Paulownia timber is an excellent choice for a wide range of marine applications due to its unique combination of strength, light weight, and water resistance. Unlike traditional marine timbers that are often dense and heavy, paulownia offers a sustainable, high-performance alternative that is easy to work with and exceptionally durable in wet environments. Paulownia's most notable feature for boat building is its extremely lightweight nature. It is even lighter than Western red cedar, a traditional choice for boat builders. This low density makes it ideal for building lightweight hulls for small boats, canoes, and kayaks, where weight reduction is crucial for performance and fuel efficiency. It's often used in strip-planked boat construction, where the wood is reinforced with a fiberglass and epoxy sheathing to provide strength and durability.
Common Marine Applications that we supply timber for:
Strip Planking, mainly as a replacement for Western Red Cedar
Wooden Surfboards
Daggerboards
Paulownia timber is:
Extremely bouyant
Does not absorb water
Light weight (260-290 kg per cubM)
Resistant to rot and termites
Easily stained or painted