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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 Certified Source 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 Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability 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 Staining Steam Bending Substitutes Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Gmelina fasciculiflora Trade Name White beech Family Name Verbenaceae Common Names White beech Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Australia, Papua New Guinea Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building, Brush backs & handles, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Construction, Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Flooring, Furniture , Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Mine timbers, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plain veneer, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Shipbuilding, Structural plywood, Sub-flooring, Turnery, Utility plywood, Veneer Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Northern and central regions of Queensland, Australia. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Orange Pink Purple Black Pale brown Grayish brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Green/Grey Pink Grain Interlocked Shallowly interlocked Texture Fine Medium Even or uniform Uniform Medium Luster High Medium Low Natural Durability Durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to termites Non-resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Very durable Perishable Non-durable Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to attack by termites Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Resin Exudation Checking Distortion Splitting The timber has slight tendency to check and warp. Kiln-drying from the green condition may cause the material to collapse, and is not recommended Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Gum Exudation Slowly Air dries slowly Air-Seasoning is very slow, but degrade is slight even under severe conditions. It is suggested that the material be air-dried for 6 to 12 months before kiln-drying. High relative humidities should be maintained during kiln drying Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Size Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Bole length is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 60-70 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 50-60 m Bole length is 40-50 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bark width is greather than 50 mm Bole length is 10-20 m Product Sources The trade name White beech is used to refer to timber produced by at least two species in the genus Gmelina species, Gmelina leichardtii and Gmelina fasciculiflora . Certified Source Certified Source Substitutes New Guinea White beech (Gmelina moluccana) Blunting Effect Little Moderate Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good carving characteristics Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Gum-Up Saws well Low cutting resistance Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moderate gluing properties Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Responds very well to mortising operations Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stable The timber is dimensionally stable, and shows very little movement in use Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Yields smooth surfaces Responds satisfactorily to all woodworking operations Machines well with ordinary tools Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is extremely difficult to treat with preservatives Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Readily Good response to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good routing qualities Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to sand Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer No drying degrade Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Painting Poor to Very Poor Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6889 10584 psi Crushing Strength 686 psi Density 33 lbs/ft3 Hardness 588 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 3626 6203 psi Shearing Strength 1401 psi Static Bending 6713 psi Stiffness 1127 1480 1000 psi Toughness 68 inch-lbs Weight 32 26. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 484 744 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 48 kg/cm2 Density 528 kg/m3 Hardness 266 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 254 436 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 98 kg/cm2 Static Bending 471 kg/cm2 Stiffness 79 104 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 78 cm-kg References Bolza, E. and N.H. Kloot. 1963. The Mechanical Properties of 174 Australian Timbers. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper No. 25. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia. Cause, M.L, E.J. Rudder, and W.T. Knyaston. 1989. Queensland Timbers - Their Nomenclature, Density and Lyctid Susceptibility. Technical Pamphlet No. 2. Timber Research and Extension Branch, Department of Forestry, Queensland, Australia. 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