The sapwood of kempas is yellow to pale white, while the heartwood is orangish-red to reddish-brown in color upon drying. This species has an interlocked, sometimes spiraled grain, is fairly lustrous, and is coarse in texture.
The sapwood of kempas is yellow to pale white, while the heartwood is orangish-red to reddish-brown in color upon drying. This species has an interlocked, sometimes spiraled grain, is fairly lustrous, and is coarse in texture.
COLOR CHANGE:
Kempas undergoes a medium degree of muting of the color range over time and a slight darkening to a medium reddish color.
MAIN USES:
Kempas's uses include flooring, chairs, railroad ties, shingles, cabinets, and veneer.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
Kempas has a natural resistance to decay. The wood remains smooth under friction and is reported to have no discernable odor. Kempas dries rather easily but can experience some splitting due to abnormalities in the wood. Of note is the fact that kempas is somewhat acidic in nature and can harbor corrosion in metals where exposed when moist.
WORKING PROPERTIES:
Kempas contains pockets of hard deposits that can provide some difficulty when sawing and can promote blunting of tools. Pre-boring is suggested yet the wood holds nails well once applied. Glue holds well with kempas flooring. This species sands well but does require some filling to ensure a good polish.
