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Blunting Effect Boring Carving 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 Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Laurelia sempervirens Trade Name Chilean laurel Family Name Monimiaceae Synonyms Laurelia aromatica Common Names Chilean laurel, Huahuan, Lauel, Laurelia Regions of Distribution Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Chile Common Uses Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Food containers, Furniture, Joinery, Moldings, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Rare Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Orange Black Purple Pink Green/grey Purple Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Greenish to greyish Brown Sapwood Color Green/Grey Brown Yellow Different than heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Straight Even Figure Weak (figure) Straight Weak figure Texture Medium Fine Close Coarse Fine to medium Medium Fine Luster Low Lustrous Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Durable Resistant to marine borers Moderately durable Very durable Perishable Non-durable Non durable Resistant to attack from marine borers Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Perishable Silica Content High Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Moderate collapse and honeycombing Moderate twist/warp Moderate surface checking Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Moderate Easy Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is slight Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is mild Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Easy to glue Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Large Nailing Poor to Very Poor Results Easy to nail Holds nails well Difficult to nail Possible if prebored Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Ease of planing is moderate Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is moderately resistant Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Screwing Easy to screw Possible if prebored Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Steam Bending Moderate Polishing Satisfactory results Staining Finish is generally satisfactory Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Max. crushing strength = low Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Max. crushing strength = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Hardness (side grain) = very soft Hardness (side grain) = soft Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Volumetric = small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7071 11082 psi Density 30 lbs/ft3 Hardness 657 lbs Impact Strength 15 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 2947 5044 psi Shearing Strength 1546 psi Stiffness 1153 1346 1000 psi Weight 29 25 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 497 779 kg/cm2 Density 480 kg/m3 Hardness 298 kg Impact Strength 38 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 207 354 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 108 kg/cm2 Stiffness 81 94 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 464 400 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % 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 Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 2 South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Chilean Forestry News,1941,Propiedades Fisicas y Mecanicas de las Maderas Chilenas,Min. de Terras y Colonizacion Chile, Dept. de Bienes Nacionales (Seccion,Bosqye, 103pp Clifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. London Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment Guyana Forest Department,1967,Recopilacion de Propiedadas mecanicas de Maderas Creciendo en,Chile,Inst. For. Chile Nota Tecnica,8 Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50) 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 Redding, L.W.,1971,Resistance of Timbers to Impregnation with Creosote,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Bulletin No.54 pp.43 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,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series