Wood inspector

Family: Sapotaceae

Common names: Longhi

Distributed in: Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zaire (Africa)

Distribution overview: West and Central Africa, from Sierra Leone to the Congo region and Angola. It is a rain forest species, though it may be found in transitional forests within its range.

Common uses: Beams, Bent Parts, Building construction, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Core Stock, Decks, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Stairworks, Veneer

Product sources: The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced occasionally and exported only in low volumes.

Environment profile: Vulnerable in parts of its natural habitat

Tree size: Tree height is 30-40 m

Colors: the heart isWhitish, Yellowand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isStraight, the textureMediumand the lusterMedium

Natural durability: Susceptible to attack by marine borers and termites, Susceptible to insect attack

Odor: No specific smell or taste

Kiln Drying Rate: Naturally dries slowly

Drying Defects: Distortion (twist/warp) is likely, Splitting

Ease of Drying: Slowly

Blunting Effect: Cutting edges are dulled slightly

Boring: Fairly easy to very easy

Carving: Responds fairly well to carving

Cutting Resistance: Low cutting resistance

Gluing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy

Mortising: Very Good to Excellent

Moulding: Very Good to Excellent

Movement in Service: Very Good to Excellent

Nailing: Possible if prebored, Very Good to Excellent

Planing: Yields smooth surfaces

Resistance to Impregnation: Sapwood is moderately resistant

Response to hand tools: Responds fairly well to hand tools

Routing recessing: Routs fairly well

Sanding: Fairly Easy to Very Easy

Veneering qualities: Logs can peel and slice satisfactorily into veneers

Turning: Very Good to Excellent Results

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