Common Name: Mora
Scientific Name: Mora excelsa
Wood Description: Mora wood, from Mora excelsa, has a heartwood that varies from chocolate-brown to reddish-brown. The sapwood is wide, with a yellowish to pale brown color. The grain is typically straight to commonly interlocked, often exhibiting attractive bird’s-eye, wavy, or ribbon-grain figures, making it visually appealing. The wood has a high luster and a coarse texture. It is without a distinctive odor or taste.
Physical Properties: Mora is a very heavy and very hard wood. In the green condition, the timber weighs 77 lbs/ft³, and when air-dry, it weighs 55-68 lbs/ft³ (900-1100 kg/m³). The air-dried density (12% MC) is specifically reported as 990 kg/m³. The air-dry specific gravity averages 1.00, and 0.78 based on green volume and oven-dry weight. Mora is remarkably fire-resistant.
Mechanical Properties: Mora possesses outstanding strength properties, making it a very strong, stiff, hard, and tough timber. Its bending strength (Modulus of Rupture, MOR) is 149 N/mm² at 12% MC. The modulus of elasticity (MOE) is 21020 N/mm² at 12% MC. Crushing strength is 81 N/mm² at 12% MC. It is particularly resistant to wear. These properties contribute to its excellent structural performance.
Uses: Mora timber has numerous uses due to its hardness, toughness, weight, and strength. It is best suited for heavy construction work, including jetties, bridge timber, house framing, bridge decking, and heavy-duty industrial flooring. It is particularly suitable for railroad cross-ties and ship-building. Its high wearing qualities make it suitable for flooring under most traffic conditions. Mora is very common in Guyana, with abundant and regular supplies available.