I get asked “what’s the best timber?” at least once a week. And every time, my answer is the same: best for what?

Timber selection is one of the most important decisions in any furniture project, and it’s one that clients often approach with incomplete information. There’s a tendency to default to whatever species is trending on Instagram (hello, American walnut, for the fifth year running) without considering whether it’s actually appropriate for the piece, the environment, or the budget.

Let me share what I’ve learned from building hundreds of pieces across dozens of species.

Hardness Matters More Than You Think

The Janka hardness scale measures a timber’s resistance to denting — specifically, the force required to embed a 11.28mm steel ball to half its diameter. It’s the single most useful number for predicting how a timber will perform as furniture.

For dining tables — which take constant abuse from plates, cutlery, elbows, and the occasional toddler throwing things — you want a Janka rating above 5.0 kN (Australian scale). Below that, and you’ll see dents and wear marks within months.

Here’s how some popular species stack up:

Species	Janka (kN)	Best For
Spotted Gum	11.0	Tables, benches, high-wear surfaces
Blackbutt	9.1	Dining tables, desks, kitchen
Tasmanian Oak	5.5	General furniture, shelving
American White Oak	6.0	Tables, cabinets, chairs
American Walnut	4.5	Feature pieces, bedroom furniture
Western Red Cedar	1.6	Decorative panels, outdoor (with care)

Notice that American walnut — probably the most requested species in Australian custom furniture right now — is actually quite soft. It’s a beautiful timber with stunning grain character, but it’s not ideal for a family dining table that’s going to get hammered daily. I love working with it for bedheads, side tables, and display shelving where it won’t take heavy impacts.

Australian vs Imported Species

There’s a strong case for using Australian hardwoods in Australian furniture, and it goes beyond nationalism.

Acclimatisation. Timber is hygroscopic — it absorbs and releases moisture in response to ambient humidity. Australian-grown timber that’s been properly dried in Australian conditions is already equilibrated to our climate. Imported timber, dried to different standards in different climates, can take months to fully acclimatise and may move more than expected during that period.

Supply chain and sustainability. Australian hardwoods from certified sources (Responsible Wood certification is the Australian equivalent of FSC) have shorter supply chains and are subject to Australian forestry regulations. That’s not to say imported timber is irresponsible — FSC-certified American hardwoods are well-managed — but the carbon footprint of shipping timber across the Pacific is real.

Unique aesthetic. Australian timbers have grain patterns and colours that simply don’t exist in Northern Hemisphere species. The figure in a well-selected piece of Tasmanian blackwood, the blonde warmth of Victorian ash, or the dramatic grain of marri — these are distinctive design elements that set Australian-made furniture apart.

That said, I use imported species regularly when the project calls for it. European beech for steam-bent chair components (it bends better than almost anything). American hard maple for butcher blocks (tight grain, food-safe, incredibly durable). Japanese hinoki for bath accessories (naturally water-resistant with a beautiful scent). The right timber is the right timber, regardless of origin.

The Sustainability Question

This is where things get complicated. “Is this timber sustainable?” is a question I hear constantly, and the honest answer depends on what you mean by sustainable.

Plantation timber (pine, some eucalyptus, radiata) is the most straightforwardly sustainable option. It’s grown specifically for harvest, replanted continuously, and doesn’t impact old-growth forests. But plantation timber tends to be softer, less figured, and less interesting to work with than native hardwoods.

Recycled/reclaimed timber is another strong option. Old bridge timbers, wharf pilings, demolished building frames — these can yield extraordinary material that’s been naturally seasoned for decades. The grain character of century-old ironbark or tallowwood is impossible to get from freshly milled timber. The downside is unpredictability: embedded nails, checking, insect damage, and inconsistent dimensions make reclaimed timber more expensive to process.

Native forest hardwoods sit in the most contentious category. Some states have ended native forest logging entirely (Victoria phased it out in January 2024). Others maintain regulated harvesting programs. If you want native hardwoods, ask your supplier about the source and certification.

Matching Timber to Room Conditions

This is something that doesn’t get discussed enough. A timber that performs beautifully in a climate-controlled Sydney apartment might be a disaster in a draughty Daylesford farmhouse or a humid Cairns living room.

High humidity environments (bathrooms, coastal homes, tropical regions): favour species with natural resistance to moisture movement — spotted gum, tallowwood, and brush box are good choices. Avoid species known for large seasonal movement like red gum.

Dry, heated interiors (Canberra, Ballarat, any home with ducted heating): these environments can drive timber moisture content down to 6-8%, causing shrinkage. Species that are dimensionally stable — blackbutt, American white oak, hard maple — perform best. Avoid wide boards of any species if you can’t control humidity.

Direct sunlight exposure: all timber changes colour with UV exposure, but the rate and direction vary. Walnut lightens significantly. Most Australian hardwoods darken. Cherry changes dramatically in the first few months then stabilises. If the piece will sit in direct afternoon sun, this matters.

Budget Realities

Let’s be honest about cost. In Australia in 2026, dressed Australian hardwood pricing looks roughly like this:

• Tasmanian Oak/Victorian Ash: $3,500-5,000 per cubic metre
• Blackbutt: $4,500-6,000 per cubic metre
• Spotted Gum: $5,000-7,000 per cubic metre
• Tasmanian Blackwood: $6,000-9,000 per cubic metre
• American Walnut (imported): $7,000-10,000 per cubic metre
• Figured/special pieces: sky’s the limit

These are rough guides — prices vary significantly between suppliers, grades, and board dimensions. The point is that timber selection has a meaningful impact on project cost. A dining table in Tasmanian Oak might use $800-1,200 in timber, while the same table in blackwood could require $1,800-2,500.

I always discuss timber options and pricing transparently with clients early in the design process. There’s nothing worse than designing a piece around a specific species and then discovering it blows the budget.

My Advice

Don’t start with aesthetics — start with function. What will the piece be used for? Where will it live? How much wear will it take? Answer those questions first, narrow the species list based on performance requirements, then choose based on appearance and budget from the shortlist.

And please, before you default to walnut because you saw it on Pinterest, consider what Australian hardwoods can offer. You might be surprised.