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Note that in this summary of the guidelines the term "grouping of species" is not related to the commercial grouping of species in international trade. The study summarized here is concerned with the evaluation of properties respective to processing and uses, and not with the establishment of commercial values. |
FROM A STUDY produced by the Forest Products Research and Development Commission of the Philippines.
Phase I
The evaluation of information and practical experience so far gained in the promotion and actual application of tropical wood species by grouping based on properties of solid wood.
A. Background information on the tropical hardwood situation in the Philippines and Southeast Asia is presented.
In the Philippines it is estimated that there are still 1.5 thousand million m³ of standing timber in the productive forests. The annual allowable cut is about 9 062 239 m³
Partial reports for 1979 showed that during the first quarter about 275 278 m³ of logs, 116 897 m³ of sawntimber, 8 048 m³ of veneer sheets and 100 844 m³ of plywood went to the export market.
Estimate of log export from the Southeast Asian Lumber Producers' Association (SEALPA) is about 33.8 million m³ in 1979.
B. The wood properties and characteristics, based on solid wood in grouping species, are given and described. These are: (1) colour, (2) grain, (3) texture, (4) figure, (5) odour and taste, (6) wood deposits, (7) fibre dimension, (8) specific gravity, (9) shrinkage, (10) natural durability, (11) treatability, (12) seasoning, (13) strength, (14) sawing, (15) machining, (16) rotary veneering, (17) bending, and (18) kraft-pulping reactivity.
C. Lists of species under each grouping are presented with information on promotion as well as application of species for certain end uses by industry.
As the end uses of timber have created specific industries, the traditionally used species, recently used species, and those which may be used are included in each list. Not all Philippine timber species are included in these groupings.
A total of 334 species are included in the study.
Phase II
The establishment of property/use criteria including proposals for uniform methods to group wood species in relation to use properties.
A. End-use/property classification:
A classification of major end use for round timber and sawntimber and an enumeration of property requirements for each end use are presented.
For round timber, the following end uses are listed and their property requirements enumerated:
1. Poles, piles and posts-form, grain, specific gravity, strength, durability and treatability.2. Pulpwood: chemical reactivity for chemical pulps, colour, specific gravity, chemical composition and fibre dimension.
3. Veneer logs (a) for plywood: form, peeling characteristics, drying and gluing, (b) for matchwood, chopsticks, toothpicks, etc.: form, peeling characteristics, colour, grain, odour and taste, seasoning, specific gravity and strength.
For sawntimber, the following major end uses are listed and their property requirements enumerated:
1. Heavy construction: bridges, sleepers, mine timber, truck bodies, etc.; specific gravity, strength, durability, treatability, spike holding and rail cutting (in case of sleepers).2. Light construction: house framing, siding, specific gravity, strength, workability, seasoning, shrinkage, durability and treatability.
3. Furniture and cabinets: colour, grain, figure, specific gravity, strength, workability, seasoning, shrinkage and finishing.
4. Millworks and mouldings: specific gravity, strength, workability, seasoning, shrinkage, grain and finishing.
5. Joinery: seasoning, workability, texture and finishing.
6. Tool handles and sporting goods: specific gravity, toughness, workability, finishing, grain and texture.
7. Boxes, crates and pallets: specific gravity, strength, workability, odour (for certain boxes), fastening property and printability.
8. Musical instruments: resonance, workability, grain, seasoning and shrinkage.
9. Woodcraft, novelties and toys: workability, seasoning, finishing, specific gravity, odour and texture.
All the end-use properties are classified, for example, workability: (A) good, (B) - fair, (C) - poor. The parameters for the classification are defined.
B. Proposals for uniform methods of grouping wood species in relation to use properties. For each end use, species are listed as to how they meet the property criteria classification.
C. Utilization statistics of species for different end uses.
An attempt is made to present available current statistics on the amount of timber utilized for every end use for domestic consumption and for export.
(It can be difficult to get statistics on volume per species utilized for every end use but whenever such in formation could be obtained from industry, it was included. Instances of market interest in buying nontraditionally used species are also cited.)
Phase III
Analysis of the implication of species grouping on timber grading and proposal for a suitable framework for grading rules designed to cover groups of species.
A. Implications of species grouping on timber grading in relation to local conditions and international markets are analysed.
Background information for analysis: The Philippines has a set of grading rules for peeler logs, veneer logs and sawlogs. These rules are applied for domestic and export logs. There also exists a set of standards for telecommunication and power transmission poles. These standards are applied by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and by preservative treatment plants supplying poles to power companies. For railway sleepers, the Philippines National Railways has its own standards.
There is no uniform grading rule for locally sold sawntimber. For sawntimber exported to the United States, the US National Hardwood Lumber Association grading rules are applied.
B. Proposal for a suitable framework for grading rules designed to cover groups of species.
The framework is based on end-use property criteria and the species are listed or grouped into end-use classes. The end-use class refers to how well the end-use property criteria are met by the species.
Example: End use for furniture.
Species are considered in terms of how they need criteria formulated for three classes of furniture, designated classes (A), (B) and (C).
Existing grading rules for hardwood timber are considered insofar as defects are concerned.
