The Beauty of Paulownia
The Bywater Surfboards are known for being some of the best hollow wooden surfboards on the market. Not only are they works of art, they are as functional as a foam surfboard. Paulownia can be seen as a more environmentally friendly option to fibreglass and foam products.
All of our surfboards are handcrafted with Australian grown Paulownia timber. Aside from the plywood frame, Paulownia timber is used throughout the entirety of the board; from the rails to the nose/tail blocks to the eternal skins.
Paulownia timber is very popular in the marine and watercraft industry, for many reasons but one of which is that it is waterproof and buoyant. A crucial feature for surfboards, skies, wakeboards, handboards, boats and more. Differing to balsa wood (which can typically be pretreated) Paulownia is naturally resistant to liquids, whereas balsa is fairly absorbent.
Paulownia is also a popular choice elsewhere for building, construction, small craft projects, musical instruments, beehives, aqueducts, wood pulp, packaging and much more no doubt.
A key feature to this magic timber is how light it is (av 160kg/m3 ), it is known as the ‘aluminium of timber.’ Luckily it’s remarkably strong (288kg/m3) and can withstand stress and pressure, due to its high strength-to-weight ratio. With great dimensional stability it is almost warp and shrink-resistant which is ideal for surfboard making.
It offers a beautiful soft blonde colour and also takes to stain very well. It’s a timber that rarely has knots (which helps to reduce waste) and looks stunning once resin-coated, bringing out the natural grain charm.
We also use it for our handboards, resulting in a light, buoyant yet durable product, that will increase your body surfing abilities. From small projects to large, our Stand Up Paddle boards are also made from Paulownia with much success.
For the hobbyists and craftspeople looking for Paulownia, we’d love to provide you with great quality timber at no minimum order restrictions. Send us an email with your requirements and we will get back to you with a quote. Pick up in Brisbane is available otherwise we can include a quote on a courier service price.
