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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Gordonia papuana Trade Name Gordonia Family Name Theaceae Common Names Gordonia, Mail Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands Common Uses Brush backs & handles, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Light construction Heartwood Color Yellow Purple Red Brown Orange Reddish brown Sapwood Color Pinkish Grain Straight Figure Even Distinct (figure) Weak (figure) Texture Fine Medium Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Susceptible to insect attack Even Straight Moderately durable Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Moderately durable Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Kiln Drying Rate Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries slowly Slow Drying rate is slow Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 0-10 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Boring Fairly easy to very easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Polishing Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 40 lbs/ft3 Weight 39 31 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Density 641 kg/m3 Weight 624 496 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References Eddowes, P.J.,1977,Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea: Their Properties and Uses,Hebano Press, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Kraemer, J.H.,1951,Trees of the Western Pacific Region,West Lafayette, Indiana U.S.A.