Australian Cypress

Australian cypress, also called cypress-pine or Murray pine, is unusual among softwoods: grown in Australia's semi-arid interior, it's actually harder than red oak — one of the only commercial softwoods that can make that claim.

Appearance and Working Properties

Color swings hard from board to board — sapwood running cream or straw-colored, heartwood anywhere from honey-gold to brown, with dark knots scattered through for character rather than treated as a flaw. It machines well overall, though the resinous knots dull blades a touch faster than the clear sections do. The termite resistance isn't just a selling point either — it's a genuine practical edge in flooring applications.

Typical Uses

Flooring almost exclusively in North America, prized for its rustic, knotty character.

Specific gravity is an estimate for this species — a precisely sourced figure was not available for this article.