OK, so the search for decking is almost at and end… it’s almost time to choose and write the check… and today I came across this species… also called Red Chestnut and Brazilian Red Chestnut. Tauari may be a trade name, I’m not sure. It’s one of the very few products I can get that’s FSC certified and reasonably priced (a bit over $2/BF in 5/4 x 6). Anyone here have direct experience using this wood as exterior decking?
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can you elaborate? Genus/ specie?
Any macrophylum of the souther hemi is gonna dictate properties that YOU need..in your locale..with the exception of the rarest of breeds.
Swietienia macrophylla ( sorry for my rusty latin) is true Mahog.
I am shooting a wad and guessing that is what yer talking 'bout..only thing I can think o that comes close to your descript.
Monikers and "trade names" are useless.
Species Couratari guianensis
Environmental Profile This species is reported to be relatively secure within its natural habitat in most areas in its range, including Panama. Its status in the wild is currently listed as unknown because of insufficient information in Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Surinam, and Venezuela (Source - World Conservation Monitoring Center - 1992 ).
The species is reported to be demonstrably widespread, abundant, and secure globally, although it may be quite
rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery (Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative
endangerment based mainly on the number of occurrences of the species worldwide).
Distribution The species is reported to be found in the hill forests in Costa Rica, Panama, and adjacent
Colombia, as well as in forests of diverse types from Venezuela and the Guianas to Amazonian Brazil.
Product Sources The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) reports that the species is an
important source of timber. The timber is reported to be exported in low quantities.
Common Names : Capa de tabaco, Coco cabuyo, Congolo garapelo, Couatari, Imbirema, Ingiepipa, Ingipipa, Inguipipa, Mahot, Mahot cigare, Tabari, Tampipio, Tauari, Tauary, Wadara
Regions of Origin : Central America, Latin America.
Countries of Origin : French Guiana, Guyana, Brazil, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Suriname, Costa Rica
Tree Data Couratari trees are reported to attain heights of up to 120 feet (37 m). They usually develop stout
buttresses, with trunk diameters of 36 to 48 inches (90 to 120 cm).
Heartwood Color The heartwood is cream or cream white in color, with a pinkish or yellowish tinge. The heartwood and sapwood are not distinct.
Grain The grain is straight or uniformly interlocked. The material is reported to exhibit a fine but faintly
visible silver figure.
Texture The texture is generally coarse to medium.
Odor Some species of the Couratari genus are reported to possess a fetid odor.
Natural Durability The material is reported to have very little or negligible natural resistance to decay, and is
susceptible to attack by termites and dry wood insects.
Resistance to Impregnation The heartwood and sapwood are reported to absorb preservatives readily in both pressure and open tank systems.
Silica Content Silica levels of 0.8% (ovendry weight) have been reported in some Couratari timbers. Silica
level of 0.05% is generally believed to be enough to affect the machining properties of wood.
Strength Properties Bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content) is high -
comparable to Teak. Strength in compression parallel to grain is in the high range. Other species in this range
include Teak, White oak, and Hard maple. It is heavy. The wood has high density.
Blunting Effect The wood is reported to exert moderate to high blunting effect on cutters due to high silica content.
Carving The material is rated as fair to good in all machining operations.
Cutting Resistance Some Couratari species contain high amounts of silica which may affect sawing.
Gluing The wood is reported to have good gluing characteristics.
Luster The luster is reported to vary from low to high.
Nailing The timber holds nails moderately well.
Planing The material is rated as fair to good in all machining operations, including planing. It is reported
to respond fairly well to most tools, but specially-tipped cutters may be required in some Couratari timbers which contain high amounts of silica.
Polishing The wood is reported to finish well.
Ease of Drying The wood dries at a moderate rate, with little degrade.
Drying Defects The wood shows a slight tendency to check and warp during drying.
T/R Ratio 1.78
This ratio is more meaningful if it is used together with actual shrinkage data in the tangential and radial
directions. (Refer to the Numerical Values window)
Tauari
here:;;;;crap..it's mis skewd..I dunno..looks good for int. ext/ I dunno..............
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
Edited 3/3/2005 2:01 am ET by SPHERE
I'd watch that silicon content...looks worse than IPE.I'd also use a penofin and end sealer..sounds indesrtucable unless it's yer tools..then, I see "destructomundo"...drill it, don't breathe it, buy cutters in advance.AHH ..2.00 a BF for 5/4? snag it up........
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
Duane....you rock dude....lol
Be well
a...The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Hello Sphere, I don't usually respond to much here, mostly just read posts. I read through the response that you gave to David, and was pretty impressed, good reply. But there was one line that I caught that makes me wonder if this would make good deck material that was:
"Natural Durability The material is reported to have very little or negligible natural resistance to decay, and is susceptible to attack by termites and dry wood insects. "
Would the penofin oil do enough to protect this wood?
Just asking, thanks MikeWe are the people our parents warned us about. J. Buffett
Mike, I do feel in my gut that yes it would, don't hold the fire to my feet tho'I think ANY penetrating finish will DETER the little wood munchers, but I have no scientific basis that has shown proven results.So, to get to the point of your query...I don't know.I have been an exterminater in a past life, but my range was limited to the NE Corridor..Certified PCO in Pa only.Now, nothing says ya can't introduce a termiticide in a wood finish..like Penofin..but I can't endorse the practice. The lawyers would be on me like...well..termites.Penofin has great properties, but my exp. has been that it was applied to NATURALLY resistant species, as a surface barrier ( altho, it will soak in some species) for UV and elemental water intrusion.This is getting to sound like a book......sorry. I'd try it , and forget about it.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
DAMMIT..Jon Arno is gone from us...DAMMIT!!!I think I have some of that..now that I looked at my pile of stuff..Chocks, or yard blocks, or stickers what ever ya call them 4x4's ( dunnage, totes, etc.) that they ship the exotic plywood lifts on.........It resembles American Beech...works about the same, but really stinks, and kills a blade like steel..........Yes, I do have some..I save those hunks for "fiddly bits" and shop jigs...hard as all get out..I just weighed my self and myself holding a 3x3 42" long....14 lbs!!!! difference..and no, I didn't get lighter. LOLI'd seriously invest in drill bits...this stuff is nasty.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
OK... OK... great big monologue, but no, I don't know the genus/species, or anything else aside from what a little web searching turned up, which was mostly posted by people selling the stuff, and you know how reliable they are.
I was really hoping to hear from someone who put the stuff on a deck and could comment on how it lasts.
I'd do it..if it was cost effetive vs Ipe..yer the wet coast..they target ya for a reason , no? Shipping from SA or Ca must be factored in?Sorry, I have not used it as a deck .
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
I searched "brazilian red chestnut" and hit dipteryx odorata, which is also called a tonka (tonqua) bean tree.
http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/wood/english/papdiodo.htm
Not far from tonqua to tauari, squinting and over-trusting a spell checker.
Dipteryx odorata means double-winged (lobed) sweet smelling.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)