Timber and Sustainability
Fitzroy Stretches is committed to environmental sustainability and only uses timber supplied by renewable resources.
Rose Gum - RHD
Eucalyptus grandis or 'Rose Gum', is our NEW hardwood for stretcher bars.
Rose Gum will lead the way as Australia transitions away from native logging practices and eases the pressure on old growth forests.
An exciting bright pink colour, Eucalyptus grandis is a straight-trunked tree that can grow 7m (23ft) in its first year. Maturing at 50m (160ft) they can continue to grow to record heights of 86m (282ft) with a mature dimeter breast height of 1.2-3m.
Resistant to Lyctus borers this quality timber possesses a moderate durability and strength, has a straighter grain, less knots, and is considerably lighter in weight and density than Australian Ash. Leading to a higher quality hardwood stretcher bar ready to take over from our Victorian Ash history.
Following Australian national timber import regulations our timber is sourced from South American plantations rather than from within Australia’s native flora. Grandis is an integral cultivation grower supporting thousands of bee-keeping colonies every year. Some of which travel over 32km to reach the plantations.
Tasmanian Oak - VHD
Also referred to as Tasmanian Oak or Vic Ash (VHD)
Eucalyptus delegates, Eucalyptus obliqua & Eucalyptus regnans
Other common names: Australian Ash
Tasmanian Oak is light in colour, varying from straw to reddish brown with intermediate shades of cream to pink. Tasmanian Oak is the name used for three almost identical species of eucalypt hardwoods that are normally marketed collectively. E. delegatensis grows at higher altitudes, while E. regnans is found in wetter sites. E. obliqua has a wide distribution, occurring in wet forests but also extending into drier areas.
Tasmanian timber, sourced from ISO14001 certified forests, meets international standards like the Australian Forest Certification Scheme (AFCS). This ensures adherence to sustainable practices, including biodiversity preservation and carbon storage. Compliance with Chain of Custody AS470 protocols guarantee timber's origin as a well-managed resource. Tasmanian Oak's availability further supports its role as a sustainable material. Importantly, it should be noted that unlike our previous supply of Victorian grown ash, Tasmanian ash is susceptible to lyctid borer which we check for before processing and minimize risk through the manufacturing and kiln drying.
Western Red Cedar - WRC
Western Red Cedar is one of nature’s truly remarkable materials. Not only does it have distinctive beauty, natural durability and centuries of proven performance, Western Red Cedar is the ultimate green product. It produces fewer greenhouse gases, generates less water and air pollution, requires less energy to produce than alternatives and comes from a renewable and sustainable resource. Equally important, Western Red Cedar is carbon neutral.
Grown in North America, Western Red Cedars’ slow growth, dense fibre and natural oily extractives are responsible for its decay resistance and its rich colouring, which ranges from a light milky straw colour in the sapwood to a vanilla-chocolate in the heartwood. It is a stable wood that seasons easily and quickly, with a very low shrinkage factor.
Hoop Pine - PHD
Araucaria Cunninghamii is a species of Araucaria known as Hoop Pine. Other less commonly used names include Dorrigo Pine, Colonial Pine, Arakaria and Queensland Pine. Hoop refers to the tendency of the bark to remain as hoops on the forest floor after the timber has decayed. Hoop Pine is a rainforest timber, native to northern NSW, Queensland and the mountain regions of PNG. It is the only native tropical timber grown in substantial quantities in plantations within Australia. It is the major rainforest species used in plantations in Queensland. From an ethical, sustainable point of view, Hoop Pine is streets ahead of most of its plantation-grown exotic softwood counterparts.
For more information go to www.rainforestinfo.org.au
Birch Ply
Birch Plywood is manufactured to European standard EN635-2 with a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, which means it meets all ten principals from the FSC, including reduction of environmental impact and appropriate monitoring and assessment activities to maintain the condition of forests.