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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. Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Julbernardia pellegriniana Trade Name Beli Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Awoura, Beli, Ekop, Ekop-beli, Erop-beli, Zebrali, Zebreli Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Gabon Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building, Broom handles, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Construction, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Flooring, Furniture , Handles, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Ladders , Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Novelties, Office furniture, Paneling , Parquet flooring, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Shafts/Handles, Shipbuilding, Structural plywood, Sub-flooring, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Heartwood Color Light brown Alternating dark and light colored bands on quartersawn surfaces Sapwood Color Pale yellow Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Up to 6 inches (150 mm) wide Grain Interlocked Figure Stripe (figure) Striped figure Interlocked Texture Coarse Medium coarse to coarse Luster Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Moderately durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Very durable Susceptible to attack from the pinhole borer beetle Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Moderately durable Fairly resistant to powder post beetle and termite attack. Heartwood resistance to decay is negligible Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Distortion The material air-seasons rapidly with little degrade. It also kiln dries with only slight checking and twisting. Some discoloration may occur during seasoning due to mold growth Ease of Drying Seasons rapidly with little degrade Easy Careful stacking is recommended to minimize degrade. Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Trunk diameter is 250-300 cm Trunk diameter is 300-350 cm Comments Reaction with Metals - The timber tends to develop stains when it comes in contact with iron and iron compounds under moist conditions. Boring Fairly easy to very easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory gluing properties Moderate gluing properties Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy A cutting angle of 20 degrees has been suggested to reduce fuzzy surfaces during moulding operations Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Unstable, tends to move considerably after manufacture Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good nailing properties Easy to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planes well, to a good finish Some grain tearing may occur during planing of quartersawn surfaces. A reduced cutting angle of 15 to 20 degrees has been suggested. Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Response to hand tools is good Screwing Takes screws well Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Steam Bending Good Polishing Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Staining Fair to Good Results Satisfactory staining qualities Varnishing Satisfactory Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = very high Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 13734 20519 psi Density 45 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 6170 9574 psi Shearing Strength 2542 psi Stiffness 2005 2302 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.72 Weight 44 31 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 965 1442 kg/cm2 Density 721 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 433 673 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 178 kg/cm2 Stiffness 140 161 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.72 Weight 705 496 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Hughes, J.F.,1971,The Principal Timber Trees of Cameroon,Unpublished data Letouzey, R., Mouranche, R.,1952,Ekop du Cammeroun,C.T.F.T,France Publ.,No.4 Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7