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White Beech

Common Name(s): Beech; grey teak

Scientific Name: Gmelina Moluccana

Distribution: Southeast Asia and Oceania

Janka Hardness: 630

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is pale straw to light grey-brown. Sapwood and heartwood show no noticeable color difference.

Grain/Texture: Firm, close grain, slightly greasy wood. May have interlocking grain.

Workability: Sawdust may clog up sawteeth, The gluing properties are moderate due to a greasy surface. Gmelina timber saws easily and planes to a smooth finish and polishes well. Rotary peeling is easy even without pretreatment, and the veneers are easy to handle without a tendency to tear; they remain flat after drying. The gluing properties are reported as good. Gmelina is in general very stable timber.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is reported by the IUCN RED LIST as Least Concern.

Common Uses: furniture, joinery, carving, turnery, picture frames, carving, boat building decking, planking, framing, flooring, lining, and moldings.