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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 Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Turning Scientific Name Sapium aucuparium Trade Name Bois de soie Family Name Euphorbiaceae Common Names Bois de soie, Bois lait, Milkwood Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution Trinidad and Tobago Common Uses Shingles Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Heartwood Color Brown Purple Yellow Red White to cream Sapwood Color White Grey Grain Even Figure Birds-eye (figure) Irregular Straight Interlocked Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Luster Low Natural Growth Defects Latex or other ducts Natural Durability Perishable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Heartwood susceptible to attack by decay fungi Drying Defects Checking Distortion Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Very good to excellent results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Mortising Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Straight Wavy Figure Closed Even Growth rings (figure) Fiddleback (figure) Moulding Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 32 lbs/ft3 Weight 31 25 lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Density 512 kg/m3 References Brooks, R.L., et al,1941,Durability tests on Untreated Timbers in Trinidad,Caribbean Forester,2(3,pp101-119 Carter, D.T.,1943,The Manufacture of shingles from local woods in Trinidad and Tobago,Caribbean Forester,4(3,pp107-11 Lamb, A.F.A., Wangaard, F.F.,1950,The Gluing Properties of certain Tropical American Woods,Yale Univ. School of Forestry Technical Report,4 Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad