Thread: Antique double doors - from heritage bank of NSW

Can you describe them? Heavy or light, soft or hard, timber colour etc.

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Thanks for your reply. I have now been able to attach photo. It shows the grain, but the timber is alot lighter as they have a shellac finish. From my research, most timbers used around this period in joinery were either cedar, silky oak or mahogany.

Cedar.

Those 2 pics look quarter sawn, which would have less movement, but maybe not as decorative as crown cut, I wouldn't say that is Silky Oak

Thank you. Ill try and post some better pictures

Maple.

I would lean towards Maple as well. Certainly not Silky Oak.

Definitely Maple

Qld Maple was a very common commercial fit out timber in the last century. Particularly in Queensland. Straight grained material was set aside for purposes such as your doors.

Looks like Qld Maple is the winner here.
I went for Cedar based on the colour and age, and that every bank I've ever worked on around here from that era had Cedar fit out. Qld maple wasn't at all common around my area at that time.

Originally Posted by Picko

Looks like Qld Maple is the winner here.
I went for Cedar based on the colour and age, and that every bank I've ever worked on around here from that era had Cedar fit out. Qld maple wasn't at all common around my area at that time.

"Around here." To what area are you refering?

Riverina

I would be very surprised to see QLD maple used in the Riverina banks. Cedar would perform much better in that climate. In those days you would have driven or rode past a lot of cedar suppliers before you got to any QLD maple. Northern NSW and Qld was a very different situation.
As cedar became scarce and also more expensive, it only stands to reason that other species would have come into consideration. Northern rain forests have been providing ever since, along with plantation production.