Trade Names
Louro Preto, Cordia, Louro Pardo
Latin Names
Cordia ssp., Nectandra ssp., Ocotea ssp.
Origin
Tropical, Central and South America, especially Guayana, Ecuador and Brazil.
Range
A number of different botanical genera are produced and traded as Louro Preto. This is why it is not possible to isolate one single species of this wood to be the very first one to carry this name.
Uses
Architectural woodwork and mass-produced furniture. Less known in Europe. Used in South America also as deck planks for shipbuilding.
Properties
Beautiful medium brown to olive-brown color in which the different textures, from regular to extremely wild, come into their own.
Machining
Despite a certain hardness Louro Preto is easy to work with all tools. However, crystalline deposits quickly dull tools. Carbide-tipped blades are to be recommended.
Seasoning
To avoid tension checking on the surface and at the ends it must be dried slowly and carefully. Louro Preto also tends to distort.
Finishing
The planed surfaces must be carefully treated, the pores should be brushed out and pretreated with a filler. After this treatment any type of surface finish can be applied without difficulty.
Jointing
Glue joints are easy to produce and durable. Pre-drilled screw and nail joints have normal tensile strength.