Search for

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 Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance 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 References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Tabebuia stenocalyx Trade Name Purguillo blanco Family Name Bignoniaceae Common Names Purguillo blanco, Tabebuia blanco, White tabebuia, Wild calabash Regions of Distribution Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] French Guiana, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Flooring, Furniture, Joinery, Paneling, Sporting Goods, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Rare Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Red Orange Black Purple Yellow to golden-yellow to orange White to cream Pale brown Brown Sapwood Color Yellow White Paler than heartwood Grain Even Straight Straight Texture Coarse Fine Resinous and oily Medium Medium Luster Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Very durable Resistant to termites Moderately durable Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Odor Has an odor Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Checking Splitting Uneven Moisture Content Discoloration No twisting or warping No end splitting Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Thick Stock Requires Care Slowly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is fluted Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 250-300 cm Trunk diameter is 300-350 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Easy Cutting Resistance Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to mortise Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to mould Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Sanding Easy to sand Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Veneering Qualities Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Veneers easily Suitable for peeling Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Painting Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Polishing Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12154 18826 psi Density 40 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Stiffness 1665 1923 1000 psi Weight 39 31 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 854 1323 kg/cm2 Density 641 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Stiffness 117 135 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 624 496 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % References Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 9 Central America and the Caribbean,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1940,American Woods of the Family Bignoniaceae,Tropical Woods,8(63,pp 9-38 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