Brush Box
Lophostemon confertus
Description
This large coastal hardwood grows from the central coast of NSW into Qld.
The heartwood varies from pink to a rich red brown. The sapwood is much paler.
This fine grained timber often has a rich fiddleback. Due to drying difficulties
is also shows a lot of surface checking at times.
Workability
Very tough to work. High silica contents will kill cutting edges dead.
Difficult to glue. Polishes well.
Applications
Makes an excellent polished floor. Also used in cabinetwork and high end
joinery.
Availability
Generally good.
Hardness
Janka 9.5 900kg/m3.
Durability
Not very durable. No longer available as decking.
At a Glance
|
Turning: |
|
Good |
|
Machining: |
|
Machines to a good finish but very hard on tools |
|
Bending: |
|
Good |
|
Sanding: |
|
Good |
| Nailing/Screwing: |
|
Can split |
|
Glueing: |
|
Very difficult. Best results with polyurethane. |
|
Timber Coating: |
|
Can be a problem with adhesion of some coatings. |
|
Oil: |
|
Oils well |
|
Note 1 |
|
This timber is challenging but
worth the effort. |
|
Note 2 |
|
 |
|
