Search for

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 Luster Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Gmelina moluccana Trade Name New Guinea white beech Family Name Verbenaceae Common Names New Guinea white beech, Solomon Island White beech Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] India, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand Common Uses Balusters, Bedroom suites, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Decks, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Planks, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stairworks, Stools, Turnery Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Papua New Guinea Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Yellow Orange Black Straw brown Orange brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Pink Brown Red Pale yellow Pale brown Grain Interlocked Shallowly interlocked Texture Medium Coarse Fine Medium Texture is typically medium, and the wood is greasy Luster Medium Low Natural Durability Durable Non-resistant to marine borers Moderately durable Resistant to termites Very durable Susceptible to insect attack Non-durable Non-resistant to termites Perishable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to marine borers Resistant to powder post beetles Odor Has an odor No distinct taste Aromatic scent associated with the timber Silica Content Contains silica Drying Defects Distortion Checking Case Hardening Splitting Backsawn stock is slightly prone to warping Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Thick Stock Requires Care Slowly Dries well The timber dries well. Green moisture content of different trees varies widely. Pre-steaming is suggested to reduce drying times Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bole length is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 15-20 cm Comments The species is a good substitute for the closely-related White beech from Australia which is produced by Gmelina leichardtii, G. fasciculiflora , and G. dalrympleana Blunting Effect Moderate Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Low cutting resistance Sawdust may clog up teeth of hand saws Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moderate gluing properties Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult The greasy nature of the wood causes nails to pull out Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Yields clean surfaces Very good woodworking properties Responds very well to both hand and machine tools Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood is moderately permeable Heartwood is very resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Good response to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Yields smooth surfaces Screwing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Satisfactory screwing characteristics Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Suitable for peeling Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade Painting Surface Preparation Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6174 9555 psi Density 29 lbs/ft3 Hardness 441 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 3087 5684 psi Shearing Strength 1470 psi Stiffness 1127 1294 1000 psi Weight 27 22. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 434 671 kg/cm2 Density 464 kg/m3 Hardness 200 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 217 399 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 103 kg/cm2 Stiffness 79 90 1000 kg/cm2 References Bolza, E., Kloot, N. H. 1966. The Mechanical Properties of 81 New Guinea Timbers. Technological Paper No. 41. Division of Forest Products, Center for Scientific and Industrial Organization (CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia Eddowes, P.J. 1977. Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea - Their Properties and Uses. Forest Products Research Center, Office of Forests, Department of Primary Industry, Papua New Guinea. 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