Scientific Name:
Eucalyptus diversicolor

This species is one of the main species of Western Australia. Small quantities are marketed in the Eastern States for flooring and roof truss material. The Tree reaches a height of 150 to 200 ft, with clear bole lengths of 80 to 100 ft; trunk diameters 6 to 10 ft. The sapwood of karri is whitish while the heartwood is pale pink to a reddish brown in color. The species has an interlocked grain and is moderately coarse in texture.

Weight:
Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.70; air-dry density 57 pcf.

Uses:
Heavy construction but not for dock and harbor work, flooring, used locally for plywood, framing, shipbuilding, and joinery.

General Characteristics:
Heartwood reddish brown; sapwood paler. Grain interlocked producing a striped figure on quartered surfaces; texture moderately coarse; without distinctive odor or taste; may contain gum veins.

Working Properties:
Karri can dull cutting tools rather easily and as such can pose some difficulty when sawing. Nail installation requires holes to be pre-bored beforehand. Glue holds somewhat well with karri flooring. This wood requires some effort to sand properly but yields a good polish.

Drying and Shrinkage:
The wood has a pronounced tendency to check in drying and thin stock is prone to warp. Partial air-drying prior to kiln-drying is suggested. Kiln schedule T3-C2 is suggested for 4/4 stock and T3-C1 for 8/4. Shrinkage green to 12% moisture content: radial 7.2%; tangential 10.7%. Movement in service is large.

Durability:
Heartwood is rated as durable though less so than Jarrah (E. marginata) and extremely resistant to preservation treatments. Karri has a natural resistance to decaying. The wood is described to no discernable odor. This specific species has a propensity to move over time with modifies in temperature and humidity, and as such should be used in areas with a stable climate.