Black bean

Black bean Castanospermum australe

Description

A dense hard wood obtained from an Australian tree, Castanaspermum australe. Black bean wood is a medium to dark brown in color and has darker streaks or figuring. It has a medium texture and a grain that can be straight, wavy, or roey. Black bean wood becomes brittle as it dries and is susceptible to warping. It is resistant to rotting, fungi, and termites but not powderpost beetles. Black bean wood is used for furniture, cabinetry, decorative boxed, cane handles, gunstocks, and veneer.

Black bean (Castanaspermum australe)

Synonyms and Related Terms

blackbean; Moreton Bay chestnut

Other Properties

0.77 specific gravity.

Density	45-50 ppcf

Authority

• F. H. Titmuss, Commercial Timbers of the World, The Technical Press Ltd., London, 1965

• Kribs, Commercial Foreign woods on the American market

• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreton_Bay_Chestnut (Accessed Jan. 25, 2006)