Category: 1
Wood density at 12% moisture content (kg): 740
Also known as: Barwood, Ebeu, Wele, Family: Fabaceae
Botanical name: Pterocarpus spp.
Origin: West Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Zaire, Angola
Use: Solid furniture, veneer furniture, parquet floors, decorative interior elements or construction
Used for:
- Construction material
- Interior construction /dividing walls, crossbeams, window crossbars, etc./
- Floor parquets – very decorative
- Interior and exterior siding
- Veneers and marquetry
- Bridge constructions
- Shipbuilding
- Artistic carving, sculpture
Durability: very durable, it is resistant to termites, fungi and wood decaying pests
Wood description: Sapwood: light brown, yellow, sapwood approx. 8 cm wide. Heartwood: orange often dark veined (veins about 1 cm wide), after processing it quickly darkens to reddish brown
Wood treatment:
Cutting: More force is needed, tools do not blunt that much, disruptions in wood due to cutting are average
Drying: slow, relatively low risk of cracking
Workability: necessary to use hard metal tools
Bonding/gluing: demanding, special adhesives must be used
Nailing/hammering: necessary to pre-drill holes B12/Z/22.3.2002