Species Index

Black beech was used in house construction for framing, flooring, subflooring and panelling, and also in framing and constructional use in fence posts, gates, rails, bridges and piles.The limited quantities now available are largely employed in uses where the timber’s stability, machining properties and appearance are paramount, such as for tool handles, furniture, exposed floors, panelling and bench tops.

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Acacia species include Australian Blackwood, Silver Wattle and Black Wattle. There are over 700 Acacia species native to Australia, but only a handful of acacias were introduced to New Zealand during the 1860s, and have subsequently naturalised. Of these, Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood) is the most widely recognised, and the most widely planted Acacia in New Zealand

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Cypresses are best used where its appearance and durability are put to advantage, for example, in panelling, exterior cladding and boat building.

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Douglas-fir can be used for roof trusses and framing, internal panelling, and glue laminated beams. As well as being popular for light timber framing, the larger dimensional stock is sought after for exposed interior posts and beams because of its good stability and freedom from twist. Glue lamination to produce beams, arches and scaffold planks is also common.

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Eucalypts have a number of applications. The Blue Gum group is suitable for tongue and groove flooring, in-sequence parquet, overlay, joinery stairs, doors, furniture, paneling, decking, outdoor furniture, and sliced veneer. The Stringybark group is suitable for flooring, joinery, decking, cross arms (mainly E. microcorys), and sliced veneer. The Ash group is suitable for furniture, joinery, and sliced veneer.

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Hinau has a traditional use by Maori for small implements, such as canoe bailers, spears and also for palisades. The timber found use for motor-bodies, bridges and house-building, and high-grade hinau was used for boat-building. More recently, the timber was used for Antarctic sled runners. The bark has 20% tannin content, and was employed as a dye.

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Kauri in its heyday was a very versatile timber, of which large planks could be obtained, in an unblemished state as the tree has no branches for much of its trunk height, and unlike totara, was solid throughout the trunk. Post WW2, the timber was reserved for boat building, due to diminishing supplies.

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Larch is best used as panelling, however, larch rounds with bark intact are useful for rustic fencing, wood sheds, and gazebos. The decorative qualities of larch can be used in interior fitout, and as an exterior feature cladding.

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