Working with Snakewood in Epoxy Tabletops
Snakewood (Zygia racemosa, with synonyms Marmaroxylon racemosum and Pithecellobium racemosum) is a Latin American hardwood known for its distinct patterning. Designing furniture or an epoxy river table with this dense species requires an understanding of its physical movement, drying behavior, and surface bonding characteristics. The data below comes directly from the CIRAD Tropix technical sheet for Snakewood.
| Property | CIRAD Tropix value | What it means / US units |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical name(s) | Zygia racemosa, Marmaroxylon racemosum (synonymous), Pithecellobium racemosum (synonymous) | |
| Colour / texture / grain | Orange yellow; texture medium; grain straight or interlocked; interlocked grain slight | |
| Specific gravity (12% MC) | 1.03 | about 64.3 lb/ft³; a 2-inch-thick slab weighs about 10.7 lb per sq ft |
| Monnin hardness (12% MC) | 10.6 | French hardness scale; higher = harder (not a Janka value) |
| Total tangential shrinkage | 10.5 % | green to oven-dry |
| Total radial shrinkage | 6.0 % | green to oven-dry |
| Ratio St/Sr | 1.8 | closer to 1 = less cupping tendency |
| Coefficient of volumetric shrinkage | 0.74 % per % MC | volume change per 1% change in moisture content |
| Fibre saturation point | 28 % | |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.33 W/(m·K) | |
| Crushing strength (12% MC) | 83 MPa | about 12,040 psi |
| Static bending strength (12% MC) | 150 MPa | about 21,760 psi |
| Modulus of elasticity (12% MC) | 27,030 MPa | about 3,920,000 psi |
| Decay (fungi) resistance | Durability class 3 – moderately durable | |
| Termite resistance | Class D – durable | |
| Dry-wood borer resistance | Class S – susceptible (risk in all the wood) | |
| Heartwood treatability | Class 3 – poorly permeable | |
| Use class from natural durability | Class 2 – inside or under cover (dampness possible) | |
| Drying | rate normal to slow; distortion: slight risk; checking: high risk; collapse: no known specific risk; casehardening: no known specific risk | |
| Suggested kiln program temperatures | 45–65 °C | about 113–149 °F |
| Machining | blunting fairly high; saw teeth: stellite-tipped; cutting tools: tungsten carbide | |
| Nailing and screwing | Good but pre-boring necessary | |
| CITES status | This species is not listed in the CITES Appendices (Washington Convention 2025). |
Values from the CIRAD Tropix technical sheet (average values for mature wood, 12% moisture content where noted). US-unit conversions are calculated by BigEpoxy (1 MPa = 145.04 psi; density = specific gravity × 62.43 lb/ft³).
What does Snakewood look like in a tabletop or river slab?
Snakewood displays an orange-yellow color. Its heartwood features irregular dark brown veins that create its characteristic appearance, though these veins are not present in the sapwood. The sapwood itself measures from 2 to 3 cm in thickness and is not clearly demarcated from the heartwood. The wood texture is medium, while the grain is straight or interlocked (with interlocked grain described as slight). Slabs and boards may also exhibit wavy grain.
How heavy and hard is Snakewood?
Snakewood is exceptionally dense and heavy. According to the CIRAD Tropix data, it has a specific gravity of 1.03 at 12% moisture content, which equates to roughly 64.3 lb/ft³. A 2-inch-thick slab weighs approximately 10.7 lb per square foot, and the wood does not float in water. In terms of strength, it exhibits a crushing strength of 83 MPa (about 12,040 psi), a static bending strength of 150 MPa (about 21,760 psi), and a modulus of elasticity of 27,030 MPa (about 3,920,000 psi).
Its hardness is measured at 10.6 on the Monnin hardness scale at 12% moisture content. The Monnin scale is a French hardness metric where higher numbers indicate harder wood. It should never be converted to a Janka rating, as the testing protocols differ entirely.
How does shrinkage affect Snakewood next to cured epoxy?
When embedding wood slabs alongside rigid epoxy, dimensional change from moisture variation is a primary factor. Snakewood has a total tangential shrinkage of 10.5% and a total radial shrinkage of 6.0%, yielding a tangential-to-radial shrinkage ratio (St/Sr) of 1.8. Its coefficient of volumetric shrinkage is 0.74% per 1% change in moisture content, with a fiber saturation point recorded at 28%.
Because wood continues to respond to relative humidity changes, Snakewood will exert significant stress at the glue line or epoxy interface if ambient humidity fluctuates. Ensuring the lumber is properly acclimated and stabilized prior to pouring epoxy is critical to preventing seam separation.
What are the primary drying risks for Snakewood slabs?
Drying Snakewood requires caution. The CIRAD Tropix sheet indicates a normal to slow drying rate. While the risk of distortion is slight, and there is no known specific risk of collapse or casehardening, the risk of checking is rated as high. Drying must be conducted with extreme care to mitigate surface and end checking. Kiln schedules suggested by CIRAD operate between temperatures of 45 °C and 65 °C (approximately 113 °F to 149 °F).
What tooling is required to machine and shape Snakewood?
Because of its 1.03 specific gravity and hardness, Snakewood requires substantial power to cut and plane. CIRAD notes that machinists should expect a fairly high blunting effect on tools. Recommended equipment includes stellite-tipped saw teeth and tungsten carbide cutting knives. Craftsmen may face some working difficulties due to the wood’s density and slight interlocked grain, though its slicing quality is rated as good.
How should builders handle assembling and gluing?
When fastening Snakewood, pre-boring is strictly necessary for screws and nails to prevent splitting. For joinery and resin bonding, the CIRAD sheet highlights that because of its very high specific gravity, gluing must be performed strictly in compliance with established codes of practice. Surfaces must be cleanly machined and free of contaminants before applying adhesives or casting resins, and builders should always consult their resin manufacturer’s technical data sheet for optimal adhesion guidelines.
What is the durability and CITES status of Snakewood?
Snakewood is not listed in the CITES Appendices (Washington Convention 2025). Regarding biological resistance, its heartwood is rated as Class 3 (moderately durable) against wood-decay fungi, Class D (durable) against termites, and Class S (susceptible) to dry-wood borers across all parts of the wood. Its natural durability places it in Use Class 2 (interior or under cover, where dampness is possible). Heartwood treatability is classified as Class 3 (poorly permeable). CIRAD lists its end-uses as cabinetwork for high-class furniture, current furniture components, flooring, interior paneling, turned goods, wood-ware, sliced veneer, and hydraulic works in seawater.
Sources
Published October 30, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original graphic by BigEpoxy.com.
Staff note: Because Snakewood logs typically range between 25 and 60 cm in diameter with up to 3 cm of sapwood, woodworkers should expect narrow to medium-width boards, making it well-suited for accent rivers, segmented panels, or bookmatched epoxy table designs rather than ultra-wide single-slab tops. (Source: CIRAD Tropix 7 technical sheet: Snakewood.)