Pulai Wood Overview for Epoxy Tabletops
Pulai refers to timber from several Alstonia species (including Alstonia pneumatophora, Alstonia scholaris, Alstonia spatulata, and Alstonia p.p.) native to Asia-Oceania. Marketed under trade names such as pagoda tree or pattern wood, Pulai displays a creamy white to light yellow tone with a slightly lustrous appearance. The sapwood is not clearly demarcated from the heartwood, the texture is medium, and the grain is typically straight, though it can occasionally present irregular or oblique alignment. A distinct feature of the wood is the presence of latex canals.
According to technical data published by CIRAD Tropix, mature Pulai logs average between 60 to 75 cm in diameter. This provides reasonable slab widths for river table casting and interior panel work. Pulai is not listed in the CITES Appendices (Washington Convention 2025). Industrial end-uses identified for the timber include current furniture or furniture components, interior joinery, interior panelling, moulding, veneer for interior plywood, boxes and crates, and matches.
At 12% moisture content, Pulai has a specific gravity of 0.45, equating to an average density of about 28.1 lb/ft³. A 2-inch-thick slab weighs approximately 4.7 lb per square foot. This lightweight profile makes large epoxy tabletops significantly easier to handle, cast, and transport compared to heavier hardwoods.
| Property | CIRAD Tropix value | What it means / US units |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical name(s) | Alstonia pneumatophora, Alstonia scholaris, Alstonia spatulata, Alstonia p.p. | |
| Other trade names | Pagoda tree, Pattern wood | |
| Colour / texture / grain | Creamy white; texture medium; grain straight; interlocked grain absent | |
| Specific gravity (12% MC) | 0.45 | about 28.1 lb/ft³; a 2-inch-thick slab weighs about 4.7 lb per sq ft |
| Monnin hardness (12% MC) | 1.5 | French hardness scale; higher = harder (not a Janka value) |
| Total tangential shrinkage | 6.1 % | green to oven-dry |
| Total radial shrinkage | 3.4 % | green to oven-dry |
| Ratio St/Sr | 1.8 | closer to 1 = less cupping tendency |
| Coefficient of volumetric shrinkage | 0.33 % per % MC | volume change per 1% change in moisture content |
| Fibre saturation point | 35 % | |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.16 W/(m·K) | |
| Crushing strength (12% MC) | 40 MPa | about 5,800 psi |
| Static bending strength (12% MC) | 63 MPa | about 9,140 psi |
| Modulus of elasticity (12% MC) | 8,930 MPa | about 1,295,000 psi |
| Decay (fungi) resistance | Durability class 5 – not durable | |
| Termite resistance | Class S – susceptible | |
| Dry-wood borer resistance | Class S – susceptible (risk in all the wood) | |
| Heartwood treatability | Class 1 – easily permeable | |
| Use class from natural durability | Class 1 – inside (no dampness) | |
| Drying | rate rapid; distortion: slight risk; checking: slight risk; collapse: no known specific risk; casehardening: no known specific risk | |
| Suggested kiln program temperatures | 60–70 °C | about 140–158 °F |
| Machining | blunting normal; saw teeth: ordinary or alloy steel; cutting tools: ordinary | |
| Nailing and screwing | Poor | |
| CITES status | This species is not listed in the CITES Appendices (Washington Convention 2025). Notes. Alstonia p.p.: origins Asia-Oceania. |
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).
Pulai Technical Guide & FAQ
How does Pulai behave along an epoxy river joint?
Pulai exhibits moderate shrinkage characteristics from green to oven-dry: total tangential shrinkage is 6.1%, while total radial shrinkage is 3.4%. Its tangential-to-radial shrinkage ratio (St/Sr) is 1.8, and its coefficient of volumetric shrinkage is 0.33% per 1% change in moisture content. The fibre saturation point sits at 35%.
Because wood shifts as ambient humidity fluctuates, the St/Sr ratio of 1.8 indicates a modest cupping tendency. In an epoxy river assembly, minimizing dimensional movement is critical so stress does not shear the epoxy-wood bondline. Slabs must be brought to indoor equilibrium moisture content before pouring. Builders should follow their resin maker’s data sheet for surface preparation, keeping the moisture gradient minimal to maintain a stable joint along the cast epoxy channel.
What does a 1.5 Monnin hardness mean for Pulai?
The CIRAD Tropix sheet evaluates Pulai’s surface hardness using the Monnin scale, registering a value of 1.5 at 12% moisture content. The Monnin test is a French standardization method where a cylindrical steel tool indents the wood; higher numbers represent harder timber. It must never be confused with or converted into a Janka hardness value.
A Monnin rating of 1.5 places Pulai in a very soft hardness bracket. Mechanically, it provides a crushing strength of 40 MPa (about 5,800 psi), a static bending strength (MOR) of 63 MPa (about 9,140 psi), and a modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 8,930 MPa (about 1,295,000 psi). For a tabletop subject to daily impact, the wood will dent easily unless protected by tough film finishes or balanced with rigid epoxy fills.
What drying risks should builders expect?
Pulai features a rapid drying rate. CIRAD notes only a slight risk of distortion and a slight risk of checking, with no known specific risk of collapse or casehardening. Recommended kiln schedules operate at temperatures between 60 °C and 70 °C (about 140 °F to 158 °F).
However, the sheet specifically warns of the risks of blue stain during drying. Because the timber dries quickly yet retains high moisture green, rapid air movement and clean kiln conditions are vital to prevent fungal discoloration before slab processing begins.
How does Pulai machine, plane, and sand?
Pulai exerts a normal blunting effect on cutting edges. CIRAD indicates that ordinary cutting tools and saw teeth made of ordinary or alloy steel perform adequately. Despite this low tool wear, the sheet emphasizes two essential fabrication notes: keep tools sharp to avoid a fuzzy surface, and pore filling is recommended in order to obtain a good finish. Without razor-sharp tooling, the low-density fibers tend to tear rather than shear cleanly, leaving a rough texture before epoxy sealing.
Can Pulai tables be installed outdoors or in damp rooms?
No. Pulai is strictly rated for Use Class 1: inside (no dampness). CIRAD rates the natural heartwood durability as Class 5 (not durable against wood-decay fungi) and Class S (susceptible) to both termites and xylophagous dry wood borers. In case of permanent humidification, the technical sheet explicitly states that its use is not recommended.
How should bases and hardware be anchored into Pulai?
The technical data rates nailing and screwing as poor. Because of Pulai’s low density and soft cellular structure, standard wood screws driven straight into the tabletop underside offer low holding power. When attaching heavy metal legs or table bases, builders should rely on threaded brass or steel inserts embedded in oversized, epoxy-reinforced pilot holes rather than trusting coarse wood screws directly in the timber.
Sources
Published October 31, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original graphic by BigEpoxy.com.
Staff note: CIRAD classifies Pulai heartwood as Class 1 (easily permeable) for preservative treatability. In the shop, this open permeability—combined with the wood’s natural latex canals—means edge grain drinks up low-viscosity resins quickly, making pre-sealing with an initial epoxy coat mandatory to avoid starved glue lines and air outgassing. (Source: CIRAD Tropix 7 technical sheet: Pulai.)