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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 Grain Heartwood Color Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Weathering Scientific Name Terminalia arjuna Trade Name Arjun Family Name Combretaceae Common Names Arjun, Chasemiich, Esemi, Kil, Kowa, Kumbuk, Kung, Mangi, Sadado, Tellamadi, Tilautaea Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] India Common Uses Beams, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Clogs, Concrete formwork, Construction, Crossties, Decks, Decorative plywood, Factory construction, Farm vehicles, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Handles, Heavy construction, Joists, Light construction, Mine timbers, Plywood, Porch columns, Rafters, Railroad ties, Roofing, Rough construction, Shafts/Handles, Structural plywood, Tool handles, Utility plywood, Wheel spokes, Wheels , Windows Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Terminalia is a large genus consisting of over 200 species of very large trees that occur extensively in the tropical regions of the world. Terminalia arjuna occurs throughout most of India, from Oudh southwards, and is often found along river and stream banks, ravines and dry water beds. It is also reported to grow in southern, western and Central India, Bihar, Orissa, parts of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka. often planted as an ornamental, and sometimes occurs as an escape in some areas. Heartwood Color Yellow Brown Red Occasional dark streaks Deep brown Brown walnut The heartwood is walnut brown to deep brown, sometimes with darker streaks which produce an attractive figure. Pores may be partially filled with tyloses, and a reddish-brown gum may also be present. Sapwood Color Yellow Grey Pinkish-Gray Grayish-White, pinkish-white, or brownish white Gray - pale Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Even Interlocked Straight Straight Slightly interlocked Texture Coarse Coarse The wood is hard to very hard Natural Durability Non-resistant to pinhole borers Susceptible to insect attack Susceptible to attack by some wood destroying insects Moderately resistant to decay Sapwood of logs is highly vulnerable to attack by wood borers, especially if logs are not debarked promptly after felling. Weathering Good Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Prone to warping and splitting Arjun is prone to warping and splitting, although the latter defect is less serious Ease of Drying Satisfactory kiln drying Requires carefully controlled conditions to prevent decay Fairly difficult to dry Trees should be felled during or immediately after the rainy season and converted as soon as possible for best results. Proper stacking under cover and weighting have been recommended in air-seasoning Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m The tree is large and often buttressed. It develops boles that are sometimes fluted. Boles are seldom long or straight Comments Generally strong, tough, and hard. It has high calorific value, and is highly suitable for charcoal and as fuelwood Very heavy Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Moderate to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Fairly difficult to saw Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fair to Good Results Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Difficult to plane The timber is reported to plane with some difficulty, but it can be brought to a smooth finish with some care Resistance to Impregnation Heartwood responds well to treatment Heartwood response to treatment is good, but complete penetration may not be always achieved. Response to Hand Tools Responds Poorly Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Screwing Fair to Good Results Pre-boring recommended Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very good Veneering Qualities Suitable for veneers Suitable for plywood Polishing Takes a lasting polish Strength Properties Very heavy Dense Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content) is high - comparable to Teak Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8532 12362 psi Density 50 lbs/ft3 Impact Strength 44 38 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4149 6101 psi Stiffness 1074 1362 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.67 0.71 Weight 71 49 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 599 869 kg/cm2 Density 801 kg/m3 Impact Strength 111 96 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 291 428 kg/cm2 Stiffness 75 95 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.67 0.71 Weight 1137 785 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Limaye, V.D. 1954. Grouping of Indian Timbers and their Properties, Uses and Suitability. Indian Forest Records, New Series. Timber Mechanics, Vol. 1, No. 2, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India. Limaye, V.D. and B.R. Sen. 1953. Weights and Specific Gravities of Indian Woods. Indian Forest Records, New Series. Timber Mechanics, Vol. 1, No. 4, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India. Rao, K.R. and S.K. Purkayastha. 1972. Indian Woods - Their Identification, Properties and Uses, Volume III - Leguminosae to Combretaceae. Published by the Manager of Publications, Delhi, India.