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 Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources 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 Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Myristica sp. Trade Name Darah darah Family Name Juglandaceae Common Names Darah darah, Duguan, Kaudamu, Kumpang, Malaboda, Mutwinda, Nutmeg, Penarahan, Tambolau Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Fiji, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines Common Uses Bedroom suites, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, General carpentry, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Plain veneer, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stools, Structural plywood, Tables , Turnery, Utility furniture, Veneer Environmental Profile Vulnerable Abundant/Secure Questionable Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Various species in the Myristica genus are reported to occur in the Indo-Malayan region, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Western Pacific Islands. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Red Orange Pink Green/grey Purple Black Reddish brown Grey brown Brown The heartwood is light reddish brown, dull brown, or brownish- or olive-gray in color Sapwood Color White Yellow Green/Grey Red Brown Sapwood is lighter than heartwood Not clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Even Straight Straight Wood is rather plain and figureless in appearance Texture Coarse Medium Fine Slightly coarse. Fine Luster Medium High Low Somewhat lustrous Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Perishable Moderately durable Resistant to termites Durable Non-durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to termites Sapwood is vulnerable to attack by powder-post beetles Heartwood susceptible to attack by termites Heartwood susceptible to attack by decay fungi Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules T10 - D4S (4/4) US/T10 - D4S (4/4) U Drying Defects Distortion Splitting Checking Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Thinner stock may warp Thinner material may warp during drying. The timber otherwise dries with little degrade Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Dries slowly with little degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Naturally dries quickly Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Sapwood width is 15-20 cm Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 50-60 m Tree height is 20-30 m Mature Myristica trees are medium to large in size. They develop boles that are straight and cylindrical Product Sources Myristica fragrans is cultivated commercially for its seed kernels (nutmegs). Blunting Effect Moderate Little Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Fairly easy to very easy Good (75+ pieces out of 100 will yield good to excellent results) Bored surfaces are generally clean Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Low cutting resistance Good sawing properties Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Yields clean surfaces Easy to mortise The timber mortises easily with ordinary tools, to produce clean surfaces Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Yields clean surfaces Material responds well to moulding operations Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Excellent Stability - Small Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pre-Boring Recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Tends to split during nailing Poor nailing properties Planing Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Yields smooth surfaces Yields clean surfaces Responds well to ordinary tools in mortising Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Very good response to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routing is easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good sanding properties Screwing Pre-boring recommended Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Yields fairly smooth surfaces Good turning properties Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Suitable for peeling Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties The species has average, or medium, density. The weight is high. The wood has high density. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 5900 9036. psi Density 39 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 3018 4837. psi Shearing Strength 755 psi Stiffness 1084 1281. 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.47 0.54 Weight 57 37 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 414 635. kg/cm2 Density 624 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 212 340. kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 53 kg/cm2 Stiffness 76 90. 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.47 0.54 Weight 913 592 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. 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. Kloot, N. H. and E. Bolza. 1961. Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia. Technological Paper No. 12. Division of Forest Products, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia.