Botanical name: Eucalyptus microcorys

Distribution: Grows from the North-East coast of New South Wales to the South East coast of Queensland. Pinjarra is a medium to large hardwood capable of reaching 70m (230ft) with diameters of upto 3m (10ft).

Colour: The heartwood is a yellow-brown with tinges of olive green.

The timber: The grain is generally straight but can be interlocked. Texture is coarse and even.

Mechanical properties: A very heavy, strong hard timber with excellent durability both indoors and out. Moderately suitable for steam bending. High crush strength. Kiln dry density of 950kgs/m³ (60lb/ft³).

Working properties: Cutting resistance is high and cutters must be kept sharp as blunting of tools is quite severe. Pre drilling is necessary if using nails or screws. Gluing can be a problem due to the greasy nature of the timber. A 10% sodium hydroxide wash of surfaces that are to be glued is effective and epoxies have proven to be suitable for gluing purposes. Pinjarra can be worked to a high polish but its greasy nature must be taken into consideration when finishing.

Uses: Principally a flooring timber. Other major uses have been bridge work and heavy construction. As a flooring timber it is the choice of education departments throughout Australia for schoolroom and auditorium flooring due to its high durability.

Availability: Heavy sections – moderate. Flooring – plentiful.