Hydrowood Oak: A Complete Guide to Reclaimed Tasmanian Oak Timber
Hydrowood Oak is one of Australia’s most specified hardwoods for architectural applications. Architects, designers and specifiers often ask similar questions. What colour tones does Hydrowood Oak display? How does it perform in commercial spaces? Where does it come from and what makes it unique? This guide answers those questions and brings together everything you need to confidently specify Hydrowood Oak timber in your next project.
An example of grain, colour and features found in Hydrowood Oak
What colour is Hydrowood oak?
Hydrowood Oak, commonly known as Tasmanian Oak, displays a light and versatile colour palette that ranges from soft straw and cream to warm reddish-brown hues. Its straight, open and even grain offers a clean aesthetic that works beautifully in both contemporary and classic interiors.
Across boards and milled products, these subtle variations allow designers to create spaces with depth and cohesion. The timber is easy to stain or finish, enabling colour harmonisation with other design elements.
The grain, workability and finish
Hydrowood Oak is prized for its excellent workability and reliable finishing qualities. The straight grain and open texture make it ideal for precision joinery, detailed mouldings, and custom architectural features.
Whether CNC machined, moulded, or turned, Oak responds consistently to cutting, sanding and coating. Pre-drilling is recommended for clean fixing, and it readily accepts a wide range of finishes.
A board showing the variation of grain, figure and colour present in Hydrowood Oak
Ben from Ingrain with a Hydrowood Oak Vanity
Common design and architectural uses
Hydrowood Oak is highly versatile and performs well across a range of commercial and interior applications:
Interior wall linings and panelling – warm, refined surfaces with excellent finish potential
Flooring systems – durable and visually calm flooring for high-traffic spaces
Joinery and cabinetry – clean grain and consistent finish quality
Furniture components and architectural features – structural strength with visual appeal
Laminating and engineered applications – suitable for bespoke architectural solutions
General construction elements & framing within interior environments
This makes Hydrowood Oak a go-to species for commercial fit-outs, hospitality environments, corporate interiors, galleries and cultural spaces where timber character enhances spatial experience.
Technical overview
Grain: Straight, open and even
Colour: Light straw through reddish-brown spectrum
Density (seasoned): Approx. 650 kg/m³
Movement: ~0.36% radial and 0.23% tangential per 1% moisture change
Workability: Excellent, suitable for turning and coating
Natural durability: Best suited to internal use
Hardness (Janka): Approx. 5.7 kN seasoned
Finish quality: High clarity and smooth texture
These properties make Hydrowood Oak a reliable choice for flooring, linings, joinery and architectural elements where consistent performance and aesthetic clarity are essential.
What Makes hydrowood oak Timber Unique
Unlike plantation or domestically milled hardwood, Hydrowood Oak comes from Tasmanian forests submerged beneath hydro lakes and sustainably recovered – giving it a story and provenance that adds depth to architectural specification.
The submerged logs have been preserved in cold, oxygen-poor water for decades, helping reduce internal stresses and produce exceptionally stable timber once milled. This history not only enhances stability but positions Hydrowood Oak as both a sustainable and premium architectural material.
The Cocoon House in Lewisham, Tasmania. Seen on Grand Designs.
Projects Featuring Hydrowood Oak
Hydrowood Oak has been selected for standout architectural projects where durability, aesthetics and sustainability matter. Examples include high-end residential interiors, commercial fit-outs and bespoke joinery commissions.
“I wanted the makers to have a say in how they wanted each piece in my house to look. I put a lot of trust in them. Simon said go Tas Oak, so I did, and the result is spectacular.”
— Alice Hanson, owner of the Cocoon house, as seen on Grand Designs
This species continues to gain traction with designers seeking an Australian reclaimed hardwood with proven performance and design flexibility.
Hydrowood’s Dr Nathan Kotlarewski
How to Specify Hydrowood Oak
Hydrowood Oak is available through a network of distribution partners across Australia, including Bowens in Victoria. To specify Hydrowood:
Review technical specifications in the Hydrowood Specifiers Portal
Request pricing or samples to assess colour, grain and finish behaviour
Discuss application details with Hydrowood’s team or your local distributor
Integrate timber products into your documentation and BIM libraries
If you are designing commercial architecture, fit-outs or bespoke interiors and want material that performs with integrity and beauty, Hydrowood Oak is a timber worth specifying.