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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 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 Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Terminalia celerica Trade Name Indian Laurelwood Family Name Combretaceae Common Names Chasemiich, Chieu lieu, Esemi, Indian Laurelwood, Kil, Kung, Tilautaea Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam Common Uses Beams, Boards, Boat building, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Core Stock, Crossties, Decks, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Dressed boards, Factory construction, Farm vehicles, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Paneling , Piling, Railroad ties, Turnery, Veneer, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Distributed throughout India and Burma, except in the dry regions of Rajasthan. It is found at elevations of up to 3000 feet (900 m), and is commonly associated with Teak (Tectona grandis) and other important timber trees. Heartwood Color Brown Black Yellow Red Orange Pink Yellowish gray Yellow - creamy Occasional dark streaks Darkens after prolonged exposure The wood is creamy yellow or yellowish gray, and turns brownish after prolonged exposure. Darker streaks are occasionally present, but rare Sapwood Color White Pink Yellow Grain Even Straight Generally straight, but not always Texture Coarse Uneven Coarse Luster Low Medium Natural Durability Durable Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Susceptible to attack by insect borers Low natural resistance to decay when in contact with the ground Natural resistance of heartwood to decay is moderate under cover, but negligible in ground contact Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Checking Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Little degrade if dried properly Kiln dries easily Despite staining, timber seasons well Green conversion and prompt stacking in open pile under cover are recommended to prevent degrade from insects Kiln Drying Rate Drying rate is slow Slow Naturally dries slowly Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Very slow Tree Size Bark width is 25-30 mm Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Comments Fruit produced by the tree is used for medicinal purposes, and occasionally for tanning and dyeing purposes Blunting Effect Slight dulling effect on cutting tools Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-boring required Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Responds well to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Smooth surfaces are difficult to obtain Responds well to ordinary hand tools in most operations The timber responds well to ordinary tools in most operations, but smooth surfaces are difficult to obtain since it is coarse-textured and liable to pick-up Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Suitable for veneers Logs are reported to peel readily into veneers Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Requires a filler The timber is reported to absorb large quantities of polish, and requires considerable filling for best results Strength Properties Resists denting and marring Dense Crushing strength = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high The species has high bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content). It compares favorably with Teak, which also has high bending strength Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9045 12740 psi Density 34 lbs/ft3 Hardness 784 lbs Impact Strength 41 46 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 5255 8055 psi Shearing Strength 1637 psi Static Bending 5704 7918 psi Stiffness 1610 1950 1000 psi Toughness 125 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.62 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 635 895 kg/cm2 Density 544 kg/m3 Hardness 355 kg Impact Strength 104 116 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 369 566 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 115 kg/cm2 Static Bending 401 556 kg/cm2 Stiffness 113 137 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 144 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.62 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Desch, H. E. 1957. Manual of Malayan Timbers - Volume I. Malayan Forest Records, No. 15. Malaysia Publishing House Ltd., Singapore. 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. Troup, R.S. 1909. Indian Woods and Their Uses. The Indian Forest Memoirs, Economic Products Series, Volume 1, No. 1. Superintendent, Government Printing, Calcutta, India.