Australian Hardwood Custom Furniture - Tasmanian Oak
March 01 2021
(Some) Other names: Mountain White gum, Woollybutt, Australian Oak, Mountain Ash, Whitetop Stringybark...
Though Tasmanian Oak is a light timber, it can vary in colour from straw to reddish brown, it has exceptional staining qualities that allow it to be matched with other timbers and finishes. This timber planes, sands, glues and finishes beautifully and readily steams and bends which make it perfect for luxury cabinetry. The versatility, quality and moderate durability of this hardwood, make it a great choice for indoor applications, like building – particularly in protected structural use, high-end furniture making and flooring.
This wonderful hardwood is an environmentally resilient species, able to adapt to stress – notably fire. It has a thick stringy bark which protects from bushfires, and under the bark lie dormant buds that enable speedy recovery of a leafy canopy, sprouting quickly after a bushfire and/or other environmental stresses. These trees need a lot of light and grow best where there is no overgrowth, enabling them to reach heights of 70metres or more and have a life span of over 400years.
Generally speaking, it has a straight and even grain, occasionally growing with a fiddleback feature, the fiddleback characteristic is when the grain has extremely tight curls and is so named due to its popular wood grain being used in the making of violins, cellos and the like.
It has a smooth and consistent texture that make it easy to work with, sawing, turning, moulding and boring easily and with moderate feeding force. Nailing may need pre-drilling but otherwise holds well.
Tasmanian Oak is a truly beautiful and versatile timber and we are proud to use an Australian Hardwood here at Wildwood Designs to create your custom furniture piece.
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