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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 Boring Carving 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 Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resin Content Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Cedrela guianensis Trade Name Acajou blanc Family Name Meliaceae Common Names Acajou blanc, Acajou rouge, Cedrat, Cedre rouge, Cedro, Epi, Kapere, Red cedar, Soeren, Thitkado, Toon, Youhom Regions of Distribution Central America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Guyana Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Cigar boxes, Cigar wrappers, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Millwork, Musical instruments , Office furniture, Organ pipes, Piano keys, Pianos , Plywood, Shingles, Shipbuilding Environmental Profile The environmental status of this species within its geographical boundaries has not been officially determined Distribution Overview Mexico and possibly south. Prefers rich, well-drained humid soils. Heartwood Color White Yellow Brown Orange Black Green/grey Red The heartwood changes from a pink to pale pink - brown or reddish brown when freshly cut, to a red or dark reddish brown, sometimes with a purplish tinge after exposure Sapwood Color Green/Grey Red Brown Yellow White The sapwood is pinkish beige to white in color, and is poorly to clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Grain Even Straight Interlocked Occasionally interlocked, but not always Generally straight, but not always The wood has a fine but not clearly distinct silver figure. Texture Coarse Medium Fine Uniform Uneven Fine to medium Coarse Luster The wood has a medium to high and golden luster Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-durable Perishable Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Very suitable for exterior applications Very high natural resistance Moderately resistant to decay Moderately resistant to attack by termites The wood is susceptible to attack by marine borers Odor Odor is distinctively cedary and often pronounced. Some specimen possess a bitter taste Resin Content Contains resin Presence of volatile oils may restrict the use of the wood in some applications Kiln Schedules Schedule H United Kingdom 10 - D4S (4/4); T8 - D3S (8/4) US Drying Defects Distortion Splitting Checking Slight twist/warp No surface checking Collapse Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Easy Dries readily with little degrade Dries at a fairly rapid rate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that a very important source of timber. The timber is exported regularly, especially as square-edged timber and veneer. Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fairly easy to very easy The wood is somewhat difficult to bore cleanly. Carving Good carving qualities Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Easy to saw Lighter woods show a tendency toward woolliness, and resin may clog up cutters Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Glues well Mortising Good mortising properties Moulding Good moulding properties Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stable Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Holds nails well Easy to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Slight dulling of cutters Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Reports on the treatability of the sapwood vary. Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Good in both routing and recessing. Sanding Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pre-boring recommended Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to turn Steam Bending Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Requires a filler Gums and oils may present problems in polishing. Staining Fair to Good Results Good staining properties Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Volumetric Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % References Boone, R. S., C. J. Kozlik, P. J. Bois, and E. M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant, and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne, CEDEX, France. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operator's Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.