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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Silica Content Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Mezilaurus navalium Trade Name Itauba Family Name Common Names Itauba, Itauba amarella, Itauba preta, Jaune, Kaneelhout, Kaneerjoe, Kjanarie, Kjarie, Siroeaballi, Taoub, Tapinhoa Regions of Distribution Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname Common Uses Boat building, Bridge construction, Cabinetmaking, Construction, Cooperages, Crossties, Decks, Exterior uses, Flooring, Furniture , General carpentry, Interior trim, Joinery, Naval architecture, Planks Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The species occurs in tropical South America, and can be found in Surinam, Brazil, and French Guiana. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Pink Green Grey Orange Light yellow brown or pale orange brown, eventually aging into deep golden-brown Darkens to a russet color with olive cast Brown - orange Sapwood Color Brown Yellow Color not distinct from heartwood Beige white Grain Even Straight Figure Straight to roey Texture Fine Oily feel Oily appearance Medium Luster Medium Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Highly resistant to decay and wood destroying insects Odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content High Siliceous Likely to have significant impact on machining Drying Defects Distortion Case Hardening Checking Severe surface checking Distortion (twist/warp) is likely Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Thick Stock Requires Care Slowly Fairly Easy Controlled drying conditions will prevent rapid drying and yield best results. Tree Size Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 30-40 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that timber is regularly produced from this species, but it is exported in small quantities. Blunting Effect High to severe Medium to fairly severe effect 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 Easy to saw Gluing Use special attention for best results Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Nailing Possible if prebored Difficult to nail Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Tauba is described as moderately hard, heavy, and siliceous. It responds poorly to ordinary tools in machining operations, and specially tipped cutting tools have been recommended. Worked surfaces are often clean and smooth Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Polishing Good results Strength Properties Weight = very high Density = very high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 17620 psi Density 52 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 8810 psi Stiffness 2302 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.79 Weight 64 51 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1238 kg/cm2 Density 833 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 619 kg/cm2 Stiffness 161 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.79 Weight 1025 817 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % References Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant, and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. Prepared for International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) by Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, Division of CIRAD, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. Kribbs, D.A. 1959. Commercial Foreign Woods on the American Market. Buckhout Lab., Dept. of Botany, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.