Demerara groenhart

The heartwood is light to dark olive green, sometimes marked with brown or black stripes. These color differences can occur in one trunk, which sometimes gives Demerara greenheart a colorful appearance. The sapwood is light yellow or greenish, usually 30-60 mm wide and has no sharp transition to the heartwood. Demerara green heart is a type of wood with exceptionally good strength properties.
Atibt greenheart
Other names Demerara greenheart, greenheart (France, Great Britain), bibiru, sipiri, kevatuk, greenheart (Guyana), sipiroe, beeberoe, demerara groenhart (Suriname), itauba branca, bibiru (Brazil), viruviru (Venezuela).
Botanical name Chlorocardium rodiei Rohwer, Richter & Werff (= Ocotea rodiaei (Rob. Schomb.) Mez. (= Nectandra rodiaei Schomb.).
Family Lauraceae.
Growth area Guyana and part of Suriname.
Tree description Height 21-35 m, maximum 40 m. The straight cylindrical branch-free trunk is 15-25 m long and has a diameter of 0.4-0.6 m, maximum 1.0 m.
Supply Four-sided cut or sawn wood and squared wood.
Wood description The heartwood is light to dark olive green, sometimes marked with brown or black stripes. These color differences can occur in one trunk, which sometimes gives Demerara greenheart a colorful appearance. The sapwood is light yellow or greenish, usually 30-60 mm wide and has no sharp transition to the heartwood. Demerara green heart is a type of wood with exceptionally good strength properties.
Wood type hardwood
Wire Straight, cross wire and tangled wire.
Grain Fine.
Voluminous mass (950-)970- 1020(-1200) kg/m3 at 12% moisture content, fresh 1300 kg/m3.
To work Mediocre.
To dry Very slow with a high tendency to crack and form surface cracks. The deformation of the wood during drying is not too bad. Most applications are such that drying is not necessary. The less favorable drying properties then do not play a role.
Editability Due to its high density, demerara groenhart is quite difficult to process. However, with sharp tools it can be finished smoothly. Cross wire or tangled wire can cause some problems.
Nailing and screwing Pre-drilling necessary to prevent splitting.
Glue Bad.
Bow Mediocre.
Surface finish Good.
Sustainability Fungi 1 (very durable in (fresh) water). Termites D. Marine borers D. Demerara green heart contains toxic substances, making it shipworm resistant, except against some tropical shipworm species in brackish water.
Impregnability Heartwood 4.Sapwood 2.
Particularities The fine wood dust created during processing can cause inflamed mucous membranes in some people.
Applications Due to its high durability, strength and the large sizes in which the wood is available, it is mainly used for heavy construction work (water, bridge and ship construction and port works). It is also suitable for heavy workbenches and industrial floors. In the machine industry it is used for struts under machines. The chemical industry has also had good experiences with Demerara Groenhart. It is also used for small turning work, such as tobacco pipes.