Wood inspector

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Common names: Akun, Assam, Borikio, Bosenge, Kindi, Kuntan, Mole, Nsanvi, Oli, Rikio, Rikio Riviere, Sugar Plum, Yeye

Distributed in: Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, Zaire (Africa)

Distribution overview: Distributed throughout West Africa, and extends into Zaire. Its habitat is described as swampy and close to water, and it is usually found on the edge of forests in the savannah regions within its range.

Common uses: Barge fenders, Bedroom suites, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Charcoal, Construction, Crossties, Decorative plywood, Docks, Dockwork, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Furniture , Harbor work, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Naval architecture, Office furniture, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Raft floats, Rafts, Railroad ties, Trimming, Wainscotting, Wharf construction

Environment profile: Status unknown in some areas due to inadequate information

Tree size: Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm

Colors: the heart isBrown, Reddish brownand the sapwoodColor not distinct from heartwood .The grain isStraight, the textureCoarseand the lusterLow

Natural durability: Non-resistant to powder post beetles, Perishable

Odor: No specific smell or taste

Silica Content: Contains high levels of silica (> 0.5% of dry weight)

Drying Defects: High differential shrinkage may cause distortion , Splitting

Ease of Drying: Use care to avoid degrade

Blunting Effect: Moderate

Boring: Fairly difficult to very difficult

Carving: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult

Cutting Resistance: Easy to saw

Gluing: Satisfactory gluing properties

Mortising: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult

Moulding: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult

Movement in Service: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult

Nailing: Pre-boring required, Very Good to Excellent

Planing: High density and silica levels make the wood difficult to work in most machining operations

Resistance to Impregnation: Resistant sapwood

Response to hand tools: Responds poorly to hand tools

Routing recessing: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult

Sanding: Satisfactory sanding properties

Veneering qualities: Suitable for slicing

Steam bending: Fair to Good Results

Screwing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy, Very Good to Excellent Results; Turning: Poor turning characteristics

Polishing: Very Good to Excellent; Staining: Very Good to Excellent;