Where are balsa trees naturally found?

balsa, (Ochroma pyramidale), also called balsa tree, fast-growing tropical tree in the mallow family (Malvaceae), noted for its extremely lightweight and light-coloured wood. Balsa can be found from southern Mexico to Bolivia and is a common plant throughout much of its range.

What is so special about balsa wood?

Balsa is the lightest and softest timber used commercially. It exhibits an unusually high degree of buoyancy and provides very efficient insulation against heat and sound. The wood can be adapted to a great number of special end-uses where these properties are essential.

What tree does balsa come from?

OCHROMA is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae, containing the sole species Ochroma pyramidale or lagopus commonly known as the balsa tree. Balsa trees grow naturally in the humid rainforests of Central and South America as well as in tropical seasonal thorn forests there.

Is balsa wood considered a hardwood?

Being a deciduous angiosperm, balsa is classified as a hardwood despite the wood itself being very soft; it is the softest commercial hardwood.

Why is balsa wood so light?

Why is balsa wood so light? The secret to balsa wood’s lightness can only be seen with a microscope. The cells are big and very thin walled, so that the ratio of solid matter to open space is as small as possible. Most woods have gobs of heavy, plastic-like cement, called lignin, holding the cells together.

Where do balsa trees grow best?

Balsa trees grow naturally in the humid rain forests of Central and South America. Its natural range extends south from Guatemala, through Central America, to the north and west coast of South America as far as Bolivia.

What can I use balsa wood for?

What is balsa wood used for?

• Model Building. Balsa wood is mainly used in bridge tests, model aircraft.
• Aircraft and Boat Industries. Balsa wood has been used in construction since the second world war.
• Insulation.
• Furniture.
• Sport parts construction.
• Carving.
• Musical string instruments:
• Balsa wood advantage and disadvantage.

Is balsa wood the softest wood?

Balsa wood: the lightweight among the wood species The stem has a smooth bark which is usually light-gray and may have white marbling. With a density of 0.1 to 0.2 g / cm³, balsa is the softest wood in the world. Thin branches are the softest, while trunk wood has higher density and strength.

What does balsa wood look like?

Color/Appearance: Heartwood tends to be a pale reddish brown color, though it is not commonly seen in commercial lumber. Most boards/blocks of Balsa are from the sapwood, which is a white to off-white or tan color, sometimes with a pink or yellow hue.

Why is balsa wood in the hardwood family?

For example, balsa wood is one of the lightest, least dense woods there is, and it’s considered a hardwood. The distinction between hardwood and softwood actually has to do with plant reproduction. All trees reproduce by producing seeds, but the seed structure varies. Softwoods, on the other hand, are gymnosperms.

Is Douglas fir better than pine?

Douglas fir typically yields a more upscale and elegant appearance than yellow pine does. Due to its softness and the presence of sap and knots, yellow pine (and even some white pine) tends to be less accepting of finishes. Usually, workers end up lacquering or shellacking it in some way to thoroughly seal the wood.

What are the disadvantages of balsa wood?

Disadvantage. The durability of Balsa wood is not very much so that we cannot make the furniture used in our house from this wood. If this water gets spoiled when there is too much water, then we cannot use it even outdoors. This wood is light as well as highly flammable so that it soon burns when exposed to fire.