Scientific Name: Ochroma pyramidale
Distribution: Tropical regions of the Americas; also grown on plantations
Tree Size: 60-90 ft (18-28 m) tall, 3-4 ft (1-1.2 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 11 lbs/ft3 (175 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .14
Hardness: 90 lbf (390 N)
Rupture Strength: 2,740 lbf/in2 (18,900 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 478,000 lbf/in2 (3,300 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 1,750 lbf/in2 (12.1 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 3.0%, Tangential: 7.6%, Volumetric: 10.8%, T/R Ratio: 2.5
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.

Grain/Pore:
Balsa has a medium to coarse texture with open pores and straight grain.

Endgrain:
Diffuse-porous; large pores in no specific arrangement; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; growth rings indistinct; rays visible without lens;
parenchyma typically not visible with lens.

Durability:
Sapwood is rated as perishable, and is also susceptible to insect attack.

Workability:
Generally very easy to work with virtually no dulling effect on cutters; yet because of its extremely low density, fuzzy surfaces can be a problem when
using dull cutters. Balsa generally should not be used to hold nails, with glue being the preferred method of joining. Balsa stains and finishes well,
though it has a tendency to soak up large quantities of material on the initial coats.

Scent:
There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.

Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Balsa has been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and
Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price/Availability:
High quality Balsa (that is, Balsa with a very low density) can be rather expensive when purchased at hobby stores or other specialty outlets. Larger
boards and lumber sold through typical hardwood dealers is hard to find, but generally has a better cost per board-foot than other sources.

Comments:
Balsa is a wood that is famous worldwide. And while it’s density and mechanical values can vary significantly depending on the growing conditions of any
particular tree, it is generally the lightest and softest of all woods, ranging from 8 to 14 pounds per cubic foot. Yet despite its softness, Balsa is
technically classified as a hardwood, rather than a softwood, since it has broad leaves and is not a conifer.

Balsa has excellent sound, heat, and vibration insulating properties, and is also incredibly buoyant: in fact, “Balsa” is the Spanish word for “raft.”

Some common uses for Balsa include: buoys, rafts, surfboards, model airplanes, musical instruments, packing/transport cases, core stock in sandwich
laminations, and fishing lures.