WOOD SPECIES · Hardwood
Jatobá: density, weight and properties
Hymenaea courbaril, Hymenaea spp.
Jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril) averages 940 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content, according to CIRAD’s Tropix database. The figures below are averages for clear, mature wood; individual boards vary with origin, growth and moisture.
Key figures
- Density at 12% moisture
- 940 kg/m³Average for mature wood; varies with origin and growth
- Monnin hardness at 12%
- 10.5French surface-hardness index; not convertible to Janka
- Bending strength (modulus of rupture)
- 160 MPa
- Stiffness (modulus of elasticity)
- 23,460 MPa
- Compression parallel to grain
- 97 MPa
- Tangential shrinkage, green to oven-dry
- 7.5%
- Radial shrinkage, green to oven-dry
- 3.9%
- Fibre saturation point
- 23%
Weight at 12% moisture content
Volume × 940 kg/m³, the same calculation as the weight calculator. Green or wet wood weighs considerably more.
| Piece | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic metre | 1,000 × 1,000 × 1,000 mm | 940 kg |
| 1 board foot | 12 × 12 × 1 in | 2.22 kg |
| 1×4 board, 8 ft | 3/4 × 3 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 3.88 kg |
| 1×6 board, 8 ft | 3/4 × 5 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 6.1 kg |
| 2×4 board, 8 ft | 1 1/2 × 3 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 7.76 kg |
| 2×6 board, 10 ft | 1 1/2 × 5 1/2 in actual × 10 ft | 15.2 kg |
Movement across the width
How much a board 11 1/4 in (286 mm) wide changes when its moisture content moves by a few percentage points. The estimate uses the total shrinkage above and a linear relation below the fibre saturation point of 23% (Wood Handbook Eq. 4-9). Flat-sawn boards move with tangential shrinkage, quartersawn boards with radial shrinkage.
| Moisture change | Flat-sawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 3 percentage points | 2.8 mm (0.11 in) | 1.5 mm (0.057 in) |
| 6 percentage points | 5.6 mm (0.22 in) | 2.9 mm (0.114 in) |
Wood movement across the grain · Moisture content and acclimatising wood
Natural durability
Durability of the heartwood against wood-decay fungi: class 2–3 on the EN 350 scale from 1 (very durable) to 5 (not durable), as reported by Tropix. The rating applies to heartwood only.
Working and finishing
Hard enough that stellite saw teeth are recommended for production work; pilot holes are needed, and gluing must closely follow the adhesive maker’s instructions. Tropix warns that tannin-like coloured compounds can wash out and mark nearby materials.
Typical uses
- Flooring
- Interior stairs
- Decking
- Fine furniture and cabinetmaking
- Tool handles
- Turnery
- Exterior joinery (windows and doors)
Calculate with this material
Species with similar density
Sources & references
Uses and working notes summarise the cited source. Check the moisture content, grade and origin of the wood you actually buy.