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PADOUK D`AFRIQUE (Pterocarpus soyauxii)
Trade Name
Padouk d`Afrique
Scientific Name
Pterocarpus soyauxii Taub.
Family
LEGUMINOSAE
Common Names
Padouk d`Afrique; Osun (Nigeria); Afrikanisches Padouk (Germany); N'gula (Zaire); Mbel (Gabon); Kisésé (Congo); Ukpa; Uhile; Tizeze; Red santal; Osun; Nve; N`kula; N`gula; Muenge; Mbi; M`bio; Koula; Kisesi; Escio; Boko; Bo; Akume; African coral wood; Paduk (Italy); Padoek (Netherlands); Barwood (United Kingdom); Camwood (United Kingdom); African padauk (United Kingdom); Padauk (United Kingdom); Padauk (Germany); Corail (Belgium); Tacula (Angola); Mongola (Zaire); Mukula (Zaire); Ngula (Zaire); Kisese (Congo); Mbel (Cameroon); Palo rojo (Equatorial Guinea); Bosulu (Zaire); Mbil (Cameroon); Mbe (Cameroon); Padouk
Scientific Name Synonyms
Pterocarpus casteelsi De Wild.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 32 to 43 m. The bole is cylindrical, buttressed, straight and clear to 25 m in length. The trunk diameter attains 70 to 130 cm, sometimes even up to 170 cm. Log is banned for international trading.(Cameroon)
Natural Habitat
Pterocarpus soyauxii is common in dense equatorial rain forests, often in small groups.
Natural Distribution
Central and tropical West Africa, from Nigeria to Cabinda
Plantations Available?
Considered as a promising species for plantation. The duration of the rotation is 30 to 40 years, to reach 50 to 60 cm in diameter.
Non Timber Uses
Contains some resins or extracts which could pose problems when machining or finishing.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma aliform. Axial parenchyma confluent. Axial parenchyma storied. Prismatic crystals in short chains in chambered axial parenchy Rays storied. Rays exclusively uniseriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The sapwood is whitish, it has a thickness of 10 to 20 cm. The heartwood is vivid red sometimes with dark veining, toning down on exposure, it is clearly demarcated.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
2
Grain
Straight or slightly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.
Texture
The wood is reported to have a coarse texture.
Natural Durability
Very durable to decay; without preservative treatment. This species is especially suited for all the uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification. Resistant to termites attack. Heartwood is resistant to Lyctus attacks.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
1
Internal Growth Stresses
Residual growth stresses are absent.
Silica Content
Silica Content: Negligible contents of silica are found in timber of this species. Amounts over 0.05% may affect the wood processing. Silica Value: 0.01
Resistance To Impregnation
Moderately easy to treat with a partial penetration of the preservative products.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.69
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.77
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
5.0
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.2
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Drying is very slow and difficult to perform; defects are frequent. Drying Defects: Risks of checks.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
FR-7
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.6
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1197
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
155990
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
639
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
86
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
77
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
742
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
825
Workability
Sawing
Sawing of this species requires powerful equipment.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Suitable for slicing.
Sliced Veneer
Suitable for slicing.
Blunting Effect
Moderate blunting effect; stellited blades for sawing and carbide tools for machining are advised.
Machining
It needs powerful tools for processing. Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.
Planing
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Moulding
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Turning
30
Boring
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Mortising
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Nailing
Pre-boring is necessary.
Gluing
Difficult to glue because of the extracts content.
Sanding
Easy to perform; it gives good results.
Polishing
Needs pre-coating.
Steam Bending
This species can be used for steam bending.
Response To Hand Tools
Working with hand tools is difficult.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, boards, flooring, parquet, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, luxury furniture, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, Decorative veneer, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture, cutlery, lasts, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boats, boat hulls, boat deck, port storage, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Joists
- 12 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part I-Tropical American Species
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
Parquet
- 15 - Empire Timbers
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
- 19 - Silica in Timbers
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Luxury
- 22 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section IV-Asian and Oceanian Woods
Cabinet
- 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Decorative veneer
- 28 - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest of Fiji
Turning
- 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Ornaments
- 31 - Embassy of Colombia in Japan
Turned Articles
- 32 - Embassy of Cote d`Ivoire in Japan
Knife Handles
- 33 - Embassy of Gabon in Japan
Lasts
- 34 - Embassy of Indonesia in Japan
Truck Body
- 53 - Timbers of the New World
Truck Flooring
- 54 - Bulletin of the Government Forest Experiment Station N.157: Identification of Tropical Woods
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boats
- 56 - Manual de Identificación de Especies Forestales de la Subregión Andina.
Boat Hulls
- 57 - Estadísticas de Aprovechamiento, Exportación y comercialización Nacional de Productos Forestales
Boat Decking
- 59 - Programa Nacional de uso Sostenible de los Bosques e Incremento a las Exportaciones.
Port Storage
- 62 - Estudio Tecnológico de Maderas del Perú (Zona Pucallpa) Vol I
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
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