Rimu
Scientific name: Dacrydium cupressinum
Overview
Rimu is one of New Zealand’s most historically important native timbers. Although botanically a conifer, it produces a richly colored, moderately dense wood widely used in traditional New Zealand architecture, cabinetry, and furniture.
Rimu is known for its warm reddish-brown heartwood and distinctive grain variation, often displaying subtle figure and color contrast between earlywood and latewood growth bands. It occupies a refined interior niche within the Oceania cluster.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Rimu
- Scientific Name: Dacrydium cupressinum
- Region: Oceania & Pacific Hardwoods (New Zealand)
- Tree Size: 100–150 ft tall, 3–6 ft trunk diameter
- Average Dried Weight: 34 lbs/ft³ (545 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: 670 lbf
- Color: Yellowish brown to reddish brown, often with darker streaks
- Grain: Straight to slightly interlocked
- Texture: Fine to medium
Identification Characteristics
Rimu is identified by its warm reddish tone and visible growth banding. The grain is typically straight but may display subtle irregularity. The wood often shows contrast between lighter and darker growth zones, creating gentle striping.
The texture is fine to medium, and the wood develops a soft luster when finished.
Key identification traits include:
- Warm red-brown coloration
- Visible growth band contrast
- Fine-to-medium texture
- Moderate weight
- Traditional architectural appearance
Working Properties
Rimu is generally easy to work.
- Machines smoothly
- Sands cleanly
- Glues well
- Accepts finishes evenly
- Stable in interior environments
Because of its moderate density, it is suitable for cabinetry and furniture rather than structural heavy use.
Safety Note
Wood dust may cause irritation in sensitive individuals. Standard dust protection is recommended.
Common Uses
Rimu common uses including:
- Interior paneling
- Furniture
- Cabinetry
- Flooring (interior)
- Architectural millwork
- Turned objects
Sustainability & Notes
Harvesting of native Rimu is heavily restricted in New Zealand. Most material available today comes from reclaimed sources or previously harvested stock. Conservation protections have significantly limited modern commercial supply.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Totara – A New Zealand softwood valued for its durability and resistance to decay, often used in exterior construction and traditional woodworking.
Kauri (New Zealand Kauri) – A well-known softwood prized for its workability and historical use in furniture, cabinetry, and boat building.
Australian Red Cedar – A lightweight hardwood commonly used in furniture and interior woodworking, sharing similar workability but differing in density and color.
Related Guides
How to Identify Hardwood by Grain Pattern
Rimu’s growth band contrast helps distinguish it from more uniform species like Kauri.
Density & Hardness Explained (Janka Scale Guide)
Its moderate hardness places it below dense Australian structural hardwoods.
Building a Documented Wood Collection
Rimu samples provide contrast within lighter-toned Oceania species.
Compare Wood Properties
See how this species ranks in density and hardness using our Wood Density & Janka Hardness Chart. You can also explore Hardest Woods, Softest Woods, and Most Dense Woods for quick comparisons.
Collector Notes
Rimu is a desirable collector species due to its historical significance in New Zealand architecture. Samples displaying clear growth band contrast best represent the species. Because modern harvesting is limited, reclaimed material may carry additional provenance value. Its moderate weight makes it practical for labeled sample collections.
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Do you have lumber, wood samples, tree photographs, woodworking projects, furniture, carvings, turnings, musical instruments, or other items made from this species?
Exotic Woods of the World welcomes photographs from woodworkers, collectors, sawyers, researchers, and wood enthusiasts around the world. Selected submissions may be featured on this page and throughout our website to help document and showcase real-world examples of this species.
When submitting photos, please include the common name, scientific name (if known), a brief description, and any information you would like us to share with the image.
Wood Sample Collection
This species is part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve wood samples from around the world.
Learn more about contributing to the collection:
Resources
Authoritative botanical and forestry references used in compiling information about this species include:
• USDA Forest Service – Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/products/publications/
• The Wood Database – Global reference for wood identification, physical properties, and woodworking characteristics
https://www.wood-database.com/
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online – Botanical taxonomy and species distribution database
https://powo.science.kew.org/
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List) – Global conservation status assessments
https://www.iucnredlist.org/
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – International trade regulations for protected plant species
https://cites.org/
Additional forestry publications, academic research papers, and regional timber studies may also be referenced where available.
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Availability & Where to Buy
Exotic hardwood availability can vary significantly depending on region, sustainability regulations, and supplier inventory.
As this archive grows, recommended suppliers and specialty wood retailers will be listed here to help woodworkers locate responsibly sourced material.
Lumber Suppliers:
Availability varies — see the Where to Buy Exotic Woods page for current sources.
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