Maple, Queensland

Queensland maple is an Australian hardwood prized for its attractive wavy or curly grain, ideal for decorative furniture and musical applications.

Other Names

Maple

Botanical Name

Flindersia brayleyana

Common Form
Sawn
Species Type
Hardwood
  • Overview

    • The attractive Queensland maple has long been appreciated as a shade tree for Australian parks and gardens and also for its striking pink wood, which adorns many heritage homes and distinctive wood pieces. It flourishes in the northern Queensland rainforests between Townsville and the Windsor Tableland. With these areas now heritage protected, maple wood is harder to source, although it is still prized for use in furniture and fixtures.

    The lustrous sheen of the pink to brownish pink heartwood makes for a distinctive tree. Historically, it was widely used for aeroplane propellers, coachwork, carriages, and boats. It was also popular for picture frames, and for musical instruments components such as guitar necks and piano parts. 

    Queensland maple is not susceptible to lyctid borer attack. Termites can be a challenge and there is also the threat of attack by an insect that calls this distinctive species home. The insect’s destruction to the living tree can leave areas of dark coloured soft tissue, giving dressed surfaces a dimpled appearance – a feature rarely seen in the pretty wood sought for furniture or high-value decorative uses. Such pieces are enhanced by a distinctive grain that is somewhat interlocked and often wavy or curly, but with a medium and uniform texture. On quarter sawn boards, the maple exhibits water wave, rib and birdseye figures.

    The living maple does not record its age with growth rings. It appears as a medium-sized tree of up to 40 metres in height and 2.5 metres in stem diameter. The trunk is usually well formed, circular in cross-section and not buttressed. The bark, which is approximately 12mm thick, is grey to brown. It has fairly distinct longitudinal fissures. In older trees these fissures are not so marked owing to a tendency to scaliness. The maple has a medium durability.

     

    Shrinkage

    Very Low Low Medium High Very High
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    Tangential : Provides a simplified rating for tangential shrinkage. This is the measure of the percentage reduction in dimension from the unseasoned to 12% moisture content condition.
    7.20%

    Radial : Radial shrinkage is perpendicular to the growth rings. It is shrinkage in the direction towards the centre of the tree. Measurement is % value
    2.90%

    Unit Movement Tangential: This is the percentage of dimensional change for each 1% moisture content change between about 3% moisture content and the fibre saturation point for the particular species.
    0.25%

    Unit Movement Radial: This is the percentage of dimensional change for each 1% moisture content change between about 3% moisture content and the fibre saturation point for the particular species.
    0.15%

    Strength Group Strength groups are given for unseasoned (S1-S7) and seasoned (SD1-SD8) timber in accordance with AS 2878. S1 and SD1 yield the highest strength and stiffness whereas S7 and SD8 yield the lowest.

    Very High

    High

    Reasonably High

    Medium High

    Medium

    Reasonably Low

    Low

    Very Low

    Unseasoned:

    S1

    S2

    S3

    S4

    S5

    S6

    S7

    S8
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    Seasoned:

    SD1

    SD2

    SD3

    SD4

    SD5

    SD6

    SD7

    SD8
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    Stress Grade A stress grade is defined in AS 1720 as the classification of timber for structural purposes by means of either visual or machine grading. The stress grade indicates the basic working stresses and stiffnesses to be used for structural design purposes. Measured in MPa.

    Structural
    No. 1    		 Structural
    No. 2    		 Structural
    No. 3    		 Structural
    No. 4    		 Structural
    No. 5

    Unseasoned:

    F8

    F7

    F5

    F4

    Seasoned:

    F14

    F11

    F8

    F7

    F5

    Density per Standard Seasoned density is based on moisture content of 12%. Unseasoned density is an approximation as it depends on the moisture content at the time of measurement. Measured kg/m3.

    Seasoned:

    560kg/m3

    Unseasoned:

    660kg/m3

    Joint Group The joint group is a classification of the strength of a species in joint design. The values are from 1 (very high strength) to 6 (very low strength).

    Very High

    High

    Reasonably High

    Medium

    Low

    Very Low

    Unseasoned:

    J1

    J2

    J3

    J4

    J5

    J6
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    Seasoned:

    JD1

    JD2

    JD3

    JD4

    JD5

    JD6
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    Colour The colour of seasoned heartwood can vary between species and often within a species. The information provided should be used as a general guide only. In most cases, the colour of sapwood is either a lighter shade of the heartwood or a white/cream colour.

      White, yellow, pale straw to light brown Pink to pink brown Light to dark red Brown, chocolate, mottled or streaky
       
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    Mechanical Properties

    Modulus of Rupture - Unseasoned: This property is a measure of maximum stress which timber can momentarily sustain when loaded slowly and continuously as a beam. Measured in MPa.

    Modulus of Rupture - Seasoned: This property is a measure of maximum stress which timber can momentarily sustain when loaded slowly and continuously as a beam. Measured in MPa.
    77

    Modulus of Elasticity - Unseasoned: This property is of importance in determining the deflection of a beam under load — the greater the stiffness, the less the deflection. Measured in GPa.

    Modulus of Elasticity - Seasoned: This property is of importance in determining the deflection of a beam under load — the greater the stiffness, the less the deflection. Measured in GPa.
    10

    Maximum Crushing Strength - Unseasoned:

    Also referred to as compression strength. This property measures the ability of the timber to withstand loads applied on the end grain. Measured in MPa.

    Maximum Crushing Strength - Seasoned: Also referred to as compression strength. This property measures the ability of the timber to withstand loads applied on the end grain. Measured in MPa.
    44

    Impact - Unseasoned: Provides the Izod value, which is the energy taken in joules (J) to fracture the timber.

    Impact - Seasoned: Provides the Izod value, which is the energy taken in joules (J) to fracture the timber.
    11

    Toughness - Unseasoned: This is a measure of timber’s ability to resist shocks and blows, and is synonymous with impact strength. It is measured in Nm.

    Toughness - Seasoned: This is a measure of timber’s ability to resist shocks and blows, and is synonymous with impact strength. It is measured in Nm.

    Hardness - Unseasoned: Refers to the Janka hardness test and is a measure of timber’s resistance to indentation.

    Hardness - Seasoned: Refers to the Janka hardness test and is a measure of timber’s resistance to indentation.
    4.7

    Durability

    Low Moderate Reasonably High High
    (0 - 5 yrs) (5 - 15 yrs) (15 - 25 yrs) (more than 25 yrs)

    In-Ground: Durability is defined as the inherent resistance of a timber species to decay, or to insect or marine borer attack. All references to durability refer to the heartwood only. A scale of low to high (durability class 4 = low; 1 = high) has been adapted for above and in-ground durability.

    		 Check mark
    (0 - 7 yrs) (7 - 15 yrs) (15 - 40 yrs) (More than 40 yrs)

    Above ground: Durability is defined as the inherent resistance of a timber species to decay, or to insect or marine borer attack. All references to durability refer to the heartwood only. A scale of low to high (durability class 4 = low; 1 = high) has been adapted for above and in-ground durability.
    (0 - 20 yrs, usually < 5) (21 - 40 yrs) (41 - 64 yrs) (More than 60 yrs)

    Marine Borer Resistance: Indicates whether a species is resistant (R) or not resistant (NR) to marine borer attack.

    		 Check mark

    Lyctid Borer Susceptibility: Indicates whether a species is susceptible (S) or not susceptible (NS) to lyctid borer attack.

    Not Susceptible

    Lyctid Borer Susceptibility - Other:

    Termite Resistance: Indicates whether a species is resistant (R) or not resistant (NR) to termites.

    Not Resistant

    Fire Properties

    1 - non-combustible 2 - reasonably non-combustible 3 - slightly combustible 4 - combustible

    Fire Properties Group
    Number:

    Group Number - Other:
    3 if used on MDF or particleboard ≥12mm; veneer thickness 0.6-0.85mm

    Average Specific Extinction Area: This value is determined by the volume of smoke measured over the mass loss of the tested sample per test carried out in accordance with ‘Cone Calorimeter Test’ AS/NZS 3837. It is measured in units of m2/kg.
    <250

    Bushfire Resistance: Naturally bushfire-resisting timbers are those with inherent bushfire-resisting properties. Some species have been tested and a number are in the process of being tested and are measured by Bushfire Attack level (BAL). BAL -12.5: Ember attack, BAL – 19: Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux between 12.5 and 19 kWm3, BAL – 29: Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux between 19 and 29 kWm3.
    Not Tested
    Appearance

    A shade tree with striking pink wood, the Queensland maple’s pink to brownish pink heartwood makes for a distinctive appearance that finishes well. The narrow sapwood band is coloured white to pale grey. Its texture is medium and uniform with a variable grain, sometimes featuring interlocked, wavy or curly fibres.

     

    Common Applications

    The Queensland maple has a place in Australian history, having been used for general building framing around the early 1900s, and more commonly in flooring, lining mouldings and joinery. Maple has also featured prominently in light boat building for planking, decking, sawn frames, stringers, chines, gunwales and marine plywood.

    Australia’s heritage and restored transport has been the destination for much maple, where it has been shaped into aeroplane propellers, coach, vehicle and carriages. It has also been prized for draughtsman’s implements, gunstocks, musical instruments and walking sticks. Today, it is used more commonly for distinctive furniture pieces, plywood, shop and office fixtures, joinery, turnery, carving, inlay work and picture frames.

    Workability

    Queensland maple wood is pleasant to work with, machining and turning well to a smooth surface. Pieces made from maple are often appreciated for their appearance, and will readily accept stain, polish and paint. It is easy to nail and glue but does tend to buckle, making it unsuitable for bending. No difficulty has been experienced with the use of standard fittings and fastenings and it can be satisfactorily bonded using standard procedures. 

     

    Origin of timber
    QLD
    Heritage listing of the North Queensland rainforests has made availability of the Queensland maple very limited. The timber may be available in limited quantities from stockists in metropolitan areas.
    Source of timber
    Native Forest
    a large room with rows of chairs

    Portal Frames

    For buildings that require large spans and column free interiors, timber portal frames provide one of the most aesthetically pleasing solutions. Utilising modern engineering technology, portal frame design transforms timber into a highly effective, efficient and economical structural product.
    a room with benches and paintings on the wall

    Flooring

    The warmth, strength and natural beauty of timber flooring is enduringly popular in a wide variety of domestic, commercial and industrial applications.

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