Thread: wood identification, white hardwood

Originally Posted by jpdv

Interestingly, I'm in the process of replacing some rural gates. I'd identified cypress as lightweight but good for above ground longevity, particularly if finished. Can't get it for love or money in new stock at a reasonable price up here in QLD. I was told by one timber merchant that the last non-governmental cypress mill here shut a couple of years ago, and that the 'one' left sends all its product down to Victoria... Dunno if true, but a little frustrating.

jpdv

If you are prepared to travel there are two Cypress Pine mills at Cecil Plains, which is around a three hour drive from Brisbane, but it depends on how much much timber you require as to whether this is worthwhile for you. Buying direct from the mill is very cheap.

Returning to the OP for a moment, the original theory was that the post was hardwood, but that is not the case. Without knowing hat the timber is, the giveaway is that the centre of the log has been used which you can see clearly in the second pic. Hardwood does not use the centre (the "heart") as this will break up in time, is already rotten or very often is missing with a hollow pipe in it's place. Softwoods, which should really be better described as non-pored woods, (hardwoods are pored woods) do use the heart and result in a better recovery from the log.

There is a one scenario where the heart is used with a hardwood log having said that, and it is called a "boxed heart." A log is squared off retaining the heart, but is of a sufficient size to hold the centre of the log together. There is a minimum size for this which I think is 150mm square, but it could be 200mm square. I am afraid my memory fails me here. I did a job once where we were producing 330mm square boxed hearts.

The use and misuse of common names is altogether very confusing to put it mildly. I don't know for sure what the post in question is, but very likely ii is what I call Cypress Pine and the full name is White Cypress Pine to distinguish it from it's inferior cousin which is Black Cypress Pine. Bootle's book "Wood in Australia" gives it the botanical name Callitris Glauca, but it seems that it is commonly referred to now as Callitris Glaucophylla and I don't know how that has come about. Morris Lake in his book "Australian Forest Woods" quotes both botanical names.

Cypress Pine was used primarily for building houses as it's main claim to fame is the resistance to termites. Our house is built 95% from Cypress Pine. Although a softwood, it is one of the heaviest of the softwoods at around 680Kg/m³ ADD. There may be a heavier softwood but I don't know what it is. It is a very brittle timber and when dry extremely prone to cracking and splitting when nailing and any screwing near edges and ends will certainly have to be pre-drilled. These difficulties have caused it to fall from favour as a general building material, but it is still used extensively for flooring and has a very attractive figure to it.

It is moderately durable externally and in the ground being rated as class 2. However it is used "as is" because it does not readily accept preservatives either in the sapwood or the heartwood. The sawdust from it can be an irritant to people susceptible to such things. I use this timber a lot as I acquired a stack of 100 x 25 boards and another stack of demolition lining boards. Small exposure causes slight irritation for me, more exposure causes some additional redness of the skin and working extensively with it all day long with copious quantities of sawdust, as with using planners and hand held circular saws when I was building a house, causes my face to puff up particularly around the eyes to the point where I have to stop. However that is extreme exposure to the dust and in the normal course of working it is not an issue.

Regards
Paul