Wood Flooring Species

Australian Cypress

Scientific Name:

Callitris glauca

Other Names and Species:

Cypress-Pine
Murray Pine
Murray River Cypress
Murray River Pine

Origin:

New South Wales and Queensland, Australia

Appearance:

There is a high degree of color variability in Australian cypress, as the sapwood can be cream- or straw-colored, while the heartwood ranges from honey-gold to brown, with darker knots throughout to add character. For a warm, rustic, "country" look, Australian cypress is an excellent choice. Over time there may be some slight ambering or muting of color tones. It has a fine, lustrous texture with a typically straight grain. The wood has an aromatic camphor-like odor.

Properties:

This species grows in a semi-arid area of Australia, which bestows on it the unique property of being the only commercial softwood that is actually harder than red oak — making it superior for both residential and commercial use. Because of its relative hardness and excellent durability, Australian cypress wood flooring has very good dimensional stability; however, in actual installations, significant movement can sometimes be seen.

Janka Hardness: 1375

Australian cypress is thirty-seven percent harder than teak, just slightly harder than white oak (one percent), five percent softer than hard maple, twenty-eight percent softer than jarrah, and about sixty-two percent as hard as santos mahogany's ranking of 2200.

Workability:

While Australian cypress has good sanding and machining qualities, like Brazilian cherry it can be brittle, so care must be taken when nailing.

Principal Uses:

This wood is most often used in light construction, such as flooring, siding, and joinery, as well as in decorative veneers and furniture components.

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