Specimen #171

Mahogany — Identification, Uses and Properties

Swietenia humilis Zucc. Meliaceae

Sawn timber appearance grading According to NHLA grading rules (2015) Possible grading: FAS, Select, Common 1, Common 2, Common 3 Visual structure grading According to French standard NF B 52-001-1 (2011), strength class D18 can be provided by visual grading.

Texture: Medium. Grain: Straight or interlocked. Sometimes internal stresses.

HARDWOOD LATIN AMERICA ARCHED GOODS

Taxonomy & Nomenclature

Botanical Name(s)

Swietenia humilis Zucc., Swietenia krukovii Gleason, Swietenia macrophylla King (Syn. Swietenia candollei), Swietenia mahagoni Jacq.

Family

Meliaceae

Wood type

Hardwood

Local Names

Mahonia (Germany), Caoba, Mara (Bolivia), Aguano, Araputanga, Mogno (Brazil), Caoba (Colombia), Caoba (Cuba), Caoba (Spain), Acajou d’Amérique, Mogno (France), Chacalte (Guatemala), Mahogany (Haïti), Mogano (Italy), Baywood, Zopilote (Mexico), Aguano, Caoba (Peru), Mahogany (Dominican Republic), Mahogany (United Kingdom), Orura (Venezuela), – Éric Orsini, Pézenas (France). (Art Deco style wardrobe – 1928 by René Coulomb)

Origin Region

Latin America

Main End Uses

Arched goods · Turned goods · Framing · Ship building (planking and deck) · Cabinetry (high-end furniture) · Veneer for back or face of plywood · Musical instruments · Veneer for interior of plywood · Panelling · Exterior joinery · Interior joinery · Built-in furniture or mobile item · Moulding · Sliced veneer · Exterior panelling · Marquetry

Wood Identification Guide

Reference Colour

Red brown

Texture

Medium

Grain

Straight or interlocked

Sapwood

Clearly demarcated

Interlocked Grain

Slight

Notes

Sometimes internal stresses.

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Log Description

Tree height

40 – 65 ft

Tree height

12 – 20 m

Diameter

60 to 130 cm cm

Sapwood Thickness

2 to 5 cm cm

Buoyancy

Floats

Log Conservation

Moderate (treatment recommended)

Diameter

23.6 to 51.2 in in

Sapwood Thickness

0.8 to 2 in in

Physical & Mechanical Properties

Density

0.6 g/cm³ @ 12% MC

Density

37.5 lb/ft³

Monnin Hardness

3.4

Janka Hardness

1,020 lbf

Janka Hardness

4,537 N

Volumetric Shrinkage Coefficient

0.4 % / %

Tangential Shrinkage

3.7 %

Radial Shrinkage

2.6 %

T/R Anisotropy Ratio

1.4

Fibre Saturation Point

23 %

Thermal Conductivity

0.2 W/m·K

Thermal Conductivity

0.116 BTU/(h·ft·°F)

Lower Heating Value

19,090 MJ/kg

Lower Heating Value

8,207 BTU/lb

Crushing Strength

54 MPa

Crushing Strength

7,832 psi

Bending Strength (MOR)

85 MPa

Bending Strength (MOR)

12,328 psi

Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)

10,790 MPa

Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)

1,564,957 psi

Durability & Treatment

Resistance to Decay

Class 2 - durable

Dry Wood Borers

Class D - durable (sapwood demarcated, risk limited to sapwood) Cross sections of Swietenia macrophylla

Termites

Class S - susceptible

Treatability

Class 4 – non-treatable

Use Class

Class 2 - inside or under cover (dampness possible)

Preservation Requirements

Against Dry Wood Borers

This wood does not require any preservation treatment

Temporary Humidification

This wood does not require any preservation treatment

Notes

Mahogany is listed in the NF EN 350 standard. Part of the Mahogany sold in the world today comes from young plantations often constituted with woods with inferior properties than the woods from natural forests. In particular, juvenile wood presents an incomplete duraminisation which explains their lower durability compared to that of more mature woods.

Drying Schedule & Risks

Drying Rate

Rapid

Risk Distortion

Slight risk

Risk Case Hardening

No known specific risk

Risk Checking

Slight risk

Risk Collapse

No known specific risk

Suggested Schedule

Schedule #3 (see explanatory note)

Sawing & Machining

Blunting Effect

Normal

Machining Tools

Ordinary

Suitability Peeling

Good

Suitability Slicing

Good

Assembling & Finishing

Nailing Screwing

Good

Fire Safety & Ratings

French Grading Thick Gt14mm

M3 (moderately flammable) Thickness < 14 mm: M4 (readily flammable) Euroclass grading. D-s2, d0 Default grading for solid wood that meets requirements of European standard NF EN 14081-1 (April 2016): structural graded timber in vertical uses and ceilings with minimal mean density of 0.35 and minimal thickness of 22 mm.

French Grading Thick Lt14mm

M4 (readily flammable) Euroclass grading. D-s2, d0 Default grading for solid wood that meets requirements of European standard NF EN 14081-1 (April 2016): structural graded timber in vertical uses and ceilings with minimal mean density of 0.35 and minimal thickness of 22 mm.

Euroclass

D-s2, d0 Default grading for solid wood that meets requirements of European standard NF EN 14081-1 (April 2016): structural graded timber in vertical uses and ceilings with minimal mean density of 0.35 and minimal thickness of 22 mm.

Commercial Grading

NHLA Grades

FAS Select Common 1 Common 2 Common 3

CITES & Trade Restrictions

CITES Status

Three species of Mahogany are listed in CITES Appendix ii :

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