Plantlet The Blogging Platform of Department of Botany, University of Dhaka
From the time immemorial food, clothing and shelter have been the three great necessities of mankind. Wood is the most familiar and most important forest products.
The wood has contributed a lot to the advancement of civilization. Today, the wood is the most widely used commodity other than food and clothing. It is one of the most important and versatile of the raw materials of the industry.
Some common source of wood and their types are discussed briefly in this article.
1. Tectona grandis
Family name: Verbenaceae
Bengali name: Shegun
English name: Teak
Wood Character:
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- One of the outstanding timbers.
- Wood is golden yellow wen freshly cut, generally turns darker with age.
- Wood is moderately hard, oily, scented, strong, extremely durable, takes an excellent polish and doesn’t corrode in contact with metal.
- Heartwood is resistant to white ants.
Uses:
- Wood is widely used for construction work, ship building, best class furniture, cabinet work, musical instruments, bridge construction, plywood, black boards etc.
2. Shorea robusta
Family name: Dipterocarpaceae
Bengali name: Shal/Gojari
English name: Sal
Wood Character:
- Wood is light brown to reddish-brown, very hard, coarse and very durable.
- Resistant to attack of white ants.
Uses:
- Wood is of great demand for pit props, bridge construction, railway sleepers, piles, electric pools, boat making, furniture, carriages, carts, cart wheel etc.
- An oleoresin, obtained from bark is used in paints, varnishes, carbon papers, typewriter ribbons etc.
3. Swietenia mahagoni
Family name: Meliaceae
Bengali name: Mehogoni
English name: The Mahogany
Wood Character:
- Wood is reddish-brown, hard, extremely strong.
- It takes a good polish.
Uses:
- It is widely used in making furniture, ship building, boat making, floorings and aircraft.
4. Albizia lucida
Family name: Mimosaceae
Bengali name: Shil koroi
English name: Parrot tree
Wood Character:
- Wood is brown, hard and durable.
Uses:
- Wood is used for making furniture, boat making, agricultural implements, construction work, cart and cart accessories, panelling, decorative works etc.
5. Dalbergia sissoo
Family name: Fabaceae
Bengali name: Shishu
English name: Sissoo
Wood Character:
- Wood is heavy, hard, very strong and very durable.
- The wood dries up easily.
Uses:
- Used for very high class furniture, cabinet work, construction, musical instruments, boat building, picture frames, cricket stumps, and for printing blocks.
6. Artocarpus heterophyllus
Family name: Moraceae
Bengali name: Kathal
English name: Jack fruit
Wood Character:
- Wood is golden-yellow to deep brownish.
- It is moderately hard, strong durable and resistant to white ants.
- It takes a beautiful polish.
Uses:
- Wood is used for high class furniture, cabinet work, house building, toys, turnery, carving and musical instruments.
7. Artocarpus chaplasha
Family name: Moraceae
Bengali name: Chapalish
English name: Chapalash
Wood Character:
- Wood is brown to light yellowish.
- Moderately hard, heavy, strong and durable.
Uses:
- Extensively used for ship building, dug-outs, oars, cheap furniture, window frames, doors, boxes, carving and general carpentry.
8. Gmelina arborea
Family name: Verbenaceae
Bengali name: Gamari
English name: Comb tree/Gambar tree
Wood Character:
- Wood is light red, yellow or grey.
- It is moderately heavy, strong and very durable, and is one of the best timbers.
- Wood takes a good polish.
Uses:
- Wood is used for planking, furniture, ship building, boat decking, paneling, carving, printing blocks, carriages, agricultural implements, picture frames, match sticks, match boxes and a variety of other purposes.
9. Heritiera fomes
Family name: Sterculiaceae
Bengali name: Shundori
English name: The Sundri
Wood Character:
- Wood is very hard, unbreakable but more or less elastic.
- It takes a beautiful polish.
- Wood is not attacked by white ants and water resistant.
Uses:
- Used as pile wood, in boat making, carriage building, for oars, helms, masts, cart axles, agricultural implements, furniture, tool handles, railway keys, and in general construction works.
10. Dipterocarpus turbinatus
Family name: Dipterocarpaceae
Bengali name: Gorjan
English name: Gurjan balsam
Wood Character:
- Wood is reddish-brown, moderately hard and durable.
Uses:
- Wood is widely used for boat-building, internal construction works, doors, packing cases, tea chests, railway sleepers, planking, dug-outs, carriage and wagon construction.
11. Chukrasia tabularis
Family name: Meliaceae
Bengali name: Chikrashi
English name: White cedar/Chittagong wood
Wood Character:
- Wood is reddish-brown, hard, close-grained, richly veit1ed.
- Wood is heavy, hard, and has high strength.
- Takes a fine lasting polish.
Uses:
- One of the finest woods for ornamental veneers, for high class furniture, railway carriages, piano cases, panelling, carving, building purposes and aircraft propellers.
12. Syzygium cumini
Family name: Myrtaceae
Bengali name: Jam
English name: Black berry
Wood Character:
- Wood is pale reddish-grey to brownish-grey, moderately hard and fairly durable even under water.
- It takes a very attractive polish.
Uses:
- Wood is extensively used for house building, posts, beams, solid cart wheels, boat building, oars, masts of boats, agricultural implements, carving, turnery and furniture.
13. Azadirachta indica
Family name: Meliaceae
Bengali name: Neem
English name: Neem/Neem tree
Wood Character:
- Wood is durable, and takes a good polish.
- Resistant to white ants.
Uses:
- Wood is used for making furniture, musical instruments, frame of doors and windows, cigar boxes and agricultural implements.
14. Bombax ceiba
Family name: Bombacaceae
Bengali name: Shimul
English name: Silk wood
Wood Character:
- Wood is soft, light and perishable.
Uses:
- Mainly used for match box and match splints, but also has great demand for packing cases, toys, second grade pencils, planking and drums.
15. Anthocephalus chinensis
Family name: Rubiaceae
Bengali name: Kadam
English name: Kadam
Wood Character:
- Wood is soft, yellowish-white and not durable.
- It is light to moderately heavy.
Uses:
- Mainly used for packing cases, match boxes, match splints.
- Also used for carving, turnery, veneering, tea-chests, toys and slate frames.
16. Excoecaria agallocha
Family name: Euphorbiaceae
Bengali name: Gewa
English name: Blinding tree
Wood Character:
- Wood is white, very soft, light and spongy.
- It is not durable.
Uses:
- Mainly used for pulp in newsprint manufacture.
- Also useful for making toys and cheap furniture.
