
Hura (Hura crepitans)
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Common names: Acacu, Acau, Acuapa, Acuapar, Arbol del diablo, Arbre au diable, Areeiro, Arenillero, Arerillo, Asniakara, Assacu, Bois du diable, Castana, Castaneto, Catahua, Cataua, Ceiba amarilla, Ceiba bla, Ceiba blanca, Ceiba de leche, Ceiba habilla, Ceiba habillo, Ceiba mil pesos, Cuatatachi, Haba, Haba de indio, Habillo, Hura, Hura wood, Jabillo, Javillo, Molinillo, Monkeys dinner bell, Nune, Ochoho, Ochoo, Ovillo, Pet du diable, Possentrie, Possum, Possumwood, Quauhayohuatli, Quauhtlat-latzin, Racuada, Rakuda, Rakudar, Sablier, Salvadera, Sandbox, Seda blanca, Solimanche, Tetereta, Tronador, Uacacu
Distributed in: Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico [US], Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia)
Distribution overview: Throughout the West Indies and from Central America to northern Brazil and Bolivia. Often occurs in nearly pure stands in Surinam on moist sandy loam. Frequently cultivated for shade. In Bolivia, found in the transition from humid tropical forest to humid sub-tropical forest in the provinces of Santa Cruz, Beni, Cochabamba and La Paz y Pando.
Common uses: Blockboard, Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Core Stock, Cutting surfaces, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fiberboard, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, General carpentry, Hatracks, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Matchboxes, Matches, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Packing cases, Pallets, Particleboard, Plain veneer, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shingles, Sporting Goods, Stools, Structural plywood, Veneer
Product sources: The ITTO reports that small quantities of timber from this lesser-known-species is exported at a regular rate from Brazil to the United States, Venezuela, and Germany.
Environment profile: Vulnerable
Tree size: Tree height is 10-20 m
Colors: the heart isYellow to golden-yellow to orange, Yellowish whiteand the sapwoodWhite, White to yellow.The grain isWeak figure, the textureMedium coarse to coarseand the lusterPronounced
Natural durability: Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera), Susceptible to marine borer attack
Odor: No specific smell or taste
Silica Content: Contains silica
LightInduced Color Change: Darker
Kiln Schedules: UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5
Kiln Drying Rate: Rapid (<10 days for boards < 32 mm, to <30 days for boards >= 63 mm)
Drying Defects: Slight surface checking, Slight twist/warp
Ease of Drying: Rapidly
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good Tension wood is common
Blunting Effect: Slight
Boring: Fairly difficult to very difficult
Carving: Fairly difficult to carve
Cutting Resistance: Cutting resistance with dry wood is variable
Gluing: Glues well
Mortising: Moderately easy to mortise
Moulding: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Movement in Service: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Nailing: Fair to Good , Holds nails well
Planing: Tension & interlocked grain may cause woolly surfaces
Resistance to Impregnation: Permeable sapwood
Response to hand tools: Variable qualities
Routing recessing: Routing is difficult
Sanding: Poor results
Veneering qualities: Moderately easy to veneer, There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits
Screwing: Good screwing properties, Screwing yields satisfactory results; Turning: Tension wood may cause surfaces to be woolly
Polishing: Very Good to Excellent; Staining: Very Good to Excellent;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
 |
 |
 |
 |
Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
0,31 |
0,34 |
|
Density |
|
432 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
388 |
563 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
28 |
43 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
253 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
|
|
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
69 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
73 |
84 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
4 |
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
2 |
|
% |
Weight |
416 |
336 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
0,42 |
0,49 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
79 |
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
270 |
370 |
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 5529 | 8010 | psi | Crushing Strength | 402 | 613 | psi | Density | | 27 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 558 | lbs | Maximum Crushing Strength | 2212 | 3902 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 990 | psi | Static Bending | 3851 | 5272 | psi | Stiffness | 1039 | 1196 | 1000 psi | Toughness | | 69 | inch-lbs | Work to Maximum Load | 6 | 7 | inch-lbs/in3 | Specific Gravity | 0.31 | 0.34 | | Weight | 26 | 21 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 2 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 4 | | % | Volumetric Shrinkage | 8 | | % | |
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low 0 Shrinkage, Tangential = very small 0 Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low 0 Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. 0 Shrinkage, Radial = very small 0 Hardness (side grain) = very soft 0 Bending strength (MOR) = low 0 Max. crushing strength = low 0 Bending strength (MOR) = very low 0 Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low 1 Hardness (side grain) = soft Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 15-22 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium
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