top

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
Comments
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
Painting
Planing
Plantation species?
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
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing

Scientific Name
Araucaria angustifolia

Trade Name
Paraná pine

Family Name
Araucariaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Araucaria, Brazilian araucaria, Brazilian pine, Chilean pine, Curiy, Cury, Inho vermelho, Kuviy, Monkey puzzle tree, Parana pine, Pehuen, Pilon, Pin, Pinheiro, Pinheiro do Brasil, Pinheiro do Parana, Pinho, Pinho branco, Pinho brasileiro, Pinho brasilero, Pinho do Parana, Pino, Pino blanco, Pino Paraná

Plantation species?
Yes

Regions of Distribution
Africa, Latin America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, South Africa

Common Uses
Baskets, Beams, Bedroom suites, Blockboard, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Cooperages, Cutting surfaces, Decks, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Food containers, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Matches, Millwork, Moldings, Musical instruments, Paneling, Particleboard, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Shingles, Sporting Goods, Tables, Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative

Environmental Profile
Vulnerable
Endangered
Endangered within most of its growth range (and may soon be Extinct if adverse environmental practices persist)
Considered vulnerable in its natural habitat because its numbers are threatened by serious adverse factors throughout its range. However, the species likely exists today in relatively large numbers.

Southern Brazil contains fairly large numbers of young Parana pine.

Distribution Overview
Botanical distribution covers parts of Paraguay and Argentina and the Brazilian plateau region of Rio Grande do Sui, Santa Catharina, and Parana. Commercial exploitation has been centered in the State of Parana.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
Yellow
Purple
Black
Highly variable
Tan
Orange
Pale brown
Brown
Dark brown
Reddish brown
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Light tan
Color varies considerably

Bright red streaks on a natural brown backround occassionally

Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Brown
Red
Green/Grey
Grey
Orange
White to yellow
Paler than heartwood
Slight grayish or dirty hue
Similar to ponderosa pine in appearance
Orange-Yellow to gray-yellow


Grain
Straight
Figure
Growth rings (figure)
Even
Distinct (figure)

Straight
Clear growth rings (figure)
Distinct figure


Texture
Fine
Close
Fine
Close, uniform texture and barely visible growth rings

The texture has been compared to that of White pine (P. strobus )

Luster
Low
Slightly lustrous


Natural Durability
Non-durable
Susceptible to insect attack
Perishable
Resistant to powder post beetles
Non-resistant to marine borers
Non-resistant to termites
Non durable
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Vulnerable to attack by some insects, including powder post beetles
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack by other insects, including Anobium borers
Perishable
not resistant to decay


Odor
No specific smell or taste


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
UK=D US=T3D2/T3C1
T3-D2 (4/4);T3-D1 (8/4) US Schedule D (4/4) United Kingdom


Drying Defects
Splitting
Distortion
Checking
Moderate twist/warp
Moderate end spitting
Severe end splitting
Streaks of abnormal wood tissue may promote warping and checking
Slight twist/warp
Slight tendency to spilt and distort during drying
Slight end splitting
No resin/gum exudation


Ease of Drying
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Fairly Easy
Variable
Medium to High Shrinkage
Slowly
Requires special attention
Difficult
Moderate
Variable results.
Streaks of compression wood makes it difficult to dry
Prolonged conditioning period and regular moisture content checks control variable drying rates
Piles should be weighted to minimize warping
Dries slowly and may be accompanied by excessice longitudinal shrinkage


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is straight
Bole/stem form is cylindrical


Tree Size
Tree height is 30-40 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Tree height is 20-30 m
Tree height is 40-50 m
Bole length is 20-30 m
Tree height is 10-20 m
Tree height is 50-60 m
Bole length is 30-40 m
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

May contain moderate levels of compression wood

Blunting Effect
Little
Moderate
Blunting effect on machining is slight
Slight to moderate blunting effect on cutters


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
Ripped or resawn boards may distort considerably if material contains compression wood
Low resistance to cutting


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to glue
Mininum gluing is required since wider stock is usually available
Good gluing properties


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to mortise


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good finishing results
Easy to mould
Can be moulded or shped with mininum effort


Movement in Service
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Medium
Small
Shrinks in length
Medium movement in use
High tendency to distort in reponse to changes in moisture content


Nailing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Nails without pre-boring
Holds nails well
Excellent nail-holding qualitites
Easy to nail


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Planes well, to a good finish
Easy to plane
Easy to plane but can distort considerably if compression wood is present
Difficult to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Permeable sapwood
Permeable heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is moderately resistant
Sapwood is permeable
Sapwood is treatable
Moderately permeable to preservative treatment
Heartwood is permeable


Resistance to Splitting
Poor


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Responds Readily
Easy to machine
Responds well to hand tools


Routing & Recessing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Sanding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Produces smooth surfaces
Produces clean surfaces
Easily sanded


Screwing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to screw


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Steam Bending
Poor to Very Poor Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Poor steam bending characteristics


Painting
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Good results


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Good results
Fairly good polishing characteristics


Staining