Origin
The bossé wood or guarea is obtained from a tropical tree that we can locate between west and central Africa, mainly in Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, but it also extends to areas of South America. It receives the scientific name of Guarea cedrata and it belongs to the family of the Meliaceae plants. Currently it is a species that is threatened by over-exploitation.
Colour
The colour of bossé wood is orange, with a pale brown flush in the sapwood and a pink hue shade in the heartwood.
Texture
The vein of the bossé wood is straight, sometimes slightly interleaved, while the grain has a size ranging from medium to fine thickness.
Durability
The bossé wood is very durable and uniform if we take into account its significant weight. In addition, it holds moisture well and it is strong against the warm weather, so it is highly appreciated for its long durability and it is used primarily for exterior works.
Features
The bossé wood is a material easy to work with, except for the silica-containing surface, which causes the wear of the tools, besides some skin allergies. Therefore, it is advisable to use gloves and mask when handling it. The sapwood of the bossé wood is impregnable, while the heartwood does not accept dyes and varnishes, and the drying is very slow. The gluing, nailing and screwing does not usually cause problems, helping to get a perfect finish, with little abrupt deformation by the resin.
Applications
The most common applications of bossé wood is usually furniture and fine cabinetry for interior and exterior, and also the manufacture of musical instruments, boats, frames wagons and trucks, turned parts, carpentry for interior and exterior, doors, paneling, moldings, baseboards, trims, doors and windows, decorative veneers and plywoods.