A rustic country home, warm ski lodge, or farm house are just a few examples of Australian Cypress’s most suited environments. This knotty wood from New South Wales and Queensland, Australia offers contrasting colors. This is a warm and inviting flooring option with a lot of character.
The heartwood ranges from honey-gold to brown and the sapwood ranges from a cream color to straw-like color. Australian cypress has darker knots throughout its typically straight grain. It’s the color variations that attract many people to install this rustic beauty.
Australian Cypress has some special characteristics that must be known and appreciated before installing. The color changes over time with slight muting and possible ambering. Australian Cypress is the only commercial softwood that is harder than red oak, but it is still softwood that can crack slightly in and around the knots. Some people find these exact characteristics the best qualities of Australian Cypress. If you want a floor that will not change and develop over time, Australian Cypress probably is not for your home or office.
Machining and sanding are not difficult with this product but it can be brittle. Care must be taken when nailing in boards. Australian Cypress takes to staining well mostly, but the knots can be more challenging when it comes to staining. Before selecting a stain, test the stain on the knots first to see if it holds or fails.
The Janka hardness of this wood from Down Under is 1375 and is 1 percent harder than white oak, 5 percent softer than hard maple and 62 percent as hard as santos mahogany. Of the softwoods, Australian Cypress reigns as the most superior.
Color variations, changing character, and rustic finishes make Australian Cypress the ideal choice for those environments looking for warm and inviting flooring.
To learn more about Australian Cypress hardwoods, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.