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OKOUMé (Aucoumea klaineana)
Trade Name
Okoumé
Scientific Name
Aucoumea klaineana Pierre
Family
BURSERACEAE
Common Names
Okume (Equatorial Guinea); N'goumi (Equatorial Guinea); N'kumi (Congo); Zouga; Uume; Ongoumi; Ojoume; Mofoumou; M`goumi; Koumi; Gaboon wood; Gaboon mahogany; Cape Lomez mahogany; Bengouma; Acoume; N`koumi (Gabon); Moukoumi (Gabon); Gaboon (United Kingdom); N`kumi (Congo); Angouma (Gabon); Okoume (Gabon); N`goumi (Equatorial Guinea)
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 32 to 43 m, sometimes to more than 50 m. The bole is cylindrical and clear to 23 m in length and more. The trunk diameter attains 100 up to 250 cm over large buttresses.
Natural Habitat
Okoumé occurs abundantly in an area covering west and central Gabon and small areas of neighboring countries. It is known or inferred that the harvesting of specimens from the wild for international trade has, or may have, a detrimental impact on the spec
Natural Distribution
From Cameroon down to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Plantations Available?
It is a long rotation species for plantation. The duration of the rotation is 40 years, to reach 60 cm in diameter.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 150 to 200 micras (medium). Tyloses thin walled. Non-vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 6 to 10 (medium). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits large Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Rays commonly 2 seriate. Silica bodies in the ray cells. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Septate fibers present. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The sapwood is greyish white, it has a thickness of 2 to 5 cm. The heartwood is salmon-pink to dark-pink, darkening on exposure, it is clearly demarcated. The silver figure is fine (barely visible).
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
5
Grain
Straight or slightly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.
Texture
The texture varies from fine to medium.
Luster
It is reported to be low in luster.
Natural Durability
Slightly durable to decay. This species needs preservative treatment for uses with risks of occasional re-humidification. It is not suited for uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification. Sensible to termites attack. The heartwood is resistant
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
6
Internal Growth Stresses
No growth stresses are reported in this species.
Silica Content
Silica Content: Silica presence is reported. Amounts over 0.05% may affect wood processing. Silica Value: 0.17
Resistance To Impregnation
Difficult to treat with only a low penetration of the preservative products.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.41
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.44
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
6.9
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.6
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
FR-7
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.5
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
632
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
98819
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
370
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
41
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
58
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
240
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
336
Workability
Sawing
It is easy to saw.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Suitable for slicing and peeling.
Sliced Veneer
Suitable for slicing and peeling.
Blunting Effect
Severe blunting effect; stellited blades for sawing and carbide tools for machining are recommended.
Machining
Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.
Planing
Easy; no particular problems.
Moulding
Easy; no particular problems.
Boring
Easy; no particular problems.
Mortising
Easy; no particular problems.
Nailing
No particular problem.
Gluing
Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.
Sanding
Easy to perform; it gives good results.
Polishing
Can be polished without surface preparation.
Response To Hand Tools
No particular problems.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, boards, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, shutter boards, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, common furniture, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, faces, Decorative veneer, PACKING, heavy packing, pallets, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, door core, coffin, moldings
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Boards
- 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
- 19 - Silica in Timbers
Shutter Boards
- 20 - Prospect: The wood database
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Common
- 23 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Faces
- 26 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
Decorative veneer
- 28 - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest of Fiji
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Heavy Packing
- 47 - Arvores Brasileiras
Pallets
- 48 - The strength properties of timbers
Door Cores
- 76 - Descripción General y Anatómica de 105 Maderas del Grupo Andino.
Coffin
- 78 - Amazonian Timbers for the International Market
Molding
- 79 - Padronização da Nomenclatura Comercial Brasileira das Madeiras Tropicais Amazônicas, Sugestão
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