Meranti

TROPICAL HARDWOOD

Uses: Exterior and interior joinery, shopfitting, boatbuilding and flooring. When treated, for exterior cladding and for use in exposed situations. Otherwise same uses as for light red meranti. Rotary cut for plywood manufacture and sliced for decorative veneers.

General Description: The heartwood colour is medium to dark red brown with conspicuous white dammar or resin streaks. Grain is interlocked; texture rather coarse. Brittleheart can be present. Weight from 580-770 kg/m³ (36-48 lb/ft³) average 670 kg/m³ (42 lb/ft³); specific gravity .67.

Further product details

Mechanical Properties

The wood has medium bending and crushing strengths, but the stiffness factor is low and also low resistance to shock loads. Severe buckling occurs in steam bending and distortion during drying. The steam bending classification is poor.

Seasoning

Slower drying than light meranti, with tendency to distort and risk of splitting and checking in thicker material. There is small movement in service.

Durability

Sapwood liable to attack by powder post beetle. All species are moderately durable to durable, and from moderately resistant to extremely resistant to preservative treatment.

Other Information

Family Name: Moraceae

Latin Name: Chlorophora excelsa

Also known as: Nemesu (No.1 only) Malaysia; dark red lauan (Nos. 4 to 7) UK and Philippines; red lauan (No. 4) Philippines; tangile and bataan (No. 5 only) Philippines; mayapis (No. 6 and part No. 5) and tiaong (No. 7) Philippines; oba suluk (No. 1) Sabah.

Abura African Blackwood Afrormosia Agba Angelim Vermelho Anigre Balau Bubinga Cumaru Ekki Greenheart Wood Guarea Idigbo Ipe Iroko Jatoba Khaya Mahogany Koto Lemonwood Lignum Vitae Makore Massaranduba Meranti Okan Opepe Ovangkol Padauk Purpleheart Red Louro Sapele Tatajuba Teak Utile Wenge Zebrano