Educating yourself before you go shopping for timber will help you a great deal. Buying timber is very confusing since there are so many types available in the market.
Timber can be distinguished into three main categories: decorative timber, construction timber and finishing timber. It is important to buy your timber from a reputable supplier.
The Upton Group Australia has built their business from the ground up, with more than four decades of knowledge. The Upton family have expanded their store sharing their knowledge across six Bunker stores, one Uptons store and three Shield doors and window stores. Our Bunker and Upton’s stores have specialised knowledge in all things timber, plywood, and many more building materials. Stocking many different timber species including Hardwood and Pinewood.
This timber buying guide will help you differentiate maple from mahogany and your softwood from hardwood. Hardwood is used for flooring, decking and furniture, whereas softwood is used for cladding and framework. You can avail timber for every budget and hence it’s crucial to know your timber requirements.
Different Types Of Timber
- Eucalyptus: The most common species of timber in Australia is eucalyptus. Eucalyptus has an extensive range of sub-species within its species that help give different options like colour and grain patterns. Different types of this species include Jarrah, blackbutt, Tasmanian oak and spotted gum. It can be cheap to moderately expensive.
- Cedar: As the name suggests, the most common type of cedar available is red. It is mostly pinkish red in colour. As a softwood timber, it is mostly used for framework, cladding, outdoor furniture etc. It is used mostly for the outdoors since it has great resistance toward moisture and does not rot easily. It is also very affordable.
- Fir: Referred to as Douglas Fir or Oregon, this wood is from North America and is mostly reddish-brown in colour. It is used majorly as a rafter material in Australia since it has a good strength-to-weight ratio. It is not that expensive and is a popular choice in the country.
- Pine: Radiata, Cypress and Hoop pine are the three main types of pinewood you can find in Australia easily. Radiata is used for house framing but is prone to decay and termites and hence, it is usually chemical-coated. Cypress pine is famous for its anti-termite properties and Hoop pine is used mainly for plywood. These are again cost-friendly.
- Ash: White to pale brown coloured wood with an attractive grainy look is what makes Ash so famous and extensively used. It is used for furniture production and makes for a great substitute for white oak.
- Beech: Native to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, Beech is used for anything possible. From firewood, flooring and furniture. Beech is used to make furniture and is then painted on to give a rich look instead of buying expensive timber like oak or ash.
- Birch: Yellow and white are the two colour variants of Birch. Birch is a fairly hard timer which is often used for plywood and furniture. As one of the economical hardwoods, many industrial giants like Ikea use Birch for their furniture.
- Mahogany: One of the greatest and most appreciated furniture woods of all time, mahogany is reddish-brown to deep red in colour. It is mainly used for antique furniture but is dropping down in availability since it is not grown sustainably.
- Maple: Maple comes in two varieties, hard and soft. Hard maple is called Rock Maple in Australia and is an extremely pale-coloured timber. This is usually used for flooring solutions. Boxes and pallets are made out of soft maple since it is light and easier to craft.
- Oak: All of us may have heard about Oak as one of the most used wood of all times. It is one of the more sought after woods for furniture because of its rich look. It is also termite resistant and does not decay easily.
- Walnut: As the colour suggests, Walnut is deep brown coloured and has a beautiful grainy look to it. It is extensively used in furniture making. It is very expensive and rightfully so as it is used to build cabinetry and veneered boards.
The Upton group Australia, are one of the leading suppliers of all things timber, plywood and construction materials , we are passionate about our craft and are specifically product trained to answer any of your questions. We love to help out our customers that are looking for quality solutions. With our Bunker and Uptons’ stores spread across the eastern seaboard.
Call up or come in for a chat today.