1. Name and origin:

International name: Mukulungu
Latin name: Autranella congolensis.
Family: Sapotaceae
Origin: Central Africa

2. Description of the wood:

Sapwood: grey, clearly separated
Heartwood: reddish-brown
Fibers set: stripes
Texture: Smooth
Due to the weather conditions the wood’s top layer is prone to a natural process of patination. The silver coating does not affect or reduce the technical parameters of timber and the process of biological aging. In order to maintain the natural color and to provide additional protection we recommend regular use of special oils intended for outdoor wooden structures. Renovation of the terrace should be done twice a year (before and after winter).

3. Properties of wood:

Density (fresh wood): 1200 kg / m3
Density (wood with a moisture content of 12%): 940 kg / m3
Tangential Shrinkage: 8.4%
Radial Shrinkage: 7.4%
Compressive strength: 74 N / mm2
Flexural strength: 119 N / mm2
Elasticity: 17,060 N / mm2
Fiber saturation point: 26%

4. Treatment:

Sawing: easy, but it requires significant forces
Drying: slow, deformation and fracture risk
Connecting / nailing: good, requires pre-drilling
Finishing: good

5. Resistance:

Mushrooms: very durable
Termites: durable to very durable
Insects: durable to very durable
Natural resistance: Class 1 highly resistant (according to European Standard) Mukulungu has a very high natural resistance to biodegradation and includes top 5 class use (wood is constantly exposed to sea water). Durability of the wood in the outdoor garden architecture is determined on 30-50 years.

6. Notes:

Defects allowed in 10% of the lots: cracks, resin pockets, knots, sapwood, traces of mache treatment. Fiber twists, leading cracks, differences in color, slight curvature, and other distortions are not considered as defect of wood. Mukulungu decking is a 100% natural and hygroscopic product. Wood absorbs water from the environment and it expands during rainy weather, and gives the water away and shrinks during hot summer days. The actual width and thickness of the board may vary up to about 6% from the dimensions given on the invoice. Wood used outdoors is exposed to extreme weather conditions and as a result it can mellow, deform, cracks and change its dimensions - these are natural processes of wood and should not be a subject of a complaint. Wood is not a uniform material and each board has individual characteristics, depending on the conditions under which the specific tree has grown. There may be differences in natural grain and color even if the wood has come from the same source. The material should be checked prior to installation. Any damage or irregularities must be notified prior to installation. Start of installation means acceptance of the technical condition and appearance of the material. Installation should be performed by a specialist. Install according to instructions.

7. Special weather conditions:

The products are supplied with the assumption that the customer is familiar with the properties of wood and is certain about the mounting location and the conditions prevailing there are adequate for the specific wood. In certain climatic conditions Mukulungu may behave differently than described above. For further information, please contact your dealer.