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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. Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Scientific Name Araucaria cookii Trade Name Cooks pine Family Name Araucariaceae Common Names Bunya bunya, Cooks pine, Norfolk island pine, Pin colonnaire, Sapin de montagne Regions of Distribution Africa, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Hawaii [US], New Caledonia, South Africa Common Uses Balusters, Barge fenders, Baskets, Blockboard, Boat building, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Canoes, Carvings, Casks, Construction, Cutting surfaces, Decorative plywood, Docks, Dockwork, Domestic flooring, Excelsior, Flooring, Food containers, Handles, Harbor work, Hardboards, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Ladders , Lifeboats, Light construction, Marine construction, Matchboxes, Matches, Millwork, Moldings, Naval architecture, Novelties, Packing cases, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Poles, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Native to the New Caledonia Islands. Cooks pine has been successfully cultivated in Australia, South Africa, Hawaii, and Madagascar. Heartwood Color Brown Red Light brown Often contains evenly spaces black or brown knots. Sapwood Color Red Brown Lighter than heartwood Hardly distinguishable from heartwood Grain Even Crossed Straight Figure Spiral Mottle Spiral grain occasionally Mottled or streaked figure sometimes Generally straight, but not always Some material from plantations in the Hawaiian Islands have spiral grain. Texture Fine Fine Natural Durability Perishable Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to termites Vulnerable to attack by blue-stain fungi Very little natural resistance to decay in ground contact Susceptible to attack by marine borers and termites Should be converted rapidly after felling Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Distortion Stacks should be weighted to prevent distortion Ease of Drying Slowly Dries slowly Product Sources The timber is abundant in the countries where it grows, but its availablity on the North American market is rather limited because of very high shipping costs. High shipping costs added to the price of the timber make Parana pine too expensive in comparison to domestic softwood species used for similar applications. It is rated in the moderate price range compared to other imports, but the price is substantially higher than North American softwoods of similar grade. Supplies of Parana pine in long lengths, wide boards, and veneer form are also limited on the European market, with prices, when available, comparable to those of the more expensive softwoods. Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Wood with hard and dense knots may cause some difficulties Clear material saws without difficulty Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Satisfactory gluing properties Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Fairly stable in service Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Satisfactory nailing properties Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to plane but dense, hard knots in seasoned wood may cause chipping Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is moderately resistant Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Good steam bending properties Strength Properties Crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6110 9521 psi Maximum Crushing Strength 3126 5684 psi Shearing Strength 1463 psi Stiffness 1122 1294 1000 psi Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 429 669 kg/cm2 Maximum Crushing Strength 219 399 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 102 kg/cm2 References Keating, W.G., Bolza, E.,1982,Characteristics properties and uses of timbers. South East Asia, Northern,Australia and the Pacific,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Chemical Technology,Inkata Press,1