Sample Data: Lapacho

Data For: Tabebuia serratifolia
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Common Names
==================================
Amapa prieta
Bastard lignum vitae
Bethabara
Canaguate
Cortés
Cortez
Ebano verde
Ebene vert
Groenhart
Guayacan
Hakia
Ipe
Ironwood
Lapacho
Lapacho negro
Pau d'Arco
Polvillo
Surinam greenheart
Tabebuia
Tahuari
Tahua

Common Uses
==================================
Bridge joists
Cabinetmaking
Decorative veneer
Domestic flooring
Exterior trim & siding
Interior trim
Marine construction
Naval architecture
Railroad ties
Tool handles
Turnery
Vehicle parts
Barge fenders
Bedroom suites
Bridge beams
Bridge construction
Building materials
Crossties
Docks
Dockwork
Drawer sides
Exterior uses
Figured veneer
Flooring
Furniture
Handles
Harbor work
Interior construction
Kitchen cabinets
Living-room suites
Millwork
Moldings
Office furniture
Parquet flooring
Radio, stereo, TV cabinets
Raft floats
Rafts
Shafts/Handles
Shakes
Sheathing
Shingles
Siding
Sub-flooring
Trimming
Truck bodies
Veneer
Wainscotting
Wharf construction

Numerical Values
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Category Green Dry Unit
============== ====== ===== =====
Bending Strength 25963 22458 psi
Max. Crushing Strength 10312 13366 psi
Stiffness 2901 3129 1000 psi
Work to Maximum Load 28 22 in-lbs/in3
Hardness 3684 lbs
Shearing Strength 2048 psi
Specific Gravity 0.92 1
Weight 62 lbs/cu.ft.
Density (Air-dry) 62 lbs/cu.ft.
Radial Shrinkage (G->OD) 7 %
Tangential Shrink. (G->OD) 8 %
Volumetric Shrink. (G->OD) 13 %




Species Distribution
==================================
REGIONS:
Central America
Latin America

COUNTRIES:
Bolivia
Brazil
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Venezuela

Physical and Environmental Profile
==================================

Environmental Profile
The species is reported to be rather widespread, abundant, and secure globally, although it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery (Source - The Nature Conservancy -Rank of relative endangerment based primarily on the number of occurrences of the species worldwide).

Distribution
The species is reported to be distributed widely from Colombia to Bolivia, the Guianas, and southeastern Brazil. It is descrbed as ecologically diverse, especially in the Brazilian mata atlantica. It is reported to occur mostly in more or less seasonal forests on well-drained lateritic soils in the Amazons, but also grows on richer or sandy soils and even into the cerrado in sub-Amazonian Brazil. The tree is usually found near sea level up to an elevation of 3940 feet (1200 m).

Product Sources
It is currently unknown whether material from this species is available from sustainably managed, salvaged, recycled, or other environmentally responsible sources.

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) reports that the species is an important source of timber. The timber is reported to be exported regularly. The wood is imported from Brazil into Italy, Argentina, United States, Barbados, and Venezuela.

Tree Data
The tree is described as medium-sized, attaining a height of 65 to 85 feet (20 to 25 m), with a trunk diameter of about 30 inches (75 cm). Boles are straight to somewhat slanted, and are often clear of branches to about two-thirds the total height of the tree.

Sapwood Color
The clearly distinct sapwood is yellowish white or whitish in color.

Heartwood Color
The heartwood is olive-brown in color, with lighter or darker streaks. The pores themselves will often appear as fine yellow dots, or as longitudinal lines. Wood surfaces are reported to be often covered with a yellow powder.

Grain
The grain is straight to very irregular.

Texture
Texture is fine to medium. The wood is reported to have an oily appearance.

Luster
Luster is low to medium.

Odor
There is no characteristic odor or taste.

Ease of Drying
The wood is reported to dry without too much difficulty, in spite of its high density.

Drying Defects
Slight warping, cupping, twisting, and end-surface checking may occur during drying. A slow kiln drying schedule is recommended.

Kiln Schedules
T3 - C1 (4/4) US
Schedule E (4/4) United Kingdom

Movement in Service
The timber is reported to have good dimensional stability and exhibits only small movement in use.

T/R Ratio
1.21
This indicator is more meaningful if it is used together with other drying information and actual shrinkage data in the tangential and radial directions. (Refer to the Numerical Values window).

Natural Durability
The heartwood is reported to be very resistant to decay and attack by termites. It is rated as resistant to attack by dry wood insects but susceptible to marine borer attack.

Resistance to Impregnation
The wood is reported to be highly impermeable to wood preservatives.

Toxic Constituents
The yellowish sawdust (Lapachol) from machining operations is reported to cause skin irritation in some individuals.

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on cutting edges is reported to be moderate.

Veneering Qualities
Logs are generally difficult to convert into veneers, they are reported to yield very decorative veneers.

Cutting Resistance
The material is reported to be very difficult to saw.

Planing
The material is reported to be fairly difficult to plane and work in most operations work. A reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees is recommended for best planing results.

Turning
The material is reported to work with some difficulty, but can be finished smoothly, except heavily interlocked material. Properties in turning, boring, and sanding are rated as good.

Moulding
A reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees is recommended for best moulding results.

Gluing
Surface preparation is usually required for best gluing results.

Nailing
The wood is hard and requires pre-boring.

Screwing
The wood has good screw-holding characteristics.

Sanding
The wood is reported to respond easily to sanding operations.

Polishing
Occasionally yellowish, powdery deposits of lapachol may interfere with polishing, but the wood generally polishes well.

Staining
The wood takes stain well.

Varnishing
Powdery deposits of lapacho may make varnishing difficult.

Painting
The wood is difficult to paint. Surface preparation to remove yellowish lapachol powder may improve painting qualities.

Steam Bending
The wood is reported to be difficult to steam bend.

Response to Hand Tools
The material responds poorly to hand tools.

Comments
The timber is reported to be similar in properties to Tabebuia guajacan from Honduras and T. heterotricha from Panama.

Reference Sources
Numerical Data Source
Lavers, G.M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.

Bodig, J. and B. A. Jayne. 1982. Mechanics of Wood and Wood Composites. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York.

Teixeira, D. E., M. A. E. Santana and M. Rabelo de Souza. 1988. Amazonian Timbers for the International Market. ITTO Technical Series 1. Brazilian Institute for Forestry Development, Brazil.

Descriptive Data Source
Chudnoff, M. 1984. Tropical Timbers of the World. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 607, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.

Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne, CEDEX, France.

Vazquez, I. 1991. Puy - Tabebuia serratifolia (Vahl) Nicholson. Serie Maderas Comerciales de Venezuela, Ficha Tecnica No. 24. Instituto Forestal Latinoamericano, Merida, Venezuela, Marzo, 1991.

Teixeira, D. E., M. A. E. Santana and M. Rabelo de Souza. 1988. Amazonian Timbers for the International Market. ITTO Technical Series 1. Brazilian Institute for Forestry Development, Brazil.

Andy Poynter. 1993. Personal Communication

WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Plants Programme, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.