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
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Madhuca malaccensis

Trade Name
Basong

Family Name
Sapotaceae

Synonyms
Bassia malaccensis


Wood Image 1

Common Names
Basong, Kamayan, Nato, Nyatoh, Rian, Sundek

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Malaysia, Thailand

Common Uses
Furniture, Joinery, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure


Distribution Overview
Madhuca species are found in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indomalesia, and the Pacific Islands.

Heartwood Color
Green
Purple


Sapwood Color
Yellow
White


Grain
Even
Interlocked
Figure
Straight
Other (figure)

Straight
Other figure
Interlocked


Texture
Close
Fine to medium


Luster
High


Natural Growth Defects
Brittleheart is rare or absent. When present, it is sparse in amount


Natural Durability
Perishable
Sapwood non-resistant to furniture beetles
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles


Odor
Has an odor


Drying Defects
Checking
Distortion
Severe surface checking
Severe end splitting
Moderate twist/warp
Moderate end spitting


Ease of Drying
Medium to High Shrinkage
Fairly Easy
Reconditioning Treatement
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Difficult


Tree Size
Tree height is 0-10 m
Tree height is 10-20 m


Blunting Effect
Little
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Fair to good results
Difficult


Carving
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult


Gluing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Mortising
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement


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


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Planes well, to a good finish
Easy to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is extremely resistant


Response to Hand Tools
Responds Readily


Sanding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Screwing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Turning
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Difficult to turn


Veneering Qualities
Easy to cut


Steam Bending
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Polishing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Satisfactory results


Staining
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Density47lbs/ft3
Weight4637lbs/ft3
ItemGreenDryMetric
Density753kg/m3

References
Burgess, P.F.,1966,Timbers of Sabah,Sabah Forest Record, no.6

Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15

I. Soerianegara and R.H.M.J. Lemmens (Editors,1993,Plant Resources of South-East Asia 5,(PROSEA, 1,Timber trees: Major commercial timbers,Pudoc Scientific Publishers, Wageningen 1993

Whitmore, T.C. (Ed.,1972,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 1,Forest Department Ministry of Agriculture and Lands Malaysia