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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source Comments 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 Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Weathering Scientific Name Guaiacum officinale Trade Name Bera Family Name Zygophyllaceae Common Names Bera, Bois de gaiac, Bois de gayac, Bois sant, Brush-back trade, Congo cypress, Franzosenholz, Gaiac, Gaiac franc, Gaiac male, Gaugo jaune vert, Gois de gayae, Guaiacan, Guaiaco nero, Guaiacum wood, Guajacan, Guajak, Guajakholz, Guayacan, Guayacan blanco, Guayacan negro, Guayacan prieto, Guiacholz, Guiaco, Hoaxacan, Holy wood, Indian wood, Ironwood, Legno benedetto, Legno di guaiaco, Legno nefritico, Legno santo, Legnoguiaco, Lignum sanctum, Lignum sanctumholz, Lignum vitae, Palo santo, Pockenholts, Pockholz, Pokhout, Vera, Wayaca, Wood of life Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guadelope [France], Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico [US], United States, Venezuela Common Uses Bearings & bushings, Boat building (general), Fuelwood, Furniture, Golf club heads, Heavy construction, Marine construction, Mathematical instruments, Railroad ties, Shade rollers, Sporting Goods, Tables, Turnery Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Red Orange Greenish to greyish Black Dark brown Brown Sapwood Color Yellow White Green/Grey White to yellow Well defined Grain Interlocked Figure Rippled (figure) Variable (figure) Growth rings (figure) Interlocked Rippled figure Variable figure Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Fine Medium Close Fine Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin exudation Gum/resin streaks Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Durable Moderately durable Resistant to termites Perishable Resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to pinhole borers Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Very durable Resistant to wood staining fungal attack Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from marine borers Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Weathering Good Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Dermatitic effects Kiln Schedules Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is slow Drying Defects Distortion Checking Resin Exudation Severe end splitting Moderate surface checking Ease of Drying Slowly Thick Stock Requires Care Medium to High Shrinkage Difficult Moderate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Certified Source Certified Source Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is slight Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe 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 Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Medium Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to screw Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Easy to turn Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Exudation Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very poor Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Staining Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11442 17761 psi Density 69 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2940 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 7422 10552 psi Shearing Strength 2205 psi Stiffness 1999 2304 1000 psi Weight 68 57 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 804 1248 kg/cm2 Density 1105 kg/m3 Hardness 1333 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 521 741 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 155 kg/cm2 Stiffness 140 161 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 1089 913 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research Bolza, E.,1976,Timber and Health,Div. Building Res. C.S.I.R.O. Australia Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 9 Central America and the Caribbean,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Brush, W.D.,1938,Foreign Woods - Lignumvitae (Guaiacum Species,United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Foster, E.L.P.,1944,Lignum vitae (With some remarks regarding Red Kutch,Indian Forester (70) 370-1 Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. Lamb, A.F.A., Wangaard, F.F.,1950,The Gluing Properties of certain Tropical American Woods,Yale Univ. School of Forestry Technical Report,4 Little, E.L., Wadsworth, F.H.,1964,Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.249 Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207 Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J.,1921,A Study of the Woods of the Zygophyllaceae with reference to the True,Lignum vitae of Commerce - its sources, properties, uses and substitutes,Yale University School of Forestry Bulletin,No.6 Smith, E.E.,1954,The Forests of Cuba,Maria Moors Cabot Foundation,U.S.A. Publication, No. 2 Swabey, C.,1941,The Principal Timbers of Jamaica,Department of Science and Agriculture Jamaica Bulletin No.29 Takahashi, A.,1975,Compilation of data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part 2,Central and South America,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No.4 Timber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd. Timber Development Association,1943,Timber Leaflet no. 86 Lignum Vitae,TRADA Timber leaflet Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72 Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series