Vitex Decking

Our Vitex decking is a great option where you are after a light colored hardwood to enhance your outdoor living areas. It is pale yellow to creamy-grey in appearance, it will still bleed but it is minimal in comparison to something like Kwila. When freshly cut the timber has an odor which has been likened to leather, and the boards have a greasy feel. The texture of Vitex is fine with an even grain.

Vitex is mainly used in outdoor applications, primarily decking, but also boardwalks and exterior joinery. As a kiln dried product it can be used for T & G flooring.

Overview

Our Solomon Island Vitex is machined here, in NZ to a 140 x 19mm Smooth Four Sides (S4S) decking profile.

Vitex is a high density timber and has value in uses such as heavy construction, wharf and bridge decking, flooring, boat building, sleepers, and joinery.

Botanical Name:	Vitex cofassus Reinw.
Standard Trade Names:	Vitex
Other Names:	Bitum, Garamut (Papua New Guinea) Leban (Malaysia) Kyeto (Burma)
Origin of Product:	Solomon Is.
Grade:	Select
Availability	140 x 19mm S4S Selling quick, pre-orders encouraged.
Species information for this product:	The Heartwood is grey, olive to yellowish-brown in color. The sapwood is slightly paler and not clearly distinguished. The grain is straight but sometimes slight interlock does occur; Slightly lustrous with a fine and even texture. The timber seasons well, with little degrade providing stacks are weighted and stickers closely spaced. Vitex presents no conversion problems, considering its density. It planes and machines to a smooth finish and has good bending properties

Properties

Even

Properties
Density:	700 -800 Kg/m3 @ 12% m.c
Durability:	Class 2: Durable
Colour:	Pale Yellow – Creamy grey.
Texture:	Fine and slightly lustrous
Grain:	Straight
Figure:
Permeability:	Class 4: Highly resistant, comparatively narrow sapwood, or un-treatable heartwood

Workability
General:	Easy to work
Sawing:	Cutting resistance is reported to be easy, relative to the density of the timber
Planing:	Excellent characteristics; produces a smooth surface.
Blunting:	Low.
Boring:	Fairly easy.
Turning:	Good turning properties.
Nailing:	Hold well without pre-boring
Gluing:
Finishing:	Takes oil and stains well

Mechanical

Mechanical Properties
Strength:	SD3.
Structural Grade:
Hardness (Janka):	5.6kN (seasoned)
Max. Crushing Strength:
Modulus of Elasticity:	13GPa (seasoned), 11GPa (unseasoned).
Modulus of Rupture:	108MPa (seasoned), 74MPa (unseasoned).

Seasoning
General:	Seasons well, care should be taken to reduce cupping.
Movement:	Very low.
Shrinkage:	Low.