African Utile

African utile

Timber Specification for African Utile

Please note if FSC/PEFC certified wood is required please specify at time of placing an order.

African Utile

African Utile is a reddish-brown timber, similar in appearance and properties to sapele, but less liable to distort during drying and in subsequent use

Uses

Suitable for doors, windows, furniture and cabinet work, and interior and exterior joinery and construction work.

Appearance

Colour – The sapwood colour is light brown and distinct from the heartwood. The heartwood colour is fairly uniform reddish or purplish-brown.

Grain The grain of African Utile is Interlocked and rather irregular. The stripe figure of quartered stock is less marked than in Sapele.

Texture – The texture is more open than in Sapele owing to the larger size of the pores.

Characteristics

Strength – Comparable to European Beech

Weight – 660 kg/m³.

Natural Durability – The sapwood of African Utile is liable to attack by powder-post beetles. Reported to be moderately resistant to termites in West Africa. Heartwood Durable.

Ease Of Drying – Dries at a moderate rate. Tendency for original shakes to extend and for distortion in the form of twist to develop, but distortion is not generally severe.

Preservative Treatment – Extremely resistant to preservative treatment.

Working properties

Sawing – Satisfactory

Boring Qualities – Twist-fluted drills most suitable. A tendency to charring. Support required at drill exit.

Planing – A cutting angle of 15 degrees required to avoid tearing of interlocked grain.

Blunting Effect On Cutters – Moderate

Gluing – Good.

Nailing – Satisfactory.

Wood Bending – Buckles severely when bent to any appreciable extent. Classification – Very poor.

Finishing

Staining and Polishing – Satisfactory when filled.

African Utile cut timber board

African utile

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