KAURI (Agathis borneensis)
Trade Name
Kauri
Scientific Name
Agathis borneensis Warb.
Family
ARAUCARIACEAE
Common Names
Almaciga (Philippines); Agathis indiano (Italy); Pin de cauri (France); East Indian kauri (United States of America); Indisk agathis (Sweden); Agathis; Damar (Indonesia); Bindang (Sarawak); East Indian kauri (United Kingdom); Damar (Netherlands); Kayu sigi (Indonesia); Damar minyak (Malaysia); Borneo kauri (United Kingdom); Agathis indico (Spain); Indische agathis (Netherlands); Agahis indien (France); Borneo kauri (United States of America); Mangilan (Sabah); Indische agathis (Germany)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Agathis latifolia Meijer Drees; Agathis beccarii Warb.; Agathis alba (Lam.) Foxw.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is an emergent tree up to 55 m tall and 100 cm in diameter. The bole is straight and cylindrical, up to two thirds of the length or more.
Natural Habitat
Agathis borneensis is found scattered in the upland rain forest, up to 1,200 m of altitude in Malaysia and Sumatra. Pure stands are reported in Borneo at sandy peat places. It is known or inferred that the harvesting of specimens from the wild for interna
Natural Distribution
It ranges from Indo-China to Malaysia, Sarawak, Sabah and Papua New Guinea.
Plantations Available?
Plantations are reported in Java.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Rays very fine, not visible with the naked eye, generally not prominent on the radial surface. Rays 6-8, uniseriate, 2-7 cells high.
-
Wood Macro Photo Radial Plane
-
Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
It has no taste, but caramel-like odor.
Color
The sapwood is not distinct. The heartwood is straw or pale yellow-brown, sometimes with a pinkish tinge.
Grain
The grain is typically straight.
Texture
The wood is typically fine in texture.
Luster
Luster is reported to be moderate.
Natural Durability
Stock is subject to attack by pinhole borers, termites and marine borers.
Silica Content
Silica Content: Non-siliceous. Silica Value: 0
Resistance To Impregnation
The sapwood is permeable, the heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.4463063685
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.48
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
6.2
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.8
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Drying is slow and rather difficult. Boards of 15 mm thick take about 3 months to air dry. Drying Defects: Resin exudation is reported to be common, especially at high temperatures. It is prone to cupping, bowing, springing and end checking. Usually there is little splitting, surface checking, staining and insect attack during drying. Kiln Schedules: Schedule proposed for Apitong.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-J; US-T7-B3
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.6
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
503
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
334
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
25
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
148
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
225
Workability
Sawing
Wood of this species is easy to cut.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
This wood can be peeled using a 90 degrees angle without pretreatment to produce veneer of good quality.
Sliced Veneer
This wood can be peeled using a 90 degrees angle without pretreatment to produce veneer of good quality.
Planing
Planing operations are rather easy.
Moulding
Molding of this species is reported to be easy.
Boring
This species is easy to bore.
Mortising
Mortising of this species is reported to be easy.
Nailing
It is easy to nail.
Gluing
It is reported to be easy to glue.
Sanding
It is easy to sand.
Coatings
It is easy to paint or varnish.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, boards, flooring, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, TOOLS, tool handles, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, pencil
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
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Tool Handles
- 43 - Maderas de Bolivia (Características y Usos de 55 Maderas Tropicales)
Pencils
- 67 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VIII, Calophyllum brasilense, Couratari panamensis, Dendropanax arboreum y Bombacopsis sessilis
Please Provide Information To View Producer Information