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Grey Ironbark grows in the coastal districts of New South Wales and Queensland.
Appearance: Heartwood colour varies considerably, from pale brown to dark chocolate brown and dark red. Sapwood brown to creamy brown. Texture moderately coarse and even. Grain usually interlocked. Growth rings not easily distinguished.
Common Uses: Typically used in flooring, decking, heavy engineering construction, marine construction, poles, piles, sleepers, shipbuilding.
The timber was one of the first species to be utilised by the early settlers in the neighbourhood of Port Jackson, for bridging, house building, and generally where great strength and durability were required.
It gets its name from the colour and toughness of the bark on the tree. It is hard, deeply furrowed and ridged.
Ironbark has the highest Janka rating (14) of any Australian native hardwood timber species. This makes Ironbark sought after for flooring applications in both commercial and domestic projects with heavy floor traffic.
The wood is extremely hard and heavy, and has potential for use in the manufacture of heavy furniture because of its beautiful appearance and density. However, its density makes Ironbark difficult to work and it blunts tools quickly.
Common uses of Grey Ironbark include flooring, outdoor decking and furniture, heavy engineering structures, poles, boat building and framework.