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Timber available in NZ
The colours and grains of wood can vary within species.
| Glossary: | Density ( kg/m3 ) | = Weight at 12% moisture level |
| Modulus of Rupture ( MPa ) | = Breaking strength | |
| Modulus of Elasticity (GPa ) | = Stiffness |
Indigenous
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Kahikatea Dacrycarpus dacrydioides |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
| Properties |
400 - 450 | 75 | 10.7 | |
| Availability |
Medium rare - no longer milled on a large scale. Check portable sawmill operations and specialist timber suppliers. | |||
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Comments |
Light and easily worked. One of our closest substitutes for cedar. Great to use as contrasting strips. Needs protecting since it is perishable. Sapwood is lighter and can be obtained at 400Kg/m3 | |||
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Matai
Prumnopitys taxifolia |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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610 | 76 | 8.1 | |
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Availability
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Like most of our natives it is becoming rare to obtain. Still being milled on occasion. | |||
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Comments
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A heavy wood that is reasonably good to work with. Very hard wearing and was used a lot for floor boards in the past thus recycled wood should be easy to obtain. | |||
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New Zealand Kauri
Agathis australis |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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560 | 88 | 9.1 | |
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Availability
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Newly milled Kauri is medium - becoming rarer. Second growth timber only available. Recycled Kauri readily available. Swamp Kauri also easily obtained. | |||
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Comments
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Our most popular boat building wood. Easily worked with great "glow" to the finish. Most of the North Island was built with this timber, thus the availability of recycled house frames and weather boards. A bit heavy for Strip building, but the craft would look fantastic. Swamp Kauri has been buried for 40 000 plus years. The wood is heavier and weaker but the colour highlights are much improved. Could be used as decorative inlays or strips. | |||
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Red Beech
Nothofagus fusca |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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560 - 650 | 116 | 11.6 | |
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Availability
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Readily available | |||
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Comments
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Durable and very easily worked. Even texture with a fine grain. Despite the weight this is a very strong wood. Strips could be made thinner to compensate for weight and still be stronger then Cedar. | |||
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Rewarewa
Knightia excelsa |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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740 | 125 | 18.3 | |
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Availability
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Not easily obtained. For small deices try local wood turners and carvers. | |||
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Comments
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Beautiful when quarter sawn. Hard and very wear resistant. Work with the grain and it can be planed and sanded with ease. A heavy wood that is best used in small inlays or strips to avoid the "busy" look. | |||
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Rimu
Dacrydium cupressinum |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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595 | 88 | 9.6 | |
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Availability
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Very Common. Your local timber merchant would probably have it in stock | |||
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Comments
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One of our cheaper natives. Pine like qualities for planing and sanding. Can be steam bent. Darkens when oiled or wetted out with epoxy. Sapwood fairly plain, but the heart wood can have an interesting grain. | |||
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Silver Beech
Nothofagus menziesii |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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585 Sth Isl, 705 Nth Isl | 85 Sth Isl, 122 Nth Isl | 9.5 Sth Isl, 13 Nth Isl | |
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Availability
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Supply manageable on a rotation basis, so small quantities available | |||
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Comments
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Very good to steam bend. Like all NZ Beech it has an even textured grain. Good potential for Skin on Frame building if sourced from the South Island (lighter) | |||
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Tawa
Beilschmiedia tawa |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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720 | 114 | 13.2 | |
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Availability
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Becoming scarce as native milling ceases | |||
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Comments
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Furniture grade timber. Heavy wood for kayak building | |||
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Totara
Podocarpus totara |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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480 | 62 | 6.4 | |
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Availability
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Sill available for those who keep a good look out. | |||
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Comments
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New Zealand's answer to Cedar. Light (sapwood), easily worked and very durable. It was the wood of choice for Waka's and carving during pre-European times. Before 1930, most of the North Island fences and house piles where made from this wood. It would be an interesting project to make a stripper from it. | |||
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Mangeao
Litsea calicaris |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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595 | 78 | 8.8 | |
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Availability
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Limited supply from non commercial sources. Still available | |||
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Comments
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Very good for steam bending. Interesting grain. Easy to plane and sand but working with the grain and sharp tools are a must. Polishes up well. The wood of choice for skin on frame ribs. | |||
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Tanekaha
Phyllocladus trichomanoides |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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610 | 106 | 11.4 | |
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Availability
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Still milled on the odd occasion. | |||
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Comments
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Very flexible. Clear light coloured wood without much grain detail. Easy to use, plan and sand. Takes a reasonably good finish. | |||
Exotic NZ Grown & Imported
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Ash
Fraxinus americania |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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700 | 116 | 12 | |
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Availability
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NZ grown wood is available via farms and Parks and Services. Keep a look out. | |||
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Comments
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Good bending qualities. Rough but straight grain. | |||
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Elm (English)
Ulmus procera Salisb. |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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550 | 68 | 7 | |
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Availability
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Parks and Services, farms and wood turners | |||
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Comments
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Attractive wood with prominent grain. Resistant to splitting. | |||
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Macrocarpa
Cupressus macrocarpa |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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485 | 74 | 7.9 | |
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Availability
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Very common and easily obtainable. | |||
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Comments
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Most wood available is from unpruned trees(old shelterbelts), but enough is around to be able to pick out "clears". A good Kauri substitute since it can have the same glow and texture. Easy to work, but liable to split in thin sections. | |||
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Oak
Quercus robur |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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750kg (NZ) | 180 | 19.7 | |
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Availability
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Not readily available but branches from pruning etc. can be obtained | |||
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Comments
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The exotic wood of choice for steam bending (skin on frame ribs). Sharp tools needed | |||
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Pine
Pinus Radiata |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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440 - 560 | 90 | 9 | |
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Availability
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No problem here, you can't get away from it ! | |||
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Comments
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Easy to work. Cheap and good quality material readily available. Will take a reasonable polish and stains well. Because it is so common, it is often passed by for specialty projects like building kayaks yet it is very suitable for a stripper or SOF. Rotorua plantation timber is lighter. | |||
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Douglas Fir |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
| Properties |
480 | 78 | 8.8 | |
| Availability |
Second in importance as a NZ plantation species. Very common | |||
| Comments |
New Zealand grown Douglas Fir is not as dense as US old growth. Requires sharp hand tools but machines well. Stains and varnishes well, but seal before painting. |
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Paulownia Paulownia sp. |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
| Properties |
240 - 300 | 40 | 4 | |
| Availability |
Becoming more common as plantations mature. | |||
| Comments |
Paulownia is a revered wood in Asia. Very light and a good contrasting colour to cedar or other dark timbers. Very fast growing, plant a sapling now and you can build a kayak from it in 5 years time. Paulownia is softer than cedar and not as strong. It makes up for this by being less brittle and slightly more flexible. It is reputed to be hard to work unless tools are very sharp. A new and interesting alternative. Available from Paulownia Enterprises. |
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Fijian
Kauri Agathis Vitiensis |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
| Properties |
540 | ? | ? | |
| Availability |
It was common over the last few years but supplies are getting scarce. | |||
| Comments |
A good alternative to NZ Kauri. Slightly paler but has the same working characteristics. Cheaper and more available in clear lengths then our Kauri. | |||
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Western Red Cedar
Thuja plicata |
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| Density kg/m3 | Modulus of Rupture MPa | Modulus of Elasticity GPa | ||
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Properties
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380 | 54 | 7.2 | |
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Availability
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Available from specialist timber outlets | |||
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Comments
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Ok, If you have read anything about strip built kayaks, you would have come across cedar. Very light, strong and extremely easy to work with. It is the kayak builders wood of choice. Colour can change dramatically within the same length of wood. This makes matching strips difficult. NZ grown timber is of a very poor quality compared to imported timber. Select the wood yourself, looking for straight grain and uniform colour. | |||
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