Common name: Garapa
Botanical name: Apuleia mollaris
WHY USE GARAPA?
It is a very durable timber that resists rot, decay and fire. The timber is lustrous and does not bleed. It has a high silica content and is scratch resistant. Primarily used as a kiln-dried decking timber.
APPEARANCE AND DESCRIPTION
Garapa is a light yellow to honey-brown colour and its interlocked grain has a fine texture.
PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Durability:
Garapa is a hard and strong timber with high bending and crushing strengths.
Mechanical properties:
| Density at 12% moisture content | 900 kg/m3 |
| Modulus of elasticity | 14 GPa |
| Modulus of rupture | 89 MPa |
| Side Hardness | 7.4 kN |
| Tangential shrinkage – green to 12% MC | 6.5% |
| Radial Shrinkage – green to 12% MC | 3.5% |
Machining:
Garapa saws, nails and screws well with only slight blunting effect. Garapa is also scratch-resistant.
Glueing and coating considerations:
Garapa glues well.