SCIENTIFIC NAME
Dryobalanops spp. principally D. aromatica. Family: Dipterocarpaceae
Local names Kapor, Borneo camphorwood, keladan (Sarawak), kapoer (Indonesia), belakan, kamfer.
DESCRIPTION & NATURAL OCCURRENCE
Large hardwood to 45 m with a straight, cylindrical bole, and well-formed buttresses. Occurs in lowland tropical rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia and South-East Asia, often in almost pure stands. Bark is grey brown or dark brown with shallow fissures. Diameter of logs is between 80 and 100 cm. Freshly cut trees have a camphor-like odour.
WOOD APPEARANCE
Colour
Sapwood ranges from almost white to yellow-brown and is clearly distinct from the heartwood. Heartwood is red or red-brown.
Grain
Grain variable from straight to interlocked or spiral. Texture coarse but even. Growth rings absent.
WOOD PROPERTIES
Density
800 kg/m3 at 12% moisture content; approximately 1.3 m3 of seasoned sawn timber per tonne.
Strength Groups
S3 unseasoned; SD4 seasoned.
Stress Grades
F8, F11, F14, F17, (unseasoned), F11, F14, F17, F22, (seasoned), when visually stress graded in accordance with AS 2082-1979, Visually stress-graded hardwood for structural purposes.
Joint Groups
J2 unseasoned; JD2 seasoned.
Shrinkage to 12% MC
Approximately 8% (tangential); 3.5% (radial).
Unit shrinkage
Not available.
Durability above-ground
Class 2 - life expectancy 15 to 40 years.
Durability in-ground
Class 3 - life expectancy 5 to 15 years.
Lyctine susceptibility
Sapwood is not susceptible to lyctid borer attack.
Termite resistance
Not resistant.
Preservation
Sapwood accepts preservative impregnation.
Seasoning
Slow to dry, usually with very little degrade.
Hardness
Moderately hard (rated 3 on a 6 class scale) in relation to indentation and ease of working with hand tools.
Machining
Machines well with a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges caused by the presence of silica.
Fixing
Pre-drilling recommended when nailing near extremities, otherwise nailing and screwing characteristics are good.
Gluing
Care needed when using urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde adhesives.
Finishing
Stains, paints and polishes satisfactorily.
USES
Construction
Stairways, flooring, general construction.
Decorative
Plywood, furniture, joinery, lining.
Others
Sawn shingles, packing cases, boat building, pallets, tool handles.
IDENTIFICATION FEATURES
General characteristics
Sapwood
Well defined from heartwood.
Heartwood
Red to red-brown in colour.
Texture
Coarse, uniform. Grain variable from straight to interlocked or spiral.
Wood structure
Vessels
Predominantly solitary, medium to large in size, visible to the unaided eye. Tyloses common. Vessel lines present.
Parenchyma
Apotracheal as irregular spaced concentric bands and some diffuse strands.
Rays
Fine to medium size, visible through lens.