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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. Boring Carving 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 Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Santalum album Trade Name Sandalwood Family Name Santalaceae Common Names Bachduong, Cendada, Chandal, Chandan, Chandanam, Chandel, Gandada, Gandala, Gandha, Sandal, Sandalwood, Santagu, Santalin, Santel, Santhanam, Srigandam, Sukhad, Tan-muh, Tjandana, Vrai Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Australia, China, Hawaii [US], India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines Common Uses Bedroom suites, Bobbins, Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Fine furniture, Furniture , Furniture, Living-room suites, Paneling, Picker sticks, Shade rollers, Shuttles, Specialty items, Spindles, Spools, Sporting Goods, Stencil & chisel blocks, Sucker rods, Turnery, Umbrella handles , Wardrobes, Woodwork Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Rather secure within its natural growth range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Its status in Indonesia is either Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare Distribution Overview Sandalwood is native to the southern parts of India, and thrives on dry, stony, but fertile soils. Other similar species are widely distributed from the Malay Archipelago to Australia and the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Orange Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Reddish brown Pale brown Dark brown Brown Light yellowish brown initially. It turns into a darker brown upon exposure and ages eventually to a dark reddish brown. It is reported to make up about a third of the volume of the log. Sapwood Color Yellow Brown Orange White to yellow Whitish Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Straight Wavy Figure Closed Even Growth rings (figure) Fiddleback (figure) Straight Wavy Occasionally curly Fiddleback figure Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Coarse Fine Very fine Oily, almost sticky feel Indistinct pores and rays Even textured Luster Medium Lustrous Dull to somewhat lustrous Natural Durability Very durable Very durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles The heartwood has exceptional natural resistance to attack by decay organisms and other wood destroying insects. Odor Has an odor No characteristic taste Heartwood has a strong, spicy odor Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Checking Ease of Drying Reconditioning Treatement Easy Dries fairly quickly with minimum degrade Air dries slowly Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Maximum height is rarely attained before harvesting since the tree is highly valued for its oil and woodThe tree is parasitic, and is often found attached to the roots of other trees, although it is capable of producing its own food through photosynthesis. Product Sources Various species of Sandalwood are abundant within their growth range, but they are seldom harvested for timber. The species is being nurtured, with difficulty, into a plantation species. Supply on the international market is scarce, and when available, it is usually priced in the very expensive range. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Wood darkens upon exposure. Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Timber bores without difficulty with ordinary tools Carving Excellent weathering characteristics Sandalwood is an exceptional wood for carving Cutting Resistance Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Material is very soft and saws easily Low resistance Gluing Fair to Good Results Some precaution may be necessary because of high oil content Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy The wood mortises readily and cleanly with ordinary machine tools Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy The timber responds readily to most tools to produce smooth surfaces in moulding operations Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Excellent Stability - Small Movement Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Holds nails well Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Produces satiny surfaces Planes without difficulty Planes to a smooth surface Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is treatable Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Very good response to preservative treatment Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routing is easy Sanding Good characteristics The strong and spicy odor produced during sanding operations is sometimes overpowering Screwing Fair to Good Results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to turn Very good Surfaces usually very clean Good results Excellent Polishing Good results High oil content is reported to help produce a satiny smooth and slightly lustrous surface in polishing operations Staining Application of stains and other finishes may require some prior surface preparation because of high oil content Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu.ft Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Very heavy Very dense Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness = medium Hardness (side grain) = hard Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Oils from the heartwood are highly sought after for use in perfumes, incense, medicines, etc. Resists denting and marring about as well as white oak or birch. The wood is relatively strong, but it is seldom used for applications where strength is a critical requirement. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11770 16535 psi Density 59 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1798 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 5865 8462 psi Shearing Strength 1560 psi Specific Gravity 0.73 Weight 58 47 lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 827 1162 kg/cm2 Density 945 kg/m3 Hardness 815 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 412 594 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 109 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.73 References Arno, J. 1989. Santalum album - Sandalwood. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 321-322. Bourdillon, T.F.,1908,The Forest Trees of Travancore,Travancore Government Press Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 3 Southern Asia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Gamble, J.S.,1902,A Manual of Indian Timbers,Sampson Low, Marston & Co. London Jain, J.C., Rao, P.S.,1966,Industrial Utilization of Sandal Sapwood,Indian Forestry 92(1) pp16-18 Kartasujana, I., Martawijaya, A.,1973,Commercial Woods of Indonesia,Forest Products Research Institute, Department Pertanian, Bogor Indonesia,Report No.3 Lamb, G.N.,1956,Foreign Woods - Sandalwood (Santalum album) and Butterwood (Vatairea,lundellii,Wood and Wood Products 61(1) p44 Nazma,1981,A handbook of Kerala Timbers,Kerala Forest Research Institute Research Report, No.9 Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Pearson, R.S., Brown, H.P.,1932,Commercial Timbers of India,Govt. Printer Calcutta,2 vols Rajan, B.K.C.,1965,Some properties of heartwood of Sandal (Santalum album Linn,Myforest 1(4) pp35-42 Tewari, M.C., Rao, P.S.,1965,Preservative treatment of sandal sapwood (Santalum album) for small scale,industries,Indian Forester 91(4) pp216-7 Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.