What timber can I use ?

Hi Guys, new member here.

I expect you all get sick of this question - but here goes anyway. I’m looking for recommendations about what type of timber to use for building some indoor furniture. It seems to me that the hardest bit about woodworking in Australia is finding a good timber, and being able to afford it. I’ve just finished building a bedroom suite for our master bedroom in Tasmanian Oak, and we are very pleased with the finished product, but the more I learn about this timber and the forestry practices in Tasmania the more I regret using it. It didn’t help when the clumsy oafs burnt that giant tree (el grando ???). Anyway, I can’t put it back so we have to live with it now - but I ‘d rather choose a different timber for the next project.

I’m thinking about building the living room furniture now - probably a buffet, a coffee table and a chaise lounge. Can anyone recommend a timber. As an indication, I think I’d pay up to about $15pm for 90x19 dressed - is it realistic to expect to get a quality cabinetmaking timber for that.

It might help if I tell you things I don’t like; pine, Oregon, WRC - and things I do like but probably cant afford; English Oak, American cherry. It might also help if I tell you I like reasonably contemporary looking furniture, not rustic or country looking, which I expect might govern the choice of timber and eliminate recycled timber as well.

Any suggestions for this relative novice would be greatly appreciated.

ps I've been lurking on your forums for a few weeks. I love the good humour and the great responses.

cheers
Arron Davies

For contemporary looking furniture you really cant go past MDF ... its great and should fit within your budget. "joking"

As for your comment that recycled timber isn't suited for contemporary furniture I must disagree. I mainly do contemporary stuff and find that recycled timber is great. If you clean up the top layer of recycled timber it is often new under.

Try doing a search on these boards for timber types .. I am sure that you will find 101 different views. Click search just below the Woodword Forums banner. This will also be a good place to start for your other post. Redgum produces around 90 searches so there may be something there.

Otherwise kick back and wait for somebody who knows something to comment.

Oh yeah welcome to the board... Im sure you will find its very addictive.:D

Stinky

I've just reread my post and decided it was really a pretty stupid post - its a bit like asking how long is a piece of string.

Perhaps what I should have asked was : can someone recommend a quality timber that is not overly dark in colour, has good working properties, looks attractive with contemporary furniture, costs around $15 (indicative price for 90 x 19 mm dressed) or less and has reasonable environmental credentials.

Is that a realistic amount to expect to pay for a quality cabinetmaking timber ?

cheers
Arron

I have no idea about eco practises but...

A nice timber (I think) is New Guinea Rose. It has an attractive grain, is fairly easy to work, even turns nicely. Fairly weather resistant too, and is finding fair use as window/window frames.

As a bonus, it isn't that dear. A joiner friend tells me it is about $1200 a cube compared to $900 for Radiata and $2400 for European Ash. Those are trade price guestimates, but you get the idea.

I wonder why some people have to be so pedantic about things?... I mean you got the timber you built the bedroom furniture and now you regret it? why because some of the forestry practices in Tassy may be what you call questionable?... sheesh! thats like saying you shouldnt use Maranti cause most of it comes from the rain forests of the Amazon! hey you better not use chipboard mate cause most of that is created by pulping using our good old Jarrah forest timber! :mad: or cant use something else cause some prehistoric neolithic doodle brain piddled next to it!! :rolleyes: mate you made a bonzer bedroom suite with a fine timber be flamin happy with it! Tassy Oak?? If I could get that for under $30 a metre Id be extatic but theres fat chance of that over here! :eek:

Anyway enough ranting Shane... $15 per metre should get you pretty much any good Aussie timber you would want... why Id even sell yer some fine green Tuart for less than that! you pay the freight! :D okay seriously theres so many fine timbers here in Aussie it always amazes me when people just have to have the foreign stuff :rolleyes: have a gander around the local timber yards go see a mill and have a yarn to the fellas and see what you can get... foreign timbers nice but Aussie timber is better... my opinion that is of course! :mad:

There is a certification scheme in operation for ensuring the timber comes from properly managed forests. You could have a chat to the people at The Woodage in Mittagong re NG rosewood, mangrove cedar and other timbers that are certified under this scheme.