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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
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
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Ilex aquilifolium

Trade Name
Christusdorn

Family Name
Aquifoliaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Christusdorn, European holly, Gemeine huelsen, Holly, Huelsdorn, Jarnek

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia, Western Europe

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Denmark, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom

Common Uses
Bearings & bushings, Billiard-cue butts, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Charcoal, Musical instruments, Turnery, Veneer: decorative

Environmental Profile
Questionable
Extinct
Endangered


Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
Yellow
Orange
Purple
White
Black
Green/grey
White to cream
Greenish to greyish


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Same as heartwood


Grain
Figure
Other (figure)

Other figure


Texture
Coarse
Medium
Fine


Luster
Medium
Low


Natural Durability
Durable
Susceptible to insect attack
Very durable
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Resistant to termites
Resistant to marine borers
Moderately durable
Non-resistant to termites
Non-resistant to marine borers
Resistant to powder post beetles
Perishable
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Non durable


Odor
Has an odor
Has a taste


Toxicity
Some toxic effects


Kiln Schedules
UK= C US=T3C2/T3C1 Fr=3


Drying Defects
Checking
Splitting
Distortion
Moderate twist/warp
Moderate end spitting


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Rapidly
Slowly
End-Coating
Reconditioning Treatement
Difficult


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly
Naturally dries quickly
Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast


Tree Size
Sapwood width is 5-10 cm
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Bole length is 10-20 m
Tree height is 40-50 m
Bole length is 0-10 m
Tree height is 30-40 m
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Tree height is 50-60 m
Bole length is 30-40 m
Bole length is 20-30 m
Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Moderate
Little
High to severe
Blunting effect on machining is moderate


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy


Carving
Fair to Good Results


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult
Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Surface Preparation
Easy to glue


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


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Large


Nailing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fair to Good Results
Pre-Boring Recommended
Poor to Very Poor Results
Pre-boring required


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Very Good to Excellent Results
Ease of planing is moderate


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Permeable sapwood


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Easy to Work
Responds Readily
Moderate working qualities
Difficult to machine


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Sanding
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


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


Turning
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good results
Easy to turn


Veneering Qualities
Difficult to veneer
Suitable for peeling
No drying degrade
Suitable for slicing


Steam Bending
Poor to Very Poor Results


Painting
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Surface Preparation
Good results


Staining
Fair to Good Results
Finish is generally good


Varnishing
Fair to Good Results


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
Shrinkage, Tangential = large
Shrinkage, Radial = large
Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft.
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Density47lbs/ft3
Weight4637lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage6%
Tangential Shrinkage10%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Density753kg/m3
Weight737592kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage6%

References
Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 6 Europe,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London

Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1969,The Movement of Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Technical Note,No.38

Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment

Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.

Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press

Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London

Smith, D.N.,1959,The Natural Durability of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Record,No.30

Stone, H.,1924,The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification,William Rider & Sons Ltd. London

T.R.A.D.A.,1942,Home-grown timber trees - their characteristics, cultivation and Uses,TRADA

Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition