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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Certified Source
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Silica Content
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Substitutes
Synonyms
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Endiandra palmerstonii

Trade Name
Queensland walnut

Family Name
Lauraceae

Synonyms
Cryptocarya palmerstonii


Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Australian black walnut, Australian endiandra, Australian laurel, Australian walnut, Black mahogany, Black walnut, Medang walnut, Oriental wood, Orientalwood, Queensland laurel, Queensland walnut, Queenwood, Walnut bean

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Australia

Common Uses
Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Construction, Door, Flooring, Furniture, Insulating boards, Interior construction, Joinery, Millwork, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Paneling , Paneling, Plywood, Tables, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative

Environmental Profile
Vulnerable
Abundant/Secure
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
Confined to Northern Queensland (Australia), chiefly in the coastal districts. Thrives in heavy rain fall areas and is one of the most common trees in Queensland

Heartwood Color
Brown
Purple
Red
Black
Dark brown
Pale red to pink
Pale brown
Brown
Greenish to greyish
Black
Pinkish brown

Often streaked with pinkish, grayish green or black stripes on quartered surfaces

Sapwood Color
White
Green/Grey
Brown
Red
Yellow
White to yellow
Well defined
Light brown
Different than heartwood

3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10 cm) in width.

Grain
Figure
Wavy
Stripe (figure)
Interlocked
Straight
Distinct (figure)
Other (figure)
Closed
Even
Variable (figure)
Rippled (figure)
Irregular
Mottle

Wavy
Striped figure
Interlocked
Straight
Distinct figure
Other figure
Variable figure
Rippled figure
Occasionally wavy
Mottled or streaked figure sometimes
Irregular

Checkered or broken stripe figure

Texture
Coarse
Even or uniform
Uniform
Medium
Medium
Fine
Fine to medium
Even textured


Luster
Low
Lustrous
Slightly lustrous


Natural Durability
Moderately durable
Susceptible to insect attack
Resistant to termites
Non-resistant to marine borers
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Durable
Perishable
Resistant to powder post beetles
Non-resistant to termites
Non-resistant to pinhole borers
Non-durable
Non-resistant to termites
Non durable
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) often present in the standing tree
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Susceptible to pinhole borer
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Perishable
Moderately durable


Odor
No characteristic taste
May have a slightly disagreeable smell when green


Silica Content
Siliceous
Moderate silica contact
Silica levels of 0.19% to 1.08%
Severe

0.05% silica content is considered as the threshold above which wood machining properties become affected.

Kiln Schedules
Drying (speed) is fast
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid


Drying Defects
Internal Honeycombing Possible
Collapse
Distortion
Moderate twist/warp
Moderate end spitting
Slight collapse and honeycomb
No surface checking
Moderate surface checking
Severe surface checking
Moderate collapse and honeycombing
Slight twist/warp
Moderate cupping

There is some tendency for thinner material to distort during kiln drying. Thicker stock may split, and thinner stock may warp during air seasoning. End-coating and weighting down of stacks have been recommended to prevent degrade in air-drying. The timber responds well to re-conditioning treatment.

Ease of Drying
Variable
Slowly
Fairly Easy
Medium to High Shrinkage


Thinner stock is reported to kiln dry rapidly, with little or no degrade. Thicker stock tends to be more difficult to dry since they are liable to degrade

Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly
Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast
Very slow (>28 days for boards < 32 mm, to >84 days for boards >= 63 mm)
Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm)


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is buttressed
Bole/stem form is straight


Tree Size
Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm
Bole length is 20-30 m
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Sapwood width is 5-10 cm
Bole length is 30-40 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Tree height is 50-60 m
Tree height is 60-70 m
Bole length is 10-20 m
Trunk diameter is 250-300 cm
Tree height is 30-40 m
Tree height is 40-50 m


Product Sources
Queensland walnut is rather scarce on the American market, and is usually priced in the costly range, when available.

Certified Source
Certified Source


Substitutes
Ovangkol (Guibourtia ehie)

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Moderate
High to severe
Blunting effect on machining is severe
Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate
High effect due to high silica content


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Fair to good results


Carving
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult
Specially-tipped cutters recommended
Difficult to saw

An increased tooth-pitch is recommended when using bandsaws.

Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Easy to glue
Glues well


Mortising
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results


Moulding
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results


Movement in Service
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Medium


Nailing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Satisfactory nailing properties
Holds nails well


Planing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Planes to a smooth surface
Difficult to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is highly resistant
Very difficult to treat


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Difficult to machine
Easy to machine
Moderate working qualities


Routing & Recessing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results


Sanding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results


Screwing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results