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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. Carving Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Movement in Service Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Substitutes Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Gmelina leichardtii Trade Name White beech Family Name Verbenaceae Common Names Binburra, 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 Status has not been officially assessed Heartwood Color Yellow White Orange Red Brown Pale brown Grayish brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Red Color not distinct from heartwood The sapwood is reported to merge gradually into the heartwood without any clear demarcation Grain Interlocked Shallowly interlocked Texture Fine Medium Very fine Even or uniform Medium Luster High Medium Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Durable Non-resistant to termites Perishable Non-durable Resistant to powder post beetles Sapwood non-resistant to furniture beetles Resistant to attack by termites Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Checking Splitting Discoloration The timber has a slight tendency to check and warp. Kiln-drying from the green condition is not recommended since it may cause the material to collapse Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult 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 slowly Tree Size Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Bark width is 5-10 mm Product Sources Timber produced by at least two species in the genus Gmelina are marketed as White beech. They include G. leichardtii and G. fasciculiflora. Substitutes New Guinea White beech (Gmelina moluccana) Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Low cutting resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory gluing properties Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Stable Properly seasoned timber is dimensionally stable and shows very little movement in use Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is extremely difficult to treat with preservatives Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Sanding Easy to sand Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Excellent The timber possesses excellent machining properties. It turns, planes, bores, moulds, and works readily in all woodworking operations to yield smooth, clean surfaces. It also responds very well to most ordinary tools Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results 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 Kloot, N.H. and E. Bolza. 1961. Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper No. 12. Commonwealth scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia.