Itauba
( Mezilaurus itauba )
Appearance : Yellow / green heartwood when
fresh, aging becomes darker brown with
possible dark green shades, pleasant smell
with sweet taste. It has a high density with a
medium-high consistency and an irregularly
glossy surface.
-Durability:
Itauba wood is highly resistant to attack by
xylophagous organisms, termites and marine
agents
– Workability:
Itauba wood is moderately difficult to work
both manually and with tools and machinery
due to the presence of silica, however it
allows a good finish and smoothing.
– Drying:
At the air it is slow and difficult but without
causing incidence of defects, artificial drying
is slow and can cause marked cracks,
however the deformation is moderate.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
Mass density (r):
• Apparent at 15% humidity (rap, 15): 960 kg
/ m³
• Base (base): 800 kg / m³
contraction:
• Radial: 2.3%
• Ring road: 6.7%
• Volumetric: 12.1%
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES:
bending:
• Resistance (fM):
Green wood: 115.4 MPa
Wood with 15% humidity: 126.5 MPa
• Proportionality limit – Green wood: 50.7 MPa
• Modulus of elasticity – Green wood: 14504
MPa
Compression
• Resistance (fc0):
Green wood: 57.7 MPa
Wood with 15% humidity: 68.4 MPa
• Humidity influence coefficient: 3.7%
• Proportionality limit – Green wood: 42.7 MPa
• Modulus of elasticity – Green wood: 16387
MPa
– Other properties:
• Flexural impact resistance – 15% wood
(shock): 17.1
• Shear – Green wood: 12.1 MPa
• Janka hardness – Green wood: 6433 N
• Traction – Green wood: 10.8 MPa
USEFUL INFO’s :
Since it is a very heavy wood, with a low
shrinkage in relation to the density, Itauba
offers a medium-high mechanical resistance
and a very high durability, Itaúba wood is
suitable for external constructions, such as
bridge structures, sleepers, poles, crossbars;
in civil construction, such as beams, slats and
floors, arches of doors and windows;
shipbuilding, boats; manufacture of turned
parts, furniture, accessories, cooperage, tool
handles, agricultural tools, etc.
