What is eucalyptus wood?
The Wood Guide · The wood register
Broadleaf wood · referenceEucalyptus wood
More than seven hundred species, from shrubs to the tallest broadleaf tree in the world. They have one thing in common: they grow faster than almost any other timber.
- Family Myrtaceae
- 500–1,100 kg/m³
- Mature in 20–30 years
Eucalyptus in brief
Originally from Australia, Tasmania and a few surrounding islands — and today grown on plantations all over the world, precisely because of that growth rate.
Where an oak easily needs eighty to a hundred years to reach maturity, a eucalyptus takes twenty to thirty. Young trees can grow up to three metres a year. That makes it one of the few timbers whose supply can genuinely keep pace with demand.
The name comes from Greek: eu (well) and kalyptos (covered), a reference to the flower buds, which stay sealed with a little lid until they open.
Eucalyptus wood is not one uniform product. For timber, the harder species matter most: Eucalyptus grandis, saligna and globulus. Their properties vary so widely that “eucalyptus” on a label actually tells you too little — ask which species it is.
- Family
- Myrtaceae (myrtle family)
- Origin
- Australia and Tasmania; now on plantations worldwide
- Density
- 500–1,100 kg/m³, depending on the species
- Hardness
- 3,000–9,000 N (Janka)
- Rotation period
- 20 to 30 years
- Shrinkage
- 10–20% in total — relatively high
To be fair: eucalyptus shrinks considerably and moves a lot as it dries. Poorly dried material cracks and warps — with this species, the drying kiln matters more than with any other.
20 to 30 years, not 80
Where an oak happily takes eighty to a hundred years to mature, a eucalyptus does it in twenty to thirty. Young trees add up to three metres a year.
Click a chapter or use the arrows · tree and person to the same scale; growth and shrinkage simplified.
A tree with superpowers
Eucalyptus tops the lists in more ways than one.
Up to a hundred metres tall
Eucalyptus regnans is the tallest broadleaf tree in the world — taller than any oak or beech will ever grow.
Three metres a year
In good conditions young trees grow so fast that you can see the difference from season to season.
Five hundred years old
Growing fast does not mean living briefly: some specimens reach more than five centuries.
Roots up to thirty metres deep
In search of water the tree goes unusually deep — and a mature specimen draws up a hundred to a thousand litres a day.
It is precisely that water use that makes large-scale eucalyptus plantations controversial in dry regions: they can measurably lower the water table. Fast growth comes at a price.
Technical properties
The range is wide — these are the values for the species traded as timber.
| Property | Value | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 500–1,100 kg/m³ | From relatively light to extremely heavy, depending on the species |
| Hardness (Janka) | 3,000–9,000 N | From medium-hard to iron-hard |
| Bending strength | 70–140 MPa | Excellent strength for structural work |
| Modulus of elasticity | 10,000–20,000 MPa | Limited deflection under load |
| Shrinkage (total) | 10–20% | Relatively high — correct drying is decisive |
What eucalyptus is used for
Garden furniture
The harder species turn up in affordable garden furniture, often as an alternative to acacia.
Flooring
The hardest species are hard-wearing enough for heavily used floors.
Paper and pulp
By far the largest volume: its fast growth makes eucalyptus the standard for paper production.
Structural timber
A common building timber in Australia and South America; rarer in our part of the world.
Essential oil
Not from the wood but from the leaves — and better known worldwide than the timber itself.
Our furniture is made of pressure-treated spruce, Douglas fir, teak and other hardwoods. Eucalyptus is in our register because you come across it more and more in cheaper garden furniture — and because the quality then depends heavily on which of those seven hundred species you are buying.
Frequently asked questions about eucalyptus wood
Is eucalyptus wood suitable for outdoor use?
The harder species are, provided they are treated. Natural durability varies widely by species; some reach class 2, others stay at class 4. So always ask for the botanical species and not just for 'eucalyptus'.
Why is my eucalyptus garden furniture cracking?
Because the species shrinks considerably — ten to twenty per cent in total. Poorly dried material keeps moving and cracks. Surface checks are usually cosmetic; deep cracks point to drying too quickly.
Is eucalyptus a sustainable choice?
In terms of growth rate, excellent: twenty to thirty years compared with eighty for oak. The downside is the water use of large-scale plantations in dry regions. Ask where it comes from.
How does eucalyptus compare with acacia?
They compete in the same segment: affordable hardwood for garden furniture. Acacia is more predictable in quality, but also needs maintenance outdoors; with eucalyptus, everything depends on the species.
Eucalyptus in perspective
Eucalyptus is a reference species in our register — wood we do not work with, but do know.
Have a question about your project? Just ask — we're happy to help.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Eucalyptus globulus — Philipp Zinger, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Eucalyptus globulus — Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us · Eucalyptus regnans — Nick Carson, CC BY 3.0