There are various tropical timber species on the market of wood for flooring, however their commercial names are not always correct. We got twenty-nine samples of tropical timber species from the floor traders. Out of those samples we have made slides for microscopic wood identification. The identification showed, that out of twenty-nine species, five are sold under the incorrect name. All the examined species were given data about physical and mechanical and machinability properties and were later classified into four groups, based on the suitability for floor coverings. The most appropriate ones are: Dipteryx odorata, Manilkara bidentata, Bowdichia spp. in Guibouritia spp. Those are also the species that contain wood with a high density and hardness, a favorable shrinkage anisotropy, have durable woodand use class 3 or 4. The least appropriate species is Acacia mangium, which has an unfavourable shrinkage anisotropy and low density and hardness. Next to all above mentioned properties, aesthetic appearance and the price, are also important when choosing wood for flooring.
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