Résumé
Quercus ilex is a very widely spread species in southern France and north Africa. In French Mediterranean regions, since fifty years, both surfaces and standing tree volume are strongly growing as shown by the three last successive forest inventories. Wood from Quercus ilex has both a very high specific gravity and hardness, but its specific modulus is rather low. Besides, its light colour, its smooth grain and its figurative aspect are interesting to respond to the present demand of raw material from flooring industry. A study has been launched to determine for this species the availability level in forest, the optimum processing parameters, the technological characteristics according to the local origin, and the economic feasibility of floorboard manufacturing at a regional level. Wqod privates firms specialized in fuel wood logging, timber sawing, joinery and floorboards manufacturing which have shown an interest in this project have been involved and associated to the operations. Several plots have been sampled in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in order to select trees representative of the regional forest resource quality: larger diameter trees from parks, remaining trees from ever exploited coppices for fuel wood, small diameter trees from young coppices. Sawing tests have shown that yields widely vary according to the origin of the trees, their quality, but the diameter has a low effect on this parameter. Bandsaw with stellite must be used but even though hardness is very high, this wood did not appeared very abrasive and did not require particular sharpening operation. Boles are not straight. Thus, sawing of short length logs leads to obtain higher yields, but needs adapted saw carriage. This wood is considered as very "nervous" but small size elements as floorboards dried well with very, few distortions and splits. Economic study highlighted that flooring made in Quercus ilex has to be considered as an up-market product, at the same level that some tropical wood flooring which are in great demand because of their interesting aesthetic appearance. (Texte intégral)