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STERCULIA (Sterculia ceramica)

Trade Name

Sterculia

Scientific Name

Sterculia ceramica R. Br.

Family

STERCULIACEAE

Common Names

Balindagat (Philippines); Biris (Malaysia); Komong dowong (Indonesia); Kafialwatan (Indonesia); Lui (Indonesia); Uos (Philippines); Malakalumpang (Philippines); Biris (Sarawak)

Scientific Name Synonyms

Sterculia luzonica Warb.

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

It is a medium-sized tree up to 24 m tall, with boles up to 40 cm in diameter.

Natural Habitat

Sterculia ceramica occurs in primary forests, also near the coast, up to 1,000 m of altitude.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape. Intervessel pits small, 7 micras or less. Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma aliform. Axial parenchyma confluent. Axial parenchyma stor Rays of two distinct sizes. Ray height more than 1 mm. Sheath cells. Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Fibers very thin walled. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits. Fibers storied.

  • Wood Macro Photo Tangential Plane
  • Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Odor

It has no distinctive odor or taste.

Color

The heartwood is straw-colored, grayish-white to sometimes pale brown or pale pinkish-brown, and not distinctly demarcated from the paler sapwood.

COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)

6

Grain

The grain is straight to shallowly interlocked.

Texture

A coarse texture is reported in this species.

Natural Durability

The wood is rated as non-durable in contact with the ground or exposed to the weather. It is easily attacked by pinhole borers, powder-post beetles, termites and marine borers.

Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)

5

Resistance To Impregnation

It is easy to moderately difficult to treat with preservatives. The heartwood is impermeable due to tyloses.

Wood Physical Properties

Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)

0.31

Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)

0.32

Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

6.2

Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

3.7

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Drying is moderately difficult to difficult; special care is systematically needed. Drying Defects: Risks of checks and distortions. Kiln Schedules: Schedule proposed as a reference by comparison with well known species taking into account to the general technological behavior of this species.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

JP-26

Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)

1.7

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)

448

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

72043

Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

245

Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

31

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

41

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

137

Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)

199

Workability

Sawing

Sawing of this species is reported to be rather easy.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

This species is reported to have good characteristics for lamination.

Sliced Veneer

This species is reported to have good characteristics for lamination.

Machining

Wood processing is reported to be good to fair.

Planing

Planing operations are rather easy, but a cutting angle of 20 degrees is recommended to reduce tearing.

Moulding

It is a brittle wood, it is not recommended for molding.

Boring

Boring is reported to be difficult.

Mortising

Mortising of this species is reported to be difficult.

Nailing

The wood is brittle and the nail holding properties are poor.

Gluing

Gluing behavior is satisfactory.

Sanding

This species is reported to be easy to sand.

Staining

Staining of this species is reportedly easy.

Polishing

It requires filler.

Steam Bending

This species is difficult to bend.

Response To Hand Tools

Response to hand tools is reported to be good, but it often gives woolly surfaces.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, shutter boards, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, PACKING, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, shoes

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Shutter Boards
  • 20 - Prospect: The wood database
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Packing
  • 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Shipbuilding
  • 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Shoes
  • 70 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux de l`union francaise

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