Rock Sheoak

Color/Appearance: Heartwood can vary from light brown to a darker reddish brown. Very large rays produce a lace-like pattern on flatsawn surfaces, becoming even larger on quartersawn surfaces. (Most lacewood-type woods only achieve a respectable ray fleck when quartersawn). When quartsawn, the ray fleck can  sometimes become too large and irregularly patterned for smaller pieces.

Grain/Texture: Grain is straight, with a uniform medium to fine texture and moderate natural luster.

Rot Resistance: Rated as non-durable, though resistant to borers.

Workability: Despite its higher density, the wood is generally easy to work. Turns, glues, and finishes well.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Besides the standard health risks associated with any type of wood dust, no further health reactions have been associated with rock sheoak. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Generally unavailable outside of its natural range within Australia, supplies are limited to hobbyist and specialty applications domestically.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being a species of least concern.

Common Uses: Furniture, turned objects and other small, specialty wood items.

Comments: Although the wood is rather hard, the “rock” in the common name arises from the species’ ability to grow on poor, rocky soil, and is sometimes called granite sheoak.

Not closely related to true oaks (Quercus genus), the etymology of the common name sheoak is ambiguous. Both oaks and sheoaks share a similar ray-flecked appearance on quartersawn surfaces.