Turpentine

Scientific Name:

Syncarpia glomulifera

Other Names and Species:

Luster
Turpentine Tree

Origin:

Australia

Appearance:

The heartwood of turpentine wood varies from a red to reddish-brown color, while the sapwood is more of a pale shade of brown. The texture is medium-fine, the grain is straight, and the species is quite lustrous.

Properties:

Turpentine wood is durable and has a natural resistance to termites. This species requires time and care to dry properly. If adequate time is not provided, warping can occur. The wood is not reported to have any distinctive odor.

Janka Hardness: 2967

Turpentine wood is a very hard wood flooring option. It is one hundred and thirty percent harder than red oak, over one hundred and four percent harder than hard maple, fifty-five percent harder than jarrah, roughly thirty-four percent harder than santos mahogany, and just over twenty-six percent harder than Brazilian cherry’s ranking of 2350.

Workability:

Turpentine wood dulls tools rather easily due to its hardness and density. If you are nailing the wood, it may require pre-drilling holes to prevent splitting. Once worked, this product polishes to a very attractive high finish.

Principal Uses:

Turpentine wood is used in wood flooring, utility poles, docks, and shipbuilding.