Common Name: Crabwood
Scientific Name: Carapa guianensis
Wood Description: Crabwood, also known as Andiroba or Royal Mahogany, is a tropical, distributed across Central and South America. The heartwood of freshly cut material ranges from pinkish to dark red, transitioning to a uniform reddish-brown or brown upon exposure to air. It often possesses a golden luster and is noted for its resemblance to mahogany. The sapwood is typically lighter, appearing pink or pale brown, and is not always clearly demarcated from the heartwood. The wood has a uniform, fine to medium texture, with a grain that is mainly straight, though it can sometimes be wavy or interlocked, producing a ribbon-like figure on quarter sawn surfaces. It has no characteristic odor or distinctive taste.
Physical Properties: Crabwood is considered a medium to low-density wood. Its average dried weight is 660 kg/m³ (41 lbs/ft³). The basic specific gravity (at 12% MC) ranges from 0.56 to 0.66, with a specific gravity of 0.47. The Janka hardness is 1,220 lbf (5,430 N), with a side hardness of 610 pounds also cited. The wood is moderately stable. Shrinkage from green to oven-dry is radial 3.1% and tangential 7.6%, with a volumetric shrinkage of 10.4%.28
Mechanical Properties: Crabwood possesses medium bending and crushing strength, and low stiffness. The modulus of rupture (MOR) is 15,580 lbf/in² (107.4 MPa), and the elastic modulus (MOE) is 1,965,000 lbf/in² (13.55 GPa). Crushing strength is 8,220 lbf/in² (56.7 MPa). These properties indicate a timber suitable for general construction and furniture applications rather than extreme load-bearing structures.
Uses: Crabwood is a versatile timber suitable for a range of uses. It is commonly employed for furniture, cabinetwork, and flooring. Other applications include stairs, mouldings, boxes and crates, joinery, paneling, seats, and interior window frames. It is also used for veneer, decorative plywood, and light carpentry. Its use in shipbuilding, particularly for boat decks, is also noted. Its exterior application is somewhat restricted by its lower durability in ground contact.