Turpentine

The true wood of this species ranges in colour from deep red to red-brown. Sapwood is distinctively paler, often creamy. The texture of Turpentine timber is fine to medium but often wavy, with interlocked grain. It is relatively free of gum veins.

Turpentine is extremely durable in above ground applications, where its life expectancy is in excess of 40 years. In-ground life expectancy ranges from 15 to 25 years. The timber of this species is termite-resistant, and untreated sapwood is immune to lyctid borer attack.

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Recommended uses: Turpentine is the main Australian species for marine pilings, as its high silica content makes it resistant to Teredinidae marine borers. Other engineering applications include wharf and bridge construction (where turpentine is used as sawn and round timber), railway sleepers, and mining timbers. Construction uses range from general house framing, flooring and decking, to lining and cladding. Turpentine is also used in the construction of plywood, laminated beams and bench tops, joinery and parquetry. Other uses include boatbuilding (knees, gunwales, planking, decking) and the production of oyster stakes, wine casks, mallets, and bearings.

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