Eucalyptus Timber Design Value 1

[ofthesea]

I have a client in the US that wants to build with eucalyptus wood. I can't find anything in the NDS and wondered if anybody had any info or knows some equivalent values.

 

[Lutfi]

I like the smell of eucalyptus trees. I do not racall ever reading any mechanical properties on them. I also do not recall that I ever seen any structures built with eucalyptus wood. The barks are kind of messy.

Lutfi

http://www.cdeco.com

 

[casseopeia]

Here's a website that describes some of the properties and uses of the various species of Australian eucalyptus. You would have to find the closest to the species your client wants to use.

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/hardwoodsqld/7680.html

Here in the SF Bay area we are getting rid of a lot of the eucalyptus stands due to the fire hazard and the tree's ability to choke out all native species. It almost always gets ground into wood chips, and that's in an area where environmental concerns and productive re-use are paramount.

 

[crossframe]

How about those Eucalyptus chips for OSB or other "engineered" wood? That way everyboby's happy!

 

[casseopeia]

ofthesea,

What does your client want to build with the eucalyptus and is cost a consideration?

ps; I like the idea of using it for OSB. I wonder why it isn't? The only person around here with any direct experience trying to work with it said it "splits like hell", making it very difficult to work with as lumber.

In this town you have to apply for a permit to take down any tree on your property with the exception of eucalyptus.

 

[haynewp]

I would try talking to technical departments for these people

http://www.awc.org/Standards/nds.html

http://www.apawood.org/

If they don't know, they may be able to put you in touch with somebody who does.

 

[ofthesea]

Thanks everyone for the great response and humor.

I laughed too when my client, who had been overseas and spent a night at the Hotel Splendido in Italy, ate dinner under a beutiful trellis made from eucalyptus. He just had to have it at his house too!! Too much money, too much time!!

Thanks again!!

 

[dbuzz]

Check out

http://www.timber.org.au

 

[flamby]

Concur with Lutfi. I also like the wood of eucalyptus in fire place when it snows. But I would hate to build anything more serious than a chair with that wood. It's no timber, just firewood or pulp for paper-making. The strength and decay-resistance is very low.

Ciao.

 

[apsix]

And I disagree, living in the land of the gum tree (eucalyptus).
The eucalyptus comes in a whole range of strengths and durabilities, and a number of species are commonly used as structural timber. Judging from the comments made the species found in the US is probably not the best, but I would have thought it is at least on par with your Pinus radiata (Monterey pine) or Douglas Fir.

 

[flamby]

Forgot to mention, I am in India. Perhaps our eucalyptus is indefensible as a timber. No idea about rest of the world (yes, rest-of-the-world also uses this phrase ;-)).

Ciao.

 

[casseopeia]

If your client wants to build a trellis-like structure, I think it would work. I'm thinking it could be done very much like Native American sweat lodges are built. Those are usually made with willow twigs lashed together with twine, structurally similar to the concept of a geodesic dome. I just helped build one this past Sunday, and went through the whole 2-hour ceremony, sweat and all. Rained almost the whole time and the structure held with all the wet blankets, rocks and ponding water at the top.

The difference for your situation is that it needs a more permanent foundation, like concrete piers that support it at least 6" to 8" above grade. It's also got to be a whole lot taller than your typical sweat lodge.

If it's a large structure, I'd be tempted to build a simple framework of a more commonly used lumber (redwood or cedar), then fill-in with the eucalyptus.

Most of the eucalyptus species here in the US are disease and pest resistant, but I don't know about termites. If it were me I'd put in termite shields and poison the soil around the piers.

From my sister, the botany major, I have this info about common species in California. I haven't found any structural properties for these, however.

Eucalyptus fictifolia is also known as scarlet flowering eucalyptus.

E.citriodora has white flowers that bloom in fall and winter.

E.polyanthemos is also known as silver dollar eucalyptus and resembles quaking Aspen. This is the variety that you usually see as stands of windbreaks in wine country.

I'm actually starting to like this idea! Where's my sketchbook.......

 

[flamby]

Check these...

http://wwwlibrary.csustan.edu/bsantos/section2.htm

http://gurneys.com

http://www.american-eucalyptus.com/about.html

http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/viewpub.jsp?index=9037

Ciao.

 

[pba]

Flamby,

Great links - It sound like eucalyptus might be a very suitable wood.

Ofthesea - I do hope your client is rich enough to pay for the research into material properties!