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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source Comments Common Names Common Uses Corrosive Properties Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Terminalia catappa Trade Name Adamarram Family Name Combretaceae Synonyms Buceras catappa Common Names Adamarram, Al-calessi, Alita, Almendro, Almond, Almond tree, Amanda, Amandier, Amendoeira, Amendro, Badam, Badambo, Badami, Bangla badam, Bastard almond, Bengal almond, Bengali badam, Bulao, Castana, Catappa, Dalisai, Dao, Deshi badam, Hindi badam, Indian almond tree, Indian almond wood, Jangli badam, Ketapang, Kotamba, Kottamba, Logo, Magtalisai, Nat badam, Nat vadom, Natavadom, Natto-vudumay, Natvodam, Patti badam, Saket, Salaisai, Salisai, Sanideng, Savidug, Taisai, Talie, Talihai, Talisai, Talisi, Taree, Tercat, Thalli thenga, Vathakottai, Vedam Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Burma, Fiji [Polynesia], Guadelope [France], India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands Common Uses Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Cabinetmaking, Chemical derivatives, Coffins, Decks, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Millwork, Moldings, Paneling, Particleboard, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties, Roofing, Structural work, Toys, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Green/grey White Red Reddish brown Brown Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale brown Sapwood Color Red Brown Yellow White Paler than heartwood White to yellow Grain Interlocked Wavy Growth rings (figure) Figure Closed Straight Even Interlocked Wavy Clear growth rings (figure) Straight Texture Coarse Medium Fine Medium coarse to coarse Coarse Medium Luster Medium High Low Lustrous Pronounced Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Non-resistant to termites Perishable Non-resistant to marine borers Non durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Perishable Moderately durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) often present in the standing tree Heartwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Odor Has an odor Light-Induced Color Change Darker Corrosive Properties Reacts with metals Toxicity Some toxic effects Unspecified toxicity Dermatitic effects Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Distortion Splitting Checking Ring Shakes Moderate end spitting No surface checking Moderate twist/warp Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Slight cupping No cupping, generally Moderate spring/bow Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is fluted Bole/stem form is misshapen Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Tree height is 60-70 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 30-40 m Tree height is 10-20 m Certified Source Certified Source Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Moderate Little Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Moderately easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to glue Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Finishes satisfactorily Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Poor moulding results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pre-Boring Recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Easy to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Planes to a poor finish Planes well, to a good finish Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Permeable heartwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is moderately resistant Resistance to Splitting Good Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good sanding finish Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pre-boring recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Easy to screw Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Poor results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Satisfactory results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Reacts with Iron to discolour wood Finish is generally satisfactory Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness (side grain) = soft Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Radial = very small Max. crushing strength = low Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Hardness (side grain) = hard Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8510 13321 psi Density 38 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1325 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 3206 5405 psi Shearing Strength 1978 psi Stiffness 1188 1383 1000 psi Weight 37 29 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 598 936 kg/cm2 Density 608 kg/m3 Hardness 601 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 225 380 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 139 kg/cm2 Stiffness 83 97 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 592 464 kg/m3 References Aguilar, L.,1941,Relative Durability of Untreated Philippine woods,The Philippine Journal of Forestry 4(3) pp247-56 Alston, A.S.,1966,Natural Heartwood Durability,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No. 2 Alston, A.S.,1966,Powder Post Beetle Lyctus Species,Fiji Forestry Department, Suva. Fiji timbers and their uses No.6 Bolza, E.,1975,Properties and Uses of 175 Timber Species from Papua New Guinea and West,Irian,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Building Research Report,no.34 Bourdillon, T.F.,1908,The Forest Trees of Travancore,Travancore Government Press Britton, N.L., Millspaugh, C.F.,1920,The Bahama Flora,Britton & Millspaugh,New York Browne, F.G.,1955,Forest Trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their Products.,Government Printing Office, Kuching, Sarawak Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 8 Australasia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Burgess, P.F.,1966,Timbers of Sabah,Sabah Forest Record, no.6 Cameron, S.,1945,Some Notes on Utilisation of Timbers in the South-West Pacific,New Zealand Journal of Forestry Volume 5(2) 117-127 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Chu, Y.P.,1969,Some basic strength properties of 22 timbers from Christmas Island,Malaysian Forester 32(2) pp201-2 Clifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. London Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15 E.H. Walker,1954,Important Trees of the Ryukyu Islands,United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands Special Bulletin,No. 3 Eddowes, P.J.,1977,Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea: Their Properties and Uses,Hebano Press, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Fenton, R., Et al,1977,Lowland Tropical Hardwoods - An Annotated Bibliography of Selected Species,with Plantation Potential,External Aid Div. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wellington, N.Z. Foreman, D.B.,1971,A checklist of the vascular plants of Bouganville with descriptions of,some common forest trees,New Guinea Forestry Department, Division of Botany, Lae, Botany Bulletin,No.5 Gamble, J.S.,1902,A Manual of Indian Timbers,Sampson Low, Marston & Co. London Gowers, S.,1976,Some Common Trees of the New Hebrides and Their Vernacular Names,New Hebrides Department of Agriculture, Forestry Section Hearne, D.A.,1975,Trees for Darwin and Northern Australia,Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra Kadambi, K.,1954,Terminalia catappa Linn, its silviculture and management,Indian Forester 80(11) pp718-20 Keating, W.G., Bolza, E.,1982,Characteristics properties and uses of timbers. South East Asia, Northern,Australia and the Pacific,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Chemical Technology,Inkata Press,1 Kininimonth, J.A.,1982,Properties and uses of the timbers of Western Samoa, Indigenous,Hardwoods,Forest Research Institute, Rotorua, New Zealand 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 McCann, C.,1947,Trees of India: A Popular Handbook,D.B.Taraporevala Sons & Co. Bombay Nation Research Council,1980,Firewood Crops Shrub and Tree Species for Energy Production,National Academy of Sciences, Washington D.C. Pearson, R.S., Brown, H.P.,1932,Commercial Timbers of India,Govt. Printer Calcutta,2 vols Pleydell, G.J.,1970,Timbers of the British Solomon Islands,United Africa Company (Timber) Ltd, London Ramesh, Rao K., Purkayastha, S.K.,1972,Indian Woods - Their Identification Properties and Uses,Dehra Dun India,Vol. 3 Reyes, L.J.,1938,Philippine Woods,Commonwealth of the Philippines Department of Agriculture and Commerce,Technical Bulletin,No.7 Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T Sarawak Forestry Department,1953,Trees and Timbers of Sarawak and Brunei,Sarawak Forest Department Leaflet No.10 Smythies, B.E.,1965,Common Sarawak Trees,Borneo Literature Bureau Streets, R.J.,1962,Exotic Forest Trees in the British Commonwealth,Clarendon Press Oxford 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 Tewari, M.C., Jain, J.C.,1980,Utilization of Secondary Species,Journal of the National Building Organization 25(2) pp1-6 Whitmore, T.C. (Ed.,1972,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 1,Forest Department Ministry of Agriculture and Lands Malaysia Whitmore, T.C.,1966,Guide to the Forests of the British Solomon Islands,Oxford University Press