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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 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 Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting 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 Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Simarouba amara Trade Name Simarouba Family Name Simaroubaceae Synonyms Quassia simaruba, Simaruba amara, Simaruba officinalis, Cupania glabrata Common Names Acajou Blanc, Accituno, Aceituno, Adonichi, Adoonsidero, Aku, Aruba, Assoumaripa, Bitter ash, Bitterash, Bitteresche, Bitterwood, Bois blanc, Bois de cayan, Brazilian white pine, Caixeta, Cedro Amargo, Cedro Blanco, Chiriuana, Cuna, Guitarro, Malacacheta, Marouba, Maruba, Marupa, Marupauba, Megrito, Mountain damson, Negrito, Olivo, Pao pomba, Paradise tree, Parahyba, Paraiba, Pasa-ak, Pau parahyba, Pitomba, Roba, Shirima, Simarouba, Simarruba, Simaruba, Simarupa, Simere, Soemaroeba, Soemaroepa, Stavewood, Tamanqueira, Walkara, Xpasak, Yaku Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela Common Uses Blockboard, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Cooperages, Core Stock, Cutting surfaces, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Matchboxes, Matches, Mathematical instruments, Millwork, Moldings, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Office furniture, Packing cases, Particleboard, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shingles, Stools, Tables , Toys, Trimming, Turnery, Utility furniture, Veneer, Wainscotting, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The genus Simarouba consists of shrubs and small, medium-sized, or large trees that are widely distributed in tropical America. Their growth range extends through northern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas to the Amazon region of Brazil, as well as Trinidad and Tobago. S. amara grow principally in the Guianas and the Amazon region in Brazil. Heartwood Color Red Brown Yellow Orange Purple White to cream Yellow-Brown to bright yellow, often with a greenish tinge Pale brown Whitish, straw-colored, or cream white to yellow Sapwood Color White Yellow Same as heartwood White to yellow Not distinct from heartwood Grain Straight Weak (figure) Figure Even Straight Weak figure Texture Fine Medium Medium to coarse Uniform Fine to medium Coarse Coarse to medium Luster Pronounced Lustrous Highly lustrous Natural Durability Durable Very durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to termites Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to powder post beetles Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Heartwood susceptible to attack by decay fungi Non durable Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Perishable Susceptible to marine borer attack Durable Very low natural resistance to decay and attack by termites Very durable Susceptible to attack by termites and dry wood insects Odor No distinct odor or taste Bitter, quinne-like taste Toxicity Non-toxic Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Checking Slight surface checking Slight end splitting No twisting or warping Slight twist/warp No surface checking No end splitting No cupping, generally Moderate end spitting Generally free from spring and bow Slight tendency to warp and check during drying Severe end splitting Blue-stain may occur Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Slowly Easy Difficult Air dries rapidly, with little degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Bole length is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Product Sources The ITTO reports that timber production from the species is regular but exportation is rather low. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Oily streaks are occasionally present Blunting Effect High to severe Very slight blunting effect on cutting tools Boring Easy Responds readily to ordinary tools in boring operations to produce clean surfaces Carving Responds readily to carving operations Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Low resistance to sawing, but freshly felled logs may split due to internal stresses Gluing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to glue Bonds well with all types of industrial adhesives Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to mortise with ordinary machine tools Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to mould Bores readily with ordinary tools, with very good results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Dimensionally stable after seasoning Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to nail Holds nails well Fair to poor nailing properties Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Easy to work in planning and almost all machine operations Clean, finished surfaces Can be planed to a smooth finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is permeable Satisfactory preservative absorption and retention Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Good routing qualities Sanding Good sanding properties Screwing Easy to screw Poor to satisfactory screwing properties Turning Turned surfaces are generally clean and smooth Good results Easy turning operations Difficult to turn Veneering Qualities Easy to cut Veneers tend to be fragile Veneer dries relatively rapidly, with little degrade except slight tendency to split Uf or PF type glues There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Suitable for peeling Peeled at room temperature or after moderate steaming at about 160 degrees F (65 C) Peel and slice easily because they are typically well-formed and not very hard Painting Good results Takes paint without difficulty Satisfactory results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Grain filling after sanding is reported to give the best surface finishing results Good polishing properties after filling Good finishing properties Staining Finish is generally good Varnishing Good results Satisfactory Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = low Hardness (side grain) = very soft Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Volumetric=very small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = low Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Volumetric = small Shrinkage, Tangential = large Weight=Medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Not hard Dents and marrs easily Density=Average/Medium Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 15-22 lbs/cu. ft. Compression strength (parallel to grain) = low Bending stength in air-dried condition...is medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6506 9886 psi Crushing Strength 372 588 psi Density 26 lbs/ft3