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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Weathering Scientific Name Cola spp. Trade Name Efok bilobi Family Name Sterculiaceae Common Names Efok bilobi, Efok oswe, Taba Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Ghana, Uganda Common Uses Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Carvings, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Vehicle parts Heartwood Color Brown Red Pale brown Greenish to greyish Sapwood Color Brown Yellow Red White to yellow Paler than heartwood Grain Even Straight Interlocked Straight Interlocked Texture Medium Medium Coarse Medium to coarse Luster High Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Non-durable Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Perishable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Weathering Poor Light-Induced Color Change None Drying Defects Checking Distortion Ease of Drying Rapidly Reconditioning Treatement Fairly Easy Difficult Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Nailing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 13576 20956 psi Density 52 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1658 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Shearing Strength 1560 psi Stiffness 2167 2494 1000 psi Weight 51 41 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 954 1473 kg/cm2 Density 833 kg/m3 Hardness 752 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 109 kg/cm2 Stiffness 152 175 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 817 657 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa. Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48 Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research Cudjoe, F.S.,1969,A Key to the Family Sterculiaceae in Ghana,Forest Prod. Res. Inst. Ghana Tech. Note, No.7 Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London Kryn, J.M., Forbes, E.W.,1959,The Woods of Liberia,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture,Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,,Report No. 2159