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Origin: Brush Box is a large hardwood which grows from the central coast of New South Wales up to Bowen in Queensland. The tree tends to be found on the edge of rainforests, suited to the moist forest conditions and the transition zone between hardwood and rainforest. The foliage is bright green.
Appearance: The heartwood ranges from rich reddish browns through lighter browns and to pinkish greys. The texture is fine and even with the grain usually showing the characteristic interlocking. This is an attractive feature, particularly in exposed/polished situations such as flooring. The timber is free of gum vein.
Brushbox flooring has a beautiful rich colour, which in some of the redder timbers can be similar to that of Turpentine.
The grain is close and even textured, often with a curly interlocking habit.
As long is the grain is relatively straight, Brushbox has good resistance to surface checking. The timber is resistant to wear with good resistance to splintering. Its natural waxiness occasionally causes adhesion problems with some highly solvent floor finishes but it is a very good base for paints and stains.
Brushbox is relatively hard in relation to indentation and ease of working with hand tools. It can be abrasive to machine cutters and tools due to the presence of silica in the wood. No difficulty has been experienced with the use of standard fittings and fastenings.
As well as flooring and decking, common uses for Brushbox include general house framing, lining, cladding, laminated beams and joinery, as well as plywood, turnery, laminated bench tops and parquetry. It has also been used for mallet heads, croquet mallets, butcher’s blocks and in boat building.