The birthplace of the Abash tree, or African oakis western and equatorial Africa. Places of the greatest concentration: the countries of Ghana and Congo. Other names for this representative of the Malvaceae: Abachi, Samba, Vava, Ayous. Abash is photophilous, grows lonely and isolated from other trees - there is always free space in the forest around him.
The size of the tropical oak is impressive: it is able to stretch up to 40 m, and the trunk of adult specimens increases in girth to 2-3 m. Its crown is spreading and thick, but remains only in the upper part, due to which the trunk is devoid of numerous knots.
Currently, work is underway to maintain and restore this species due to the value of wood.
Wood properties
For the first time, the unique qualities of lumber were noted in the 70s of the 19th century. Swedish and Finnish builders liked it due to its unique thermal conductivity. It turned out that African abash does not heat up, even if the ambient temperature is about 100 ° C. This property allows the use of wood for interior decoration of baths, steam rooms, saunas. Sheathing and shelves made of abacha do not cause burns when touched. The surface of the material has an ambient temperature, but there is no heat inside the accumulation.
If you put your hand on the abash, it will be hot in the first seconds, then the tree will adjust and become the same temperature as the skin. African oak provides such properties with high porosity, which is necessary in conditions of a very humid and hot equatorial climate. In addition, this lumber quickly gives off moisture, but slowly absorbs it. If you wet it across the fibers, the water will not absorb beyond the surface.
In the first half of the 20th century, wood began to be used for the manufacture of furniture, interior items, and musical instrument cases. In the 90s, abash also appeared on the Russian market, where its technical and operational qualities were evaluated.
Specifications
African oak wood is rather dense, its index immediately after felling is about 650–700 kg / m³, after drying to 12% - about 350 kg / m³. The structure and color are uniform: the core and sapwood practically do not differ from each other, the wood canvas has delicate light shades from milky white to cream and pronounced yellow. Due to the absence of knots and twigs on the trunk, the texture and pattern of the material are finely meshed. Other qualities:
- indicator of resistance to compression - 280 kg / m²;
- specific gravity - 0.30–0.55 g / cm²;
- tarry sinuses are absent;
- the ability to cover a wide range of profiles depending on the creative direction and construction goals;
- a successful combination of abash boards with other tree species, for example with cedar;
- high technology and durability.
Unlikepine trees oraspens - other “bath” materials having a moisture content of about 30%, abach at its 12% for a long time does not shrink and does not deform, preserving the original structure for decades.
Due to its porosity, Abachi wood lends itself perfectly to all types of processing, despite the relatively high density. It can be peeled on the veneer, sawed mechanically and manually, grind on lathes, cut, hammer nails into it, screw any kind of fasteners without fear that the material will crack or crack. In addition, the abash tree glues well, is painted over with tinting compositions, polished, which allows it to be used for the manufacture of various types of decorative elements: carved baguette, frames, furniture details, panels, lining.
The cost of this lumber, given the difficulties with delivery, is higher than that of other wood. The price of an Abash board for 1 running meter starts from 270 rubles.
The disadvantages include the need to withstand freshly chopped material before drying. Before you start it, you need to wait about 1-2 days, otherwise it is possible to lose the natural color or blackening of lumber. In addition, the bath cladding from this tree species is resistant to damage by fungus and other biological pathogens, therefore, requires additional treatment with antiseptics. Improper care can cause premature rot. For some, the unusual specific aroma of wood can provoke severe allergies.