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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 Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Tabebuia insignis Trade Name White Tabebuia Family Name Bignoniaceae Common Names Alas-waboe, Alasoabo, Anago-switie, Blanchet, Bois blanchet, Cedre blanc, Courali, Johoto, Koepaia, Mattoe, Panda, Panda hoedoe, Pandorana, Panta, Panta hoedoe, Waracoori, Warakuri, Warikuri, Waroe koelie, Warokorie, White cedar, White tabebuia, Woraccori, Zwamp panta, Zwamp-panta Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, General carpentry, Handles, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Packing cases, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shafts/Handles, Sporting Goods, Stools, Sub-flooring, Tables , Tool handles, Trimming, Turnery, Utility furniture, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Widespread Rare in some parts of its range, particularly at the periphery Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview reported to grow from southern Colombia and Venezuela to the Guianas, and south through most of non-coastal Brazil to Bolivia. It is usually found from sea level to elevations of about 5570 feet (1700 m). The trees are often locally common in poorly drained swampy areas where it mostly occurs, and sometimes forms nearly pure stands. Heartwood Color Pink Red Brown Yellow Green/grey Orange Pale brown Greenish to greyish Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Reddish brown Red light brown Brown - olive Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Pink Paler than heartwood Same as heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Straight Even Straight Straight, Fairly Texture Medium Fine Medium Medium coarse and uniform Luster Medium High Low Pronounced Lustrous Medium Natural Durability Non-durable Susceptible to insect attack Perishable Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Very durable Moderately durable Heartwood has very little resistance to decay Heartwood has little resistance to termites Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Resin Exudation Splitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Gum Exudation Slowly Easy Air dries easily Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Suggested as a possible subsitute for Ash (Fraxinus spp.) and Birch (Betula spp.) for certain applications Blunting Effect Slight Boring Fairly easy to very easy Easy Fairly easy with ordinary tools Clean and smooth surfaces Carving Fairly good response to preservative treatment Cutting Resistance Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Green logs tend to spring during sawing Gluing Satisfactory gluing properties Mortising Easy to mortise Surfaces of seasoned material are cleaner Finishes well Moulding Easy to mould Good finishing results Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Seasoned wood responds well Routing & Recessing Routing characteristics are good Sanding Good sanding finish Easy to sand Sanded surfaces of seasoned wood are smoother and cleaner Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Seasoned wood improves results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Hardness (side grain) = soft Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Resists wearing and marring Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Max. crushing strength = medium Heavy Density = high Crushing strength = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = very high The bending strength of air-dried wood of the species is similar to that of Teak, which is considered to be strong. Teak, White oak, and Hard maple have high crushing strength Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 13000 16865 psi Density 41 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1359 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6451 8992 psi Shearing Strength 1560 psi Stiffness 2045 2361 1000 psi Toughness 123 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.56 Weight 40 31 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 914 1185 kg/cm2 Density 657 kg/m3 Hardness 616 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 453 632 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 109 kg/cm2 Stiffness 143 165 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 141 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.56 Weight 641 496 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References 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 Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne, CEDEX, France. 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 Fanshawe, D.B.,1954,Forest Products of British Guiana Part 1 Principal Timbers,Forest Department British Guiana Forestry Bulletin (New Series 2nd,Edition,No.1 Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. Kynoch, W., Norton, N.A.,1938,Mechanical Properties of certain tropical woods chiefly from S. America,School of Forestry and Conservation, University of Michigan Bulletin,No.7 Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207 Polak, A.M.,1992,Major Timber Trees of Guyana A Field Guide,The Tropenbos Foundation Wageningen, The Netherlands 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.,1940,American Woods of the Family Bignoniaceae,Tropical Woods,8(63,pp 9-38 Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Takahashi, A.,1975,Compilation of data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part 2,Central and South America,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No.4 Vink, A.T.,1965,Surinam Timbers,Surinam Forest Service Paramaribo,3rd rev. ed. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Plants Programme, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.