Akwa

Trade Name: Akwa
Other names: Teno Akwa, Nonde, Menda, Pacific Maple
Botanical Name: Pometia Pinnata
Density: 706 kg/m³
Price: From $48/m²

Akwa, one of the most common species in the Solomon Islands, grows to a height of 35 metres, with a girth of up to 3 metres, trees can reach heights of 46 metre but tend to display poor form at this height.this is an important export timber for the islands.

Due to the nature of the forests in the Solomon Islands the majority of the trees are
Selectively logged in an environmentally sustainable manner. The small individual land owners are monitored to ensure trees are felled according to a pre determined set of simple criteria which seeks to reduce the impact of felling and extraction The logs are processed by portable sawmills which create minimal impact on the land. Much of the timber is purchased directly by south pacific timber, this ensures Landowners are paid a fair and reasonable price for the timber

The Timber

The sapwood is pale pink/brown and 25 - 50 mm deep. The heartwood is a dull red brown. It is a fairly coarse textured wood with straight to strongly interlocked grain. A medium heavy wood weighing 18 - 23 kg per cubic foot at 15% moisture content. Movement in service is considered to be low to medium. Akwa is moderately durable. Detailed strength tests have been carried out and Akwa is one of the tougher and stronger commercial timbers of the Solomons.

Working Properties

Machine saws accross the grain like many medium density hardwoods with slight fibrous finish. It turns well and bores satisfactory with some chipping at exit holes. It is brittle to chisel and hand sawing is hard work. Akwa is one of the few hardwoods that respond well to bending.
South Pacific Timber has sold several hundred thousand lineal metres of Akwa T&G Flooring. We have not experienced any timber floor to show signs of anything other then very minor shrinkage (0-1.5%) of all flooring we have sold, Akwa has performed to the highest, most consistant standard. Combined with the excellent quality timber, our stringent quality controls ensure an excellent performance

Uses

Akwa is a useful and sought after hardwood, A tough and versitile timber for construction work, mouldings, interior joinery, door and window frames, flooring, certain types of furniture, boat building, beams and rafters.