Botanically, Satiné or Muirapiranga(Brosimum paraense, B.rubescens) belongs to the Moraceae family and is thus related to Muirapinima(B. guianensis), the tree that produces “snakewood” or “letterwood”. Muirapiranga is a type of wood found in the Amazon (terra firme) and is comparatively rare there. The French name is “Satiné” or “Cacique”, the English “Bloodwood”.
The heartwood varies from yellow-brown to rosé to a strong red color. The older the wood, the more intense the red coloration. The pores are fine and scattered. The fibers are mostly straight, sometimes slightly alternating, but not intertwined. The wood has an overall simple structure and is decorative thanks to its color, which is lightfast.
Density at 12% moisture content is approx. 1.00 – 1.10 t/m3. Satiné is moderately shrinking. The tangential shrinkage is 5.8%, the radial shrinkage 4.1%. However, drying should be slow and gentle if warping and cracking are to be avoided. The wood is hard and rigid, but can be easily worked with all tools. Pre-drilling is absolutely necessary. The Brinell hardness is approx. 42 N/mm2 (Brinell) and thus significantly higher than that of oak; the modulus of elasticity is 18 – 23,000 N/mm2. Satiné is weather-resistant and classified in resistance class 1, i.e. it can be kept in contact with the ground for up to 25 years.
Snakewood, pernambuco, massarandouba, etc.
| Sources: |
ATIBT (1990): Atlas de Maderas Tropicales de América Latina LINCOLN (1986) World Woods in Color |
