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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Qualea rosea Trade Name Gronfoeloe Family Name Vochysiaceae Common Names Berg gronfoeloe, Berg kwarrie, Berggronfolo, Cedre gris, Couari cedre, Florecillo, Gonfolo, Gonfolo gris, Gonfolo rose, Gonfolo-couali, Gonfolo-kouali, Grignon fou, Grinon fou rouge, Gronfoeloe, Iriakopi, Jakopi, Kouali, Laba laba, Lacreiro, Mandio, Mandioqu, Mandioqueira, Mandioqueira aspera, Mandioqueira escamosa, Mandioqueira lisa, Mirauba de terra firme, Mountain gronfoeloe, Mountain gronfoloe, Pao terra, Quaruba, Umirirana Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Beams, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Canoes, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Factory construction, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, General carpentry, Glued laminated-beams, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Piling, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Poles, Structural work, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The genus consists of about 45 species, and is common in the Amazon region and the Guianas in tropical America. Q. rosea occurs prinicipally in the Guianas. Heartwood Color Purple Red Brown Pale red to pink Reddish brown Pale brown Pinkish brown to reddish brown Occasionally olive brown Greenish to greyish Brown Sapwood Color Brown White Pink Red Grey White to yellow Different than heartwood Yellowish Well defined Paler than heartwood Brown - light grayish Sometimes distinct from the heartwood. Grain Straight Interlocked Figure Even Other (figure) Rippled (figure) Straight Interlocked Straight to interlocked Rippled figure Other figure Texture Medium to coarse Coarse Luster Pronounced Lustrous Medium to golden Natural Durability Moderately durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Heartwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Fair weathering properties Heartwood resistance to biodegradation is variable, but it is rated as generally moderately durable and should not be subjected to persistent damp conditions. The timber tends to surface check severely if it is exposed to the weather without any protective coating. Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content Contains high levels of silica (> 0.5% of dry weight) Levels of 0.10% (of ovendry weight) have been reported. Silica content of 0.05% is generally believed to be high enough to affect the machining properties of wood Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast UK=J US=T10D5S/T8D4S Fr=4 US=T3-D2/T3-D1 Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Internal Honeycombing Possible Ring Shakes Collapse Discoloration Slight surface checking Moderate twist/warp Slight end splitting Moderate end spitting Warping can be expected Slight cupping No cupping, generally Moderate surface checking Moderate spring/bow Air seasoning accompanied by slight checking Timber should be stacked carefully and dried with mild schedules to minimize degrade Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Medium to High Shrinkage End-Coating Thick Stock Requires Care Difficult Moderate Moderately difficult to treat with preservatives Highly prone to staining Easy Dries with little degrade especially if allowed to dry on stump before felling Dries rapidly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Boles are often free of large branches for 60 to 75 feet (18 to 22 m). Reported to produce trees of good timber form Product Sources The ITTO reports that the species is a very important source of timber. The timber is exported in limited quantities. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Some bearing some resemblance to Spanish cedar (Cedrela ) Varies widely in appearance and properties Blunting Effect Moderate Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect on machining is severe High silica content in some Qualea species may cause cutting edges and saws to blunt rather rapidly Boring Very good to excellent results Fairly easy to very easy Cutting Resistance Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Dulls saws severly Difficult to saw Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to glue Satisfactory gluing properties Mortising Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Medium Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Easy to nail Holds nails well Planing Fair to Good Results Ease of planing is moderate Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Qualea timbers are generally difficult to work in planing, turning, boring, and other machining operations, especially when interlocked grain is present. They respond rather poorly to machine tools, and high silica content in some species tends to contribute to rapid and severe dulling of cutters Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Resistance to preservative treatment varies with species, but the wood is generally moderately difficult to easy to treat. Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to screw Turning Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Staining Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Hardness (side grain) = soft Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = high Shrinkage, Volumetric = large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Bending strength (MOR) = high Weight = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Resists denting and marring Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Moderately hard High in density Hardness (side grain) = medium Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Comparable to teak Bending strength (MOR) = very high Air-Dried condition about 12% moisture content Other species comparable in strength include Teak, White oak, and Hard maple Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 10376 15173 psi Crushing Strength 549 843 psi Density 42 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1063 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 5300 7884 psi Shearing Strength 1767 psi Static Bending 6066 9526 psi Stiffness 1917 2141 1000 psi Toughness 153 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 9 12 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.52 0.57 Weight 41 33 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 729 1066 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 38 59 kg/cm2 Density 673 kg/m3 Hardness 482 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 372 554 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 124 kg/cm2 Static Bending 426 669 kg/cm2 Stiffness 134 150 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 176 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.63 0.84 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.52 0.57 Weight 657 528 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % References Bena, P.,1960,Essences Forestieres de Guyane,Bureau Agricole et Forestier Guyanais Guyana Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 2 South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Caribbean Commission,1952,Information on properties of timbers gathered by questionnaire and,collated in the secretariat of the Caribbean Commission including some,related data from technical literature.,Caribbean Commission, Port of Spain, Trinidad Caribbean Timbers, their,Utilization and Trade within the area CTUTA/1/Doc.7 + App.1-18 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department France - Comite Nacional des Bois Coloniaux,1931,Etude Physique et Mecanique des Bois Coloniaux,Assoc. Colonies-Sciences & Comite National des Bios Coloniaux, Paris,,France Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207 Normand, D.,1966,Les Kouali, Vochysiacees de Guyane et leurs bois,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.110 pp3-11 (Part 2) 111 pp5-17 Record, S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the New World. Published on the Charles Lathrop Pack Foundation, Yale University Press, New Haven CT. Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press Sallenave, P.,195