The heartwood is white to light brown often with purplish streaks resulting from fungal attack; it is not differentiated from the sapwood. Texture is fine and even; grain usually straight but with a slight to marked tendency to spiralling. A very hard and heavy timber, it is not durable and not resistant to termite attack. The wood dries slowly and is subject to distortion. Sawing of the green timber is difficult because of its tendency to spring, but the dry wood is easier to work. It is moderately easy to work using hand tools and has excellent machining properties, especially in moulding, but it may have an appreciable blunting effect on tool edges; a good finish can be obtained; it tends to split on nailing, and pre-boring is necessary; it may be somewhat troublesome to glue and is not suitable for steam bending. The wood is suitable for indoor purposes requiring great strength and elasticity such as flooring (especially heavy duty and industrial flooring), turnery, tool handles and construction work.