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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 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 Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Distemonanthus benthamianus Trade Name Ayan Family Name Leguminosae Common Names African satinwood, Alinyan, Anyan, Anyaran, Anyendua, Ayan, Ayan movingui, Ayanran, Barre, Berisamdua, Bonsamdua, Diaka-kone, Distemonanthus, Dua-kobin, Duaanyn, Duabai, Duabeyi, Ehoromfia, Ehoromiria, Ehurufen, Ehurufren, Elibengan, Eyen, Fawie, Gue-re, Guradau, Gwada-u, Jao, Ka-kankisa, Kokodua, Kurakakan, Kutreamfo, M'fan, Monkey can't climb, Movinga, Movingui, Mpio, Muvenghi, Ndulii, Nigerian satinwood, Nigerian yellow satinwood, Ogueminia, Ogueminya, Owingue, Sebako, Sella, Tabako, Urumvia, Waiba-yidi, Yellow satinwood Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone Common Uses Agricultural implements, Balusters, Bent Parts, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Ceiling, Chairs, Chemical containers, Chemical derivatives, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Interior construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: percussion, Office furniture, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Plain veneer, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shingles, Shipbuilding, Skis, Sporting Goods, Stairworks, Tables, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Vulnerable in parts of its natural habitat Status unknown in many of its growth areas Secure within many parts of its natural range, but not completely assessed Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Rather secure in Cameroon and Congo. Vulnerable in the Ivory Coast. Status unknown in Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo Distribution Overview Widely but sparsely distributed throughout the high forests of West Africa, mainly in Cameroon, Ghana, and Nigeria. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Pink Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Brown Pale brown Pale red to pink Occasional dark streaks Changes color upon exposure The color of the freshly-cut heartwood darkens from golden-yellow to orange-brown upon exposure, sometimes with dark streaks. Sapwood Color Brown Yellow White Pink White to yellow Well defined Paler than heartwood Different than heartwood Yellowish brown Whitish Grey Buff Grain Figure Distinct (figure) Interlocked Wavy Rippled (figure) Even Closed Stripe (figure) Straight Interlocked Distinct and very fine figure Wavy Distinct figure Rippled figure Striped figure Straight to shallowly interlocked Grain is straight to slightly interlocked and produces a ribbon figure Texture Even or uniform Uniform Medium Coarse Fine Medium Fine to medium Coarse Luster High Lustrous Pronounced Natural Growth Defects Yellowish deposits in vessels Gum and mineral deposits Natural Durability Very durable Durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to termites Moderately durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Non durable Moderately resistant to attack by termites Resistance to marine borer attack varies with silica content. Odor Has an odor Silica Content Contains high levels of silica (> 0.5% of dry weight) The wood is siliceous and may contain up to 1.3% (of ovendry weight) of silica. A silica content of 0.05% is usually considered to be high enough to affect some wood properties Light-Induced Color Change None Toxicity Dermatitic effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed T6 - D4 (4/4); T3 - D3 (8/4) US Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Distortion Extension of Existing Shakes Ring Shakes Slight end splitting No twisting or warping No end splitting Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking A slight tendency to end-checks, surface-checks, and/or knot-checks, and excessive loss of aromatic oils are the most common drying degrades in this species. Ease of Drying Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Fairly Easy Little degrade Easy Little degrade if dried properly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is misshapen Tree Size Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 60-70 m Tree height is greater than 70 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm The clean, fairly straight and cylindrical bole is reported to develop over a relatively small buttress. Product Sources The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced occasionally and exported only in low volumes. Timber produced by this species is labelled and marketed sometimes as Satinwood. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Reaction Wood - Abnormal wood tissue may be present in some stock. Strength properties are comparable to those of oak. A yellow-colored dye in the wood may stain fabrics under moist conditions. Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe Blunting effect on machining is severe Blunting effect on machining is variable Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate Dulling effect on cutting edges varies with silica content Boring Fairly easy to very easy Easy The wood works readily with most hand and machine tools but it tends to char in boring Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Moderate to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gum-Resin buildup on saws may cause overheating Easy to saw Gluing Easy to glue Good gluing properties Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds well to hand and machine tools in mortising The timber responds rather well to both hand and machine tools in mortising and almost all woodworking operations but there may be some dulling effect on cutting edges. Degree of dulling is dependent upon silica content Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pick-Up may occur during moulding of quartersawn material. A 20 degree reduction of cutting angle is usually sufficient to produce clean surfaces Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Small Very stable after seasoning Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to nail Easy to nail Possible if prebored Holds nails well Good nailing characteristics There is a slight tendency for the wood to split Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Difficult to plane Easy to plane Special attention required Planes well, to a good finish Planes to a poor finish A reduced angle of 20 degrees is recommended to prevent pick-up in planing quartersawn material. Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is resistant Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to machine Variable qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to sand Screwing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to screw Variable Screwing yields good results Satisfactory screwing properties Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Easy to cut Suitable for slicing Suitable for slicing into decorative veneers No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting Moderately easy to veneer Bolt preparation requires steaming Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moderate Painting Satisfactory results Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory results Good results