Axial and Radial Variations in the Physical Properties of Plantation Grown Tectona grandis Wood

Abstract

The variations in density, percentage shrinkage and thickness swelling of plantation grown Tectona grandis wood aged 15, 20 and 25 years were examined. Six trees from each even aged class were selected at the Edo State Forestry plantation sites. Wood samples were collected from innerwood, middle wood and outerwood at 10, 50 and 90% of the tree merchantable height. The density, percentage shrinkage and thickness swelling increased with increase in age of the tree. The mean values of density for the three age classes on oven-dry weight and volume basis were 479, 555, 649kg m^-3.  Mean percentage shrinkage values in the radial directions were 3.702, 2.717 and 1.460% while the mean values obtained in the tangential directions were 7.602, 5.519 and 5.040%. Similarly, the mean values for thickness swelling in the radial directions were 5.456, 4.081 and 2.404% while the mean values obtained in the tangential directions were 9.909, 7.559 and 5.133% for 15, 20 and 25 years old Tectona grandis wood respectively Wood density increased from pith to bark and decrease from base to top. Also percentage shrinkage and thickness swelling increase from pith to bark while it decreased from base to top. The correlation between density, percentage shrinkage and thickness swelling were significant at 0.05 level of probability.