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| Name | jatoba |
| Other Names | Copalier (Antiles), jatoba, jatahy, jutai-acu, jatai (Brazil), courbaril (French Guyana), locust, kawanari (Guyana), algarrobo, guapinol (Central America), rode locus, locus (Suriname). |
| Botanical Name | Hymenaea courbaril L., Hymenaea stilbocarpa Hayne and Hymenaea spec. div.. |
| Family | Leguminosae (Caesalpiniaceae). |
| Origin | Tropical South and Central America |
| Tree Description | Grows to an average height of 30 m (max. 40 m). Branch-free trunks are swollen at the root base, straight, measure 18 to 24 m and have diameters ranging from 0.6 to 0.9 m (min./max. 0.5/1.5 m). |
| Available As | Planed timber and semi-finished products. |
| Wood Description | Freshly sawn heartwood is meat coloured, turned pinkish red to reddish brown and often has dark (black) stripes. Jatoba can be worked to produce a smooth surface finish and has a beautiful sheen. The wide sapwood is grey to brownish grey in colour. Tangential series of resin ducts may be present. |
| Wood Type | Hardwood |
| Grain | Straight, sometimes irregular and slightly interlocked grain. |
| Texture | Fine to mildly coarse. |
| Density | 750/900/1050 kg/m3 at 12% humidity, 1150 kg/m3 when green. |
| Working | Moderate. |
| Drying | Slow with little distortion or surface cracking. Jatoba that is more darkly striped distorts more than evenly coloured wood. |
| Workability | Works easily to produce a smooth surface finish. |
| Fixings and Fasteners | Pre-drilling required. |
| Bonding | Good. Poor for wall woodwork. |
| Pliability | Very good. |
| Surface Finishing | Good with solvent-based systems, a sealant is required for water-based systems to prevent seepage of water-soluble substances. |
| Durability | Moulds 1. Fairly resistant to termites. |
| Strength Class | - |
| Impregnability | Heartwood - very difficult. |
| Peculiarities | - |
| Applications | Interior and exterior work such as frames, windows, facades, stairs, doors, casing, parquet and wide floorboards, construction timber and furniture. Shipbuilding: keels, hulls, edging, interior and exterior woodwork (too smooth and too dark for decking), waterworks, freshwater lock gates, bridge decks, frames and knobs, carving, sculpting, turning, tool handles, etc. |
| Quality Requirements | - |
Source: Houtvademecum, 8e druk 2001