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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. 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 Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing 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 Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Weathering Scientific Name Pterocarpus vernalis Trade Name Sangre Family Name Dipterocarpaceae Common Names Angu, Bebe, Drago, Huevos de gato, Lagunero, Mucunana, Mututi, Nogal falso, Palo de pollo, Palo Sangre Negro, Pau sangua, Sangre, Sangre de Drago, Sangrillo, Yaya sangre Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Construction, Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Domestic flooring, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Flooring, Heavy construction, Mine timbers, Parquet flooring, Plain veneer, Sub-flooring, Veneer Environmental Profile Vulnerable Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Various species in the Pterocarpus genus are widely distributed in tropical America, occurring from the West Indies and Southern Mexico to northern Argentina. Some of the species are reported to grow in swamp lands, while others prefer uplands. Some are common on abandoned farmlands and cutover forests. Heartwood Color Red Pink Purple Brown Green/grey Yellowish tinge Whitish Traumatic heartwood is often dark brown or purplish Sapwood Color Pink White Yellow Not clearly defined from sapwood Grain Even Figure Straight Irregular Straight to irregular Texture Medium Fine Medium to coarse Luster Low Medium Natural Durability Non-durable Perishable Durable Very durable Resistant to termites Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Susceptible to insect attack Susceptible to attack by fungi Heartwood in contact with ground may decay in 5 years time Heartwood has varying durability Weathering Good Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Checking Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Easy Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Slow Drying rate is slow Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 40-50 m Blunting Effect Moderate Boring Fairly easy to very easy Good results Good boring qualities Bores smoothly Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds well to mortising operations Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good finishing results Easy to mould Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable Pterocarpus timbers are very easy to treat using either open-tank or pressure vacuum systems. Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Good response Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Routing yields good results Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly good sanding characteristics Screwing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Converts readily into veneers Steam Bending Very good Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Weight = moderate Resists denting and marring Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9388 15700 psi Crushing Strength 902 1098 psi Density 32 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1303 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4057 7242 psi Shearing Strength 1676 psi Static Bending 5488 8879 psi Stiffness 1548 1960 1000 psi Toughness 216 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 9 20 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.56 0.63 Weight 31 25. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 660 1103 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 63 77 kg/cm2 Density 512 kg/m3 Hardness 591 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 285 509 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 117 kg/cm2 Static Bending 385 624 kg/cm2 Stiffness 108 137 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 248 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.63 1.40 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.56 0.63 Weight 496 400. kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Wangaard, F.F., and A.F. Muschler. 1952. Tropical Woods - Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods, Volume III, No. 98. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.