Timbers Glossary
African Hardwoods
Idigbo
- Botanical Name
- Terminalia Ivorensis
- Origin
- West Africa
- Brief Description
- Colour: Pale yellow-brown showing a zonal figure, sometimes with a light pinkish cast
Grain: Straight to slightly irregular.
Texture: Medium to fairly coarse.
- Uses
- Furniture and high-class joinery in interior and external work, general carpentry, joinery and construction work
- Working Properties
- Nails, screws and glues well and finishes well once filled
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 560 kg/m³
Iroko
- Botanical Name
- Chlorophora Excelsa
- Origin
- West and East Africa
Brief Description- Colour: Golden-orange to light brown
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Coarse but even..
- Uses
- Ship and boat building, interior and exterior joinery, laboratory benches,
furniture making. Also: Piling and marine work, domestic flooring,
plywood manufacture and decorative veneering
- Working Properties
- Works ok with hand and machine tools, nails, screws and glues well and finishes well once filled
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 640 kg/m³
Obeche
- Botanical Name
- Triplochiton Scleroxylon
- Origin
- Tropical West Africa.
- Brief Description
- Colour: Creamy-white to pale yellow
Grain: Interlocked.
Texture: Moderately fine and even.
- Uses
- Generally where durability and strength are important: interior rails, drawer sides and linings, cabinet framing and interior joinery
- Working Properties
- Very easy to work with hand and machine tools, nails easily, glues well and finishes well once filled
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 380 kg/m³
Sapele
- Botanical Name
- Entandrophragma Cylindricum
- Origin
- West and Central Africa
- Brief Description
- Colour:Medium to dark-reddish brown, characterised by a
well-defined ribbon striped figure on quartered surfaces
Grain: Interlocked or wavy. Texture: Fairly fine.
- Uses
- Quality furniture and cabinet making, joinery, shop fitting, office furniture, solid doors, boat building, musical instruments, sports goods, counter tops and flooring. Also: A constructional veneer for plywood.
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nails, screws and glues well,
Properties care required when staining but provides excellent polished finish
- Durability
- Moderately durable
- Density
- 620 kg/m³
Utile
- Botanical Name
- Entandrophragma Utile
- Origin
- West and Central Africa
- Brief Description
- Colour: Matures from pink-brown when fresh cut to deep red-brown
Grain: Interlocked.
Texture: Uniformly moderate.
- Uses
- Furniture, cabinet-making, counter tops, high-class exterior and interior joinery, flooring, boat building and planking. Also: Sliced for decorative veneer and plywood manufacture
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nails satisfactorily, glues and Properties stains well and finishes well once filled
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 660 kg/m³
American Hardwoods
Alder
- Botanical Name
- Alnus Rubra
- Origin
- Pacific coast of USA and Canada
- Brief Description
- Colour: Pale yellow to reddish-brown
Grain: Fairly straight.
Texture: Uniform.
- Uses
- Turnery and carving. Also: Plywood core stock, utility plywood, small laminated articles and veneers.
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, has good nailing and gluing properties and takes stain, paint and polish well
- Durability
- Perishable
- Density
- 530 kg/m³
Ash
American
American
- Botanical Name
- Fraxinus Americana
- Origin
- USA and Canada
- Brief Description
- Colour: Grey-brown heartwood, sometimes red tinged
Grain: Straight. Texture: Coarse and even.
- Uses
- All types of sports equipment, handles for striking tools, bent parts for boat building, shop fitting and high-class joinery
- Working Properties
- Works satisfactorily with hand and machine tools, pre-boring necessary for nailing, glues, stains and polishes well
- Durability
- Non-durable and perishable.
- Density
- 660 kg/m³
Cherry
- Botanical Name
- Prunus Serotina
- Origin
- Deciduous forest areas of USA and Canada
- Brief Description
- Colour: Varies from rich red to reddish-brown. Grain: Fine, straight and close.
Texture: Smooth.
- Uses
- Furniture and cabinet making, high-class joinery, boat interiors. Also: Selected logs converted into decorative veneers for furniture, cabinets and wall panelling
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nails, glues, stains and polishes well.
- Durability
- Moderately durable
- Density
- 580 kg/m³
Elm
Red
Red
- Botanical Name
- Ulmus Rubra
- Origin
- Deciduous forest areas of USA and Canada
- Brief Description
- Colour: Varies from rich red to reddish-brown Grain: Fine, straight and close.
Texture: Smooth.
- Uses
- Furniture and cabinet making, high-class joinery, boat interiors.
Also: Selected logs converted into ecorative veneers for furniture, cabinets and wall panelling
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nails, glues, stains and polishes well
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 580 kg/m³
Maple
Hard
Hard
- Botanical Name
- Acer Saccharum
- Origin
- Eastern USA and Canada
- Brief Description
- Colour: Cream-white with reddish tinge.
Grain: Straight
Texture: Fine and even
- Uses
- Heavy-duty flooring, furniture and panelling. Also: Selected stocks
are rotary cut to produce bird's eye maple veneer
- Working Properties
- Can be a difficult wood to work with, pre-boring necessary for nailing, glues, stains and polishes well
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 720 kg/m³
Maple
Soft
Soft
- Botanical Name
- Acer Rubrum
- Origin
- Eastern USA and Canada
- Brief Description
- Colour: Grey-brown sometimes tinged with red.
Grain: Straight .
Texture: Coarse and even.
- Uses
- All types of sports equipment, handles for striking tools, bent parts
for boat building, shop fitting and high-class joinery
- Working Properties
- Works satisfactorily with hand and machine tools, nails and glues satisfactorily with care, stains and polishes well
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 560 kg/m³
Oak
American Red
American Red
- Botanical Name
- Quercus Rubra
- Origin
- Eastern Canada and USA
- Brief Description
- Colour: Similar to most other oaks with a biscuit to pink colour, but has a reddish tinge
Grain: Mostly straight.
Texture: Coarse
- Uses
- Flooring, furniture and internal joinery. Not suitable for exterior work. Also: Plywood manufacture and decorative veneers
- Working Properties
- Varies according to density of wood and growth conditions, nailing may need pre-boring, gluing properties are variable, stains and polishes to a good finish
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 770 kg/m³
Oak
American White
American White
- Botanical Name
- Quercus Alba
- Origin
- Eastern USA and South Eastern Canada
- Brief Description
- Colour: Varies from pale yellow-brown to biscuit with a pinkish tint
Grain: Straight
Texture: Medium to coarse.
- Uses
- Furniture, cabinet making, joinery, heavy construction, parquet and strip flooring, boat building. Also: Plywood and ornamental veneers for panelling and decorative veneers.
- Working Properties
- Varies according to rate of growth, nailing may need pre-boring, screws well, gluing properties are variable, stains and polishes to a good finish
- Durability
- The heartwood is durable and extremely resistant to preservative treatment. The sapwood is moderately resistant
- Density
- 760 kg/m³
Tulipwood
- Botanical Name
- Liriodendron Tulipifera
- Origin
- USA (also known as Canary Whitewood and Yellow Poplar)
- Brief Description
- Colour:Pale yellowish-brown to pale olive-brown,
streaked with olive green
Grain: Straight
Texture: Regular, fine
- Uses
- Pattern making, carving, cabinet making interior fittings and joinery
- Working Properties
- Easy to work, with both hand tools and machines
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 450 kg/m³
Walnut
Black
Black
- Botanical Name
- Juglans Nigra
- Origin
- Eastern USA and Canada (Ontario).
- Brief Description
- Colour: Rich dark brown to purplish-black
Grain: Straight
Texture: Rather coarse
- Uses
- High quality furniture, cabinet making and interior joinery, boat building, plywood manufacture, panelling and cabinet/decorative veneers.
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nails and glues are satisfactorily, polishes to a high finish
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 640 kg/m³
European Hardwoods
Ash
European
European
- Botanical Name
- Fraxinus Excelsior
- Origin
- Grows throughout Europe, North Africa and Western Asia
- Brief Description
- Colour: Cream to pale tan colour
Grain: Tough, flexible and straight
Texture: Coarse but even
- Uses
- Cabinet making and furniture, sports goods and striking-tool handles. Also: Sliced for decorative veneer and plywood manufacture
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, necessary to pre-bore for nailing, stains easily and takes an excellent smooth finish filled
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 710 kg/m³
Beech
- Botanical Name
- Fagus Syvatica
- Origin
- Grows throughout central Europe and UK (also found in Western Asia )
- Brief Description
- Colour: Very pale pink-brown that turns reddish-brown when steamed.
Grain: Straight
Texture: Fine and even
- Uses
- Cabinet making, high-class joinery, desks and workbenches, domestic
flooring, construction and utility plywood. Sliced veneers are used for decorative veneering
- Working Properties
- Offers medium resistance to hand and machine tools, has a moderate blunting effect, pre-bore for nailing, stains well, glues
easily and takes an excellent finish filled
- Durability
- Perishable
- Density
- 720 kg/m³
Birch
- Botanical Name
- Betula Pendula
- Origin
- Grows throughout Europe and UK (also found in Scandinavia)
- Brief Description
- Colour: Cream-white to biscuit
Grain: Straight
Texture: Fine
- Uses
- High-class joinery, interior fitments, dowels, bobbins, general
turnery and flooring.
- Working Properties
- Has high bending and crushing strength. Glues well, stains and polishes to a good finish filled.
- Durability
- Perishable
- Density
- 660 kg/m³
Lime
- Botanical Name
- Tilia Vugaris
- Origin
- Grows throughout Europe and the UK.
- Brief Description
- Colour: A creamy-yellow wood, that matures to yellow/pale brown
Grain: Straigt
Texture: Fine and uniform
- Uses
- Mainly woodcarving. Also: broom handles, toys, turnery and selectively as a decorative veneer.
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, glues well, nails satisfactorily and can be brought to a good finish by staining and all processes filled
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 540 kg/m³
Oak
European
European
- Botanical Name
- Quercus Petraea and Robur
- Origin
- UK and Europe (also Asia Minor and North Africa)
- Brief Description
- Colour: Yellowish brown (irregular/cross-grained material can occur)
Grain: Straight.
Texture: Medium to coarse.
- Uses
- Continental oaks are preferred for furniture and cabinet making.
English oak is best for garden furniture, boat building, gateposts, furniture, floors and construction work. Also:Interior and exterior joinery, coffins, flooring, gates and fencing. For plywood manufacture it is rotary cut and when sliced creates a very attractively figured veneer
- Working Properties
- Has a moderate to severe blunting effect on cutters, takes waxing, liming, fuming and polishing treatments very well filled and has very
little shrinkage
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 670-720 kg/m³
Sycamore
- Botanical Name
- Acer Pseudoplatanus.
- Origin
- Central Europe and the UK.
- Brief Description
- Colour: White to creamy-white.
Grain: Straight.
Texture: Fine and even.
- Uses
- Furniture, domestic flooring, turnery, musical instruments
Also: Selected logs are sliced for decorative veneered panelling
- Working Properties
- Works easily with hand and machine tools, nails, glues, stains and polishes excellently when filled
- Durability
- Perishable
- Density
- 610 kg/m³
Far Eastern Hardwoods
Durian
- Botanical Name
- Coelostegia
- Origin
- Malaysia and Indonesia
- Brief Description
- Colour: Pink-brown to deep red-brown.
Grain: Straight to interlocked and a coarse. Texture: Often uneven
- Uses
- Furniture, joinery and panelling, veneers, light construction and plywood
- Working Properties
- Machines well, however turning produces a slightly rough surface,
nails well, can be satisfactorily bonded using standard procedures, seasoned timber readily accepts paint, stain and polish
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 690 kg/m³
Majau - Seraya
- Botanical Name
- Shorea Pauciflora from Sabah (Oba Suluk)
- Origin
- Indonesia and Malaysia
- Brief Description
- Colour: Medium to dark reddish- brown with white Dammar or resin streaks
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Fairly coarse
- Uses
- Exterior and interior joinery and constructional work, boat building,
shop fitting, furniture, parquet flooring and veneering
- Working Properties
- Works fairly easily to give a good finish
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 710 kg/m³
Meranti
- Botanical Name
- Shorea Pauciflora
- Origin
- South-East Asia and the islands of the South West Pacific
- Brief Description
- Colour:Varies from white through straw to yellow in the yellow-white groups.
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Moderately coarse.
- Uses
- Widely used in the manufacture of doors and conservatories, as well as flooring, panelling, furniture, joinery, mouldings, plywood, turnery and carving.
- Working Properties
- Machines reasonably well, nails, glues and stains well and can be painted, stained or polished but may need to be filled before finishing
- Durability
- Moderately durable
- Density
- 660 kg/m³
Nemesu
- Botanical Name
- Shorea pauciflora
- Origin
- Malaysia
- Brief Description
- Colour: Medium to dark-red brown
Grain: Interlocked.
Texture: Rather coarse.
- Uses
- Exterior and interior joinery, shopfitting, boatbuilding, flooring and cladding (when treated). Also: Rotary cut for plywood manufacture and sliced for decorative veneers
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nails, glues, stains and polishes well
- Durability
- Moderately durable
- Density
- 660 kg/m³
Seraya
Light Red
Light Red
- Botanical Name
- Shorea Pauciflora
- Origin
- Malaysia
- Brief Description
- Colour: Varies from very pale pink to light red-brown.
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Coarse but even
- Uses
- Interior joinery, light structural work, carpentry, domestic flooring, panelling, drawer sides and backs. Also: Plywood manufacture and sliced for decorative veneers
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nails and glues well, produces a good finish once filled
- Durability
- Moderately durable to non-durable.
- Density
- 550 kg/m³
Clear Grade Softwoods
and European Redwoods
Douglas Fir
- Botanical Name
- Pseudotsuga Menziesii
- Origin
- USA and Canada, also the UK, New Zealand and Australia
- Brief Description
- Colour: Light reddish-brown shade
Grain: Mostly straight
Texture: Uniform medium texture
Note: It is not a true fir
- Uses
- More veneers and plywood are produced from Douglas Fir than any other wood. Also: For heavy construction work, roof trusses, interior and exterior joinery, poles, dock and harbour work, marine piling and ship building
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nailing may need pre-boring, screws and glues well, stains effectively and finishes well with preparation
- Durability
- Moderately-durable
- Density
- 530 kg/m³
European
Redwood
Redwood
- Botanical Name
- Pinus Sylvestris
- Origin
- Scandinavia and UK
- Brief Description
- Colour: Creamy white to yellow
Grain: Varying from straight to interlocked
Texture: Smooth
- Uses
- General Joinery, construction work, furniture, carcassing and house building
- Working Properties
- Works easily and well with both hand and machine tool, capable of a smooth clean finish
- Durability
- Non-durable, requires preservative treatment if used externally
- Density
- 550 kg/m³
Hemlock
- Botanical Name
- Tsuga Heterophylla
- Origin
- Canada, USA and (recently) the UK
- Brief Description
- Colour: Pale brown with darker coloured bands of a reddish-purple cast.
Grain: Straight
Texture: Fine and even
- Uses
- General construction, carpentry and joinery and sliced veneers for panelling and decorative veneers
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nailing may need pre-boring, glues, stains and polishes well and gives a good result with paint and varnish
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 500 kg/m³
Radiata Pine
- Botanical Name
- Pinus Radiata
- Origin
- Southern California and recently New Zealand, Australia and South Africa
- Brief Description
- Colour:A wide pale-coloured sapwood emphases a pinkish-brown
heartwood
Grain: Spiral
Texture: Relatively uniform
- Uses
- Building and general construction, crates and boxes. Also: Selected logs
make attractive veneers for panelling
- Working Properties
- Easy to work, nails, screws and glues satisfactorily
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 480 kg/m³
Siberian Larch
- Botanical Name
- Larix Decidua
- Origin
- Europe (Alps), the UK and Western Russia
- Brief Description
- Colour: Pale red-brown to brick red with clearly marked annual rings
Grain: Straight. Texture: Fine and uniform
- Uses
- Doors and window frames, staircases and flooring, ship building
Also: Pit props and posts, boat planking and exterior work.
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, nailing can cause splitting and pre-boring is essential, stains, paints and varnishes well
- Durability
- Moderately durable
- Density
- 590 kg/m³
Southern Yellow
Pine
Pine
- Botanical Name
- Pinus Palustris
- Origin
- Southern States of USA
- Brief Description
- Colour: Varies from pale straw to light reddish-brown
Grain: Soft straight.
Texture: Very even
- Uses
- Most versatile softwood suited to pattern making, carving, high-class joinery, general carpentry work, furniture, musical instruments, ship and boat building, light/medium construction, veneers (from selected logs)
- Working Properties
- Works very easily with hand and machine tools, finishes cleanly, nails, screws and glues and takes stains, paints and varnishes very well
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 390 kg/m³
Western Red
Cedar
Cedar
- Botanical Name
- Thuja Plicata.
- Origin
- The northern Rocky Mountains and Pacific North-west
- Brief Description
- Colour:From a dark chocolate brown to a salmon pink, matures from
reddish-brown to silver-grey (a finish often sought after by architects)
Grain: Straight
Texture: Rather coarse
- Uses
- Cladding, Shingles, external and internal joinery, glass house and shed manufacture
- Working Properties
- Works easily with both hand and machine tools, but care is needed to obtain the best results during mortising, planing and moulding. A good finish can be obtained, but cutters must be kept sharpened
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 390 kg/m³
Speciality Woods
FSC Cocobolo/
Rosewood
Rosewood
- Botanical Name
- Dalbergia Retusa
- Origin
- Central America from sustainable well managed forests and plantations
- Brief Description
- Colour:Rich reddish burgundy through to all the hues of brown to
bright orange, often with a figuring of darker irregular traces
Grain: Straight and wavy
Texture: Tight and dense
- Uses
- Turning, cutlery and tool handles, gun grips and knife handles, wine bottle stoppers, bowls, fancy goods and jewellery boxes. Also: Exotic looking hardwood flooring and veneers for inlay and decorative work
- Working Properties
- Excellent, machines, nails and screws easily and polishes to a lustrous, glassy finish
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 1100 kg/m³
FSC EcoTeak
- Botanical Name
- Tectona Grandis
- Origin
- Sustainable, well managed forests and plantations
- Brief Description
- Colour: Rich brown with darker chocolate-brown markings
Grain: Straight to wavy
Texture: Coarse (tight grain)
- Uses
- Extensively in ship and boat building for decking, rails, hatches, etc, furniture, interior and exterior joinery, flooring and garden furniture Also: All grades of plywood and sliced for decorative/face veneers
- Working Properties
- Offers medium resistance to tools, pre-boring necessary for nailing, gluing is good on freshly prepared surfaces Stains well and takes a satisfactory finish, especially oil
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 650 kg/m³
FSC
EcoMahogany
EcoMahogany
- Botanical Name
- Swietenia Macrophylla
(A true broad leaf Mahogany)
- Origin
- Sustainable, well managed forests and plantations.
- Brief Description
- Colour: Varies from light to dark reddish-brown to deep rich red
Grain: Straight to interlocked
Texture: Medium.
- Uses
- High class furniture, cabinetmaking, interior joinery, panelling and boat interiors. Also: Veneers plywood manufacture and decorative veneering
- Working Properties
- Works easily with hand and machine tools, easy to glue, nails and screws well, stains and polishes to an excellent finish
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 640 kg/m³
FSC
Recycled
Rosewood
Rosewood
- Botanical Name
- Dalbergia Latifolia
- Origin
- Southern India and Java
- Brief Description
- Colour: From rose to dark purple-brown with darker purple-black lines
Grain: Narrowly interlocked
Texture: Uniform and moderate
- Uses
- Posts, rafters and exterior joinery, high-class furniture, cabinet making, shop, office and bank fitting, flooring and boat building
- Working Properties
- Hard to saw and machine and also nail, glues satisfactorily and gives an excellent polished or waxed finish
- Durability
- Very Durable
- Density
- 850 kg/m³
FSC Spanish
Cedar
Cedar
- Botanical Name
- Cedrella Odorata
- Origin
- Central and South America
- Brief Description
- Colour: Usually pale pinkish-brown to dark reddish-brown
Grain: Straight or shallowly interlocked.
Texture: Moderate
- Uses
- Furniture, cabinets and panelling, high-class joinery, flooring, house construction and boat building. Also: Veneers for panelling, plywood and panel corestock
- Working Properties
- Works well with hand and machine tools, takes nails and screws well, glues satisfactorily and can be brought to good finish
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 480 kg/m³
FSC Spanish
Oak
Oak
- Botanical Name
- Terminalia Amazonia
- Origin
- Central and South America
- Brief Description
- Colour:Yellow-brown to olive-brown with prominent reddish stripes and streaks
Grain: Irregular or interlocked
Texture: Medium with a high lustre
- Uses
- Cabinets, furniture, flooring, interior joinery, planking and decking in boat building. Also: In plywood manufacture and as a decorative veneer
- Working Properties
- Requires pre-boring before nailing, holds screws well, glues, stains and polishes to a good finish
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 800 kg/m³
FSC Laurel
- Botanical Name
- Cordia Alliadora.
- Origin
- West Indies and Tropical America
- Brief Description
- Colour: Dull golden brown with variegated irregular markings
Grain: Straight
Texture: Medium
- Uses
- Cabinets and furniture, interior joinery, boat decking, light construction and vehicle bodies. Also: Veneers for panelling and furniture
- Working Properties
- Works easily with hand and machine tools, takes nails and screws well, glues, stains and polishes to a good finish
- Durability
- Moderately durable
- Density
- 550 kg/m³
Wenge
- Botanical Name
- Millettia Laurentii
- Origin
- Mainly Zaire, also Cameroon Republic and Gabon
- Brief Description
- Colour: Dark brown with very close and fine black veins
Grain: Fairly straight
Texture: Coarse
- Uses
- Mainly flooring strips or blocks. Also: Interior and exterior joinery and general construction work
- Working Properties
- Works fairly well with machine tools, resin cells can interfere with gluing and polishing, nailing can be difficult and finishes well once filled
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 880 kg/m³
Zebrano
- Botanical Name
- Microberlinia Brazzavillensis.
- Origin
- West Africa, mainly Gabon and Cameroon Republic
- Brief Description
- Colour:Light gold-yellow with narrow veining or streaks of dark brown
to almost black, giving the quartered surfaces a zebra-like appearance
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Coarse
- Uses
- Mainly used as sliced decorative veneer for small cabinetwork, flush doors, cross banding (or inlay banding), fancy goods, marquetry and panelling
- Working Properties
- Works fairly well with hand and machine tools, requires a belt sander for a smooth finish, glues satisfactorily and finishes well once filled
- Durability
- Non-durable
- Density
- 740 kg/m³
Structural Hardwoods
Cumaru
- Botanical Name
- TBC
- Origin
- South America.
- Brief Description
- Colour: Yellow to medium-brown with an orange-pink tint
Grain: Straight
Texture: Coarse
- Uses
- Marine and heavy construction, flooring, decking and cladding
- Working Properties
- Pre-drilling before nailing and screwing is required and a good finish can be achieved
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 600 kg/m³
Ekki
- Botanical Name
- Lophira Alata.
- Origin
- West Africa.
- Brief Description
- Colour: Dark red to deep chocolate brown
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Coarse and uneven
- Uses
- Marine and heavy construction work: including wharfs, bridges, decking, river pilings, lock gates, walkways, verandas, handrails and stairways
- Working Properties
- Difficult with hand tools but possible with machine tools, pre-boring necessary for nailing, glues satisfactorily and can be stained and polished normally
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 1025 kg/m³
Oak
European
European
- Botanical Name
- Quercus Petraea and Robur.
- Origin
- UK and Europe (also Asia Minor and North Africa)
- Brief Description
- Colour: Yellowish brown (irregular/cross-grained material can occur)
Grain: Straight
Texture: Medium to coarse
- Uses
- Continental oaks are preferred for furniture and cabinet making. English oak is best for garden furniture, boat building, gateposts, furniture, floors and construction work. Also: interior and exterior joinery, coffins, flooring, gates and fencing. For plywood manufacture it is rotary cut and when sliced creates a very attractively figured veneer.
- Working Properties
- Has a moderate to severe blunting effect on cutters, takes waxing, liming, fuming and polishing treatments very well filled and has very little shrinkage
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 670-720 kg/m³
Garapa
- Botanical Name
- Apuleia Leiocarpa
- Origin
- South America
- Brief Description
- Colour:Honey-yellow with a slight ribbon aspect, it becomes light brown with age.
Grain: Straight to roey
Texture: Fine uniform
- Uses
- Flooring, decking and cladding
- Working Properties
- The wood glues easily and stays in place, saws, nails and screws well with only a slight blunting effect on tools
- Durability
- Durable
- Density
- 830 kg/m³
Greenheart
- Botanical Name
- Ocotea Rodiaei
- Origin
- Guyuna
- Brief Description
- Colour:Pale-rose sapwood with yellowy beige to sombre olive brown heartwood.
Grain: Straight to interlocked
Texture: Fine and even
- Uses
- All Marine and heavy construction works, including piling, lock gates and bridges
- Working Properties
- Difficult to work, requires pre-boring for nailing and gluing results are variable, polishes to a good finish
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 1030 kg/m³
Ipe
- Botanical Name
- Tabebuia Serratifolia
- Origin
- Central and South America
- Brief Description
- Colour:Greyish white sapwood with light to dark olive brown heartwood
Grain: Straight to irregular
Texture: Fine
- Uses
- Used extensively for decking and flooring application
- Working Properties
- Works easily with hand and machine tools, easy to glue, nails and screws well, stains and polishes to an excellent finish
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 960-1200 kg/m³
Massaranduba
- Botanical Name
- Manilkara Bidentata.
- Origin
- South America.
- Brief Description
- Colour:Whitish to pale brown sapwood with dark reddish brown heartwood
Grain: Straight to Interlocking
Texture: Fine & Uniform
- Uses
- Construction, bridges, decking, alkways, handrails and stairways.
- Working Properties
- Machines and saws well, despite density, with medium blunting on cutting tools. Sands and polishes well, but pre-drilling required prior to nailing and screwing
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 1050 kg/m³
Opepe
- Botanical Name
- Nauclea Diderrichii.
- Origin
- West Africa.
- Brief Description
- Colour:Whitish to pale yellow sapwood with orange or yellow
heartwood
Grain: Mostly interlocked
Texture: Fairly coarse
- Uses
- General constructions, boards, beams, heavy framework, wharf and jetty decking, marine work interior and exterior coatings and planks
- Working Properties
- Works moderately well with hand and machine tools, pre-boring necessary for nailing, glues well and a high finish is obtainable once filled
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 740 kg/m³
Purpleheart
- Botanical Name
- Peltogyne Pubescens.
- Origin
- Central America and tropical South America.
- Brief Description
- Colour:Creamy white sapwood with dull brown to a bright, vibrant
purple heartwood
Grain: Straight but often irregular.
Texture: Moderate to fine
- Uses
- Heavy outdoor construction work, bridges, park benches, flooring and
decking
- Working Properties
- Can be difficult to work, turns well, pre-boring necessary for nailing, glues without difficulty, stains and wax polishes easily
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 860 kg/m³
Yellow Balau
- Botanical Name
- Shorea spp.
- Origin
- Western Malaysia.
- Brief Description
- Colour: Yellow-brown
Grain: Interlocked
Texture: Moderately fine and even.
- Uses
- Marine constructions, lock gates, piling, fenders, bridge components, decking, outdoor furniture.
- Working Properties
- Works reasonably well but with severe blunting of cutting edges it is necessary to reduce cutting angles and feed speeds
- Durability
- Very durable
- Density
- 930 kg/m³
