the main Australian species for tool handles subject to high impact forces e.g. axe handles.

Identification Features

Wood structure of White Cypress X30

General Characteristics
Sapwood. White in colour and distinct from heartwood.
Heartwood. Colour variable from light brown to dark brown often with lighter shades.
Texture. Open, often with interlocked grain; greasy to touch.

Wood Structures
Growth Rings. Absent.
Vessels. Small to moderately large, generally arranged in short radial multiples with few solitary. Vessel lines very prominent on dressed longitudinal surfaces. Tyloses abundant.
Rays. Fine, visible in tangential section.

Other Features
Burning Splinter Test. Splinter burn to a complete white ash.