Orange Wood Parquet

The orange is the fruit of the Citrus species in the family Rutaceae; it is assumed to have originated in southern Asia, and first cultivated in China around 2500 BC. There is little knowledge on the quality of wood from orange trees, occasionally used in fine woodwork, in tool handles, mosaics, marquetry. This work aims to give a contribution to evaluate the possibility of using the orange wood coming from agricultural conversions and renewals of orchards plantations for making products with high added value. Logs from plantations located in Southern Italy were collected and the key aspects to verify the use of wood for flooring were examined. Laboratory tests were carried out to determine the shrinkage, dimensional stability, surface hardness and the indentation test on wood flooring. Drying trials were also performed and prototypes of flooring were prepared to evaluate the aesthetic appreciation of professionals and end users. The results confirm that the wood of orange trees is fine-grained, characterized by a high density and shrinkage, by an average dimensional stability and a high surface hardness. Tests suggests to perform a careful drying and to follow specific procedures according to the size of the elements. The considerable appreciation by the users confirms the possibility of enhancing the use of a renewable raw material, even though with limited availability, for manufacturing a high quality product.