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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 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 Schedules Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Abrasion Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Ocotea leucoxylon Trade Name Black cedar Family Name Lauraceae Common Names Black cedar, Bois doux jaune, Bois doux piment, Boniato, Cacaillo, Cigua boba, Cigua laurel, Curabura, Duckwood, False avocado, Geo, Geo-geo, Hojancha, Judio, Laurel, Laurel geo, Laurel geo-geo, Laurier, Laurier fine, Laurier madame, Laurier noir, Loblolly, Loblolly sweetwood, Pataban de monte, Sweetwood, Whitewood Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Netherlands, Puerto Rico [US], Trinidad and Tobago Common Uses Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Furniture, Joinery, Light construction, Paneling, Plywood, Posts, Shingles Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Heartwood Color Brown Red Black Yellow Tan Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale brown Dark brown Sapwood Color Yellow White Brown White to yellow Grain Even Closed Interlocked Straight Wavy Wavy Straight Interlocked Texture Medium Natural Durability Perishable Durable Moderately durable Non-resistant to termites Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Non durable Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Odor Has an odor Kiln Schedules Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Checking Distortion Severe twisting/warping No surface checking No end splitting Moderate cupping Ease of Drying Slowly Difficult Tree Size Tree height is 0-10 m Certified Source Certified Source Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Moderately easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Easy to glue Mortising Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Finishes well Moulding Good finishing results Movement in Service Stable Nailing Holds nails well Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Abrasion High Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is extremely resistant Resistance to Splitting Good Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Sanding Satisfactory sanding results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Painting Good results Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Staining Finish is generally good Varnishing Good results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = small Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 32 lbs/ft3 Weight 31 25 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % Item Green Dry Metric Density 512 kg/m3 Weight 496 400 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % References 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.,1961,Puerto Rican Woods - Their Machining Seasoning and Related Characteristics,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.205 Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad 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