ECHO interviewed Glen Munro, a man with considerable experience sawing tropical wood in various warm climate countries. Here are a few excerpts from the interview.
It is very difficult to saw many species of eucalyptus, especially if the logs have not been dried. While sawing, the board curls and also sometimes twists. You can get around this problem by girdling (removing bark around) the tree and letting it stand for at least 18 months. Now when you cut the boards they will be as straight as any. …
Coconut “wood” is used where strength is not needed, especially as siding of buildings to shed water. You must let the dead tree dry a year before cutting.…You can saw wood shingles that will make buildings much cooler than those with metal roofs. If you choose local weather-resistant woods, the roofs should last about as long as metal roofs. EDN 60-1.
Cite as:
ECHO Staff 2008. Helpful Insights on Sawing Lumber from Tropical Trees. ECHO Development Notes no. 100