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Blunting Effect
Boring
Certified Source
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
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
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing

Scientific Name
Mezilauris itauba

Trade Name
Apisie-ie

Family Name
Lauraceae

Synonyms
Oreodaphne hookeriana, Silvia anacardioides, Silvia itauba, Silvia polyanthma, Silvia rondonii


Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Apisie-ie, Itaouba amarela, Itauba, Itauba abacate, Itauba amarela, Itauba preta, Itauba verdadeira, Itauba vermelha, Itauba-preta, Kaneerjoe, Lore, Louro itauba, Rukut, Siroecabali, Siroecabali tataro, Tapinhoa, Tapinhoam, Tapinhoan, Tataro e kaneelhout

Regions of Distribution
Latin America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Bridge construction, Cooperages, Door, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Piling, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Structural work, Tool handles, Turnery, Veneer: decorative

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure


Heartwood Color
Yellow
Orange
Brown
Black
Red
Brown
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Greenish to greyish
Dark brown
Reddish brown


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Brown
Red


Grain
Straight
Interlocked
Wavy
Closed
Even

Straight
Interlocked
Wavy


Texture
Coarse
Medium
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Fine to medium


Luster
Medium
High
Lustrous
Dull
Slightly lustrous


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


Odor
Has an odor


Light-Induced Color Change
Darker


Kiln Schedules
Drying (speed) is fast
Dry at a slow speed
Dry at a moderate speed


Drying Defects
Distortion
Checking
Splitting
Moderate twist/warp
Moderate surface checking
Slight twist/warp
Slight surface checking
Slight spring/bow
Slight end splitting
Severe surface checking
No twisting or warping
No cupping, generally
Moderate spring/bow
Moderate end spitting


Ease of Drying
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Thick Stock Requires Care
Slowly
Little degrade
Difficult
Easy


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly


Tree Size
Sapwood width is 10-15 cm
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm
Tree height is 40-50 m
Tree height is 20-30 m


Certified Source
Certified Source


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Moderate
Little
Blunting effect on machining is slight


Boring
Fair to good results
Fairly difficult to very difficult


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


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Surface Preparation


Mortising
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


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


Nailing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Planing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Poor to Very Poor Results
Fair to Good Results
Moderately easy to plane


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


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


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


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


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Painting
Satisfactory results


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


Varnishing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Satisfactory


Strength Properties
Max. crushing strength = high
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft.
Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = high
Hardness (side grain) = medium
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
Shrinkage, Tangential = large
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
Max. crushing strength = medium
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high
Bending strength (MOR) = low


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength1093816994psi
Density54lbs/ft3
Hardness1658lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength65269501psi
Shearing Strength1924psi
Stiffness168519441000 psi
Weight5343lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage2%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength7691194kg/cm2
Density865kg/m3
Hardness752kg
Maximum Crushing Strength458668kg/cm2
Shearing Strength135kg/cm2
Stiffness1181361000 kg/cm2
Weight849689kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage2%

References
Almeida, D.G. de, Costa, J.R. da,1956,Madeiras do Brasil. (Timbers of Brazil.,Min. Ag. Servico de Economia Rural, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,pp56

Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research

Brazier, J.D.,1975,Properties and uses of Brazilian woods,Journal of the Institute of Wood Science,7(2,pp50-57

Brazil -, I.B.D.F.,1980,Woods from Tucurui - characteristics and application,The Ag. Ministry Brazilian Institute for Forest Development

Brazil-Ministerio do Interior,1979,Pesquisas e Informac†ces sobre especies florestais da Amazonia,Dept. de Recuros Naturais Centro de Tecnologia Madeireira

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 2 South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Ducke, A.,1943,The Most Important Woods of the Amazon Valley,Tropical Woods,12(74,pp1-15

Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department

Horn, E.F.,1948,Teredo Resistant Timbers of the Amazon Valley,Tropical Woods,12(93,pp35-40

Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory

Loureiro, A.A., Freitas da Silva, M.,1968,Catalogo das Madeiras da Amazonia (2 vols,Min. do Ultramar Belem Brasil

Mainieri, C., Pereira, J.A.,1965,Madeiras do Brasil,Anuario Brasileiro de Economia Florestal,17(17,PP135-416

Mainieri, C.,1971,25 Madeiras da Amazonia de Valor Comercial, Caracterizacas macroscopia,,usos comuns e indices qualificativos,Inst. Pesq. Tec. Sao Paulo, Brazil Publ., No.798

Mainieri, C.,1978,Fichas de Caracteristicas das Madeiras Brasileiras,Inst. Pesquisas Technologicas

Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1942,American Timbers of the Family Lauraceae,Tropical Woods,69,pp7-33

Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press

Rizzini, C.T.,1978,Arvores e Madeiras Uteis do Brasil: Manual de Dendrologia Brasileira,Editora Edgard Blucher LTDA Brazil

Sao Paulo - Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnologicas,1956,Tabelas de Resultados obtidos para Madeiras Nacionais,Inst. Pesq. Tec. Sao Paulo, Brazil Bol., No.31(2nd Ed.)

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

Tropical Woods,1968,Madeiras Comercias Brasileiras,Inst. Pesq. Tec. Sao Paulo Brazil Publ.,857

Wangaard, F.F., et al,1954,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 4,Tropical Woods,14(99, pp1-187

Wolcott, G.N.,1950,An Index to the Termite Resistance of Woods,Agricultural Experimental Station, University of Puerto Rico Bulletin,No.85