Australian Hardwoods
Australian Hardwoods: Unique and Beautiful
Australian hardwoods are known the world over for their strength and beauty. Each type of hardwood has a different set of qualities that make it uniquely suited for specific purposes. Some are used exclusively for construction projects; others, for furniture and home decorative accents, such as home signs and patio furniture; still others make exquisite flooring material.
Here, in brief, is a review of several types of Australian hardwoods particularly suited to use in house number signs, these being some of the cheapest items made from such beautiful trees. We may not be able to afford a lavish Australian hardwood floor, but an Australian hardwood house number sign is definitely a step in the right direction!
Australian Hardwoods in Detail
The prices commanded by Australian hardwoods in flooring, furniture, and construction are high, but well worth every penny. These trees are known for being exceptionally durable, long-lasting, and gorgeous. Most common among them is the Australian Cypress, the only commercially milled hardwood in the world that is naturally resistant to termites. House number signs crafted from this wood have a warm, dark honey color and a knotty grain. This interesting and durable blend makes it perfect for wood paneling and outdoor decor.
Spotted Gum is a popular Australian hardwood with a coarse, wavy grain and colors ranging from light brown to dark red-brown. It's excellent at resisting decay in outdoor scenarios, and is most often used in house number signs, business signs, and other outdoor wooden decor. Spotted gum also makes great interior or exterior flooring.
Tallowwood has an inherent shine, due to its natural greasiness. It can appear anywhere in the color range from almost white to a yellowish brown. It makes beautiful flooring, wall paneling, and outdoor furniture. It is highly resistant to decay, and thus perfect as material for house number signs.
Grey Ironbark is a handsome dark red-brown to deep chocolate colored wood, with a tight, straight grain. This tightness of the wood itself makes it ideal for outdoor applications. Along with house numbers, grey ironbark is used to make outdoor furniture, fences, decks, and retaining walls.
Making Your Choice
Choosing the texture and color of your house number plaque from these specimens would indeed be a challenge. Keep the colors of your home and your home's surroundings in mind, and try to repeat or enhance certain tones. For example, if your home is red brick, you might choose a house number sign crafted from dark red spotted gum or grey ironbark, with white lettering and accents for contrast. If your home is white or has many light-colored "earth" tones in it, perhaps a house number sign in a lighter spectrum, such as those offered by tallowwood or Australian cypress, would be more fitting.
Whatever choice you make, be proud. These trees are some of the most in-demand and admired in the world. If you're a fellow Aussie, you should congratulate yourself for also supporting local manufacturers, laborers, and farmers.
Australian Hardwoods
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