PHYSICAL & MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF DARK RED MERANTI / OBAR SULUK
Physical Properties:
| Air Dry Density: |
560 – 865 kg/m3 |
|
|
| Shrinkage Radial |
1.1. – 2.1 % |
| Tangential |
2.9 – 4.4 % |
| Seasoning |
Dries fairly fast and is free from seasoning defects |
Mechanical Properties:
| Strength Group |
C |
| Static BendingMOE |
11,200 – 13,900 N/mm2 |
| MOR: |
74 – 92 N/mm2 |
| Compression Strength Perpendicular to Grain |
2.97 – 5.03 N/mm2 |
| Parallel to Grain |
38.80 – 52.90 N/mm2 |
| Shear Strength |
8.00 – 11.40 N/mm2 |
| Durability |
Moderately Durable |
| Uses / Applications |
- Construction
- Furniture
- Joinery
- Interior Fittings
- Door & Window Frames
- Panelling
- Partitions
- Utility Flooring
- Moulding
- Fancy Doors
- Boat Construction
- Veneer & Plywood
|
More information on Red Meranti from Malaysian Timber Industry Board's website
ABOUT RED MARENTI
Shorea is a genus of about 196 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae.
The Standard Malaysian Name for the dark red and lightweight timber of the genus Shorea (Dipterocarpaceae). Vernacular names used include meranti (Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak) with various epithets, seraya (Sabah) with various epithets, nemesu (Peninsular Malaysia), nemusu (Peninsular Malaysia), seraya (Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah), obar suluk (Sabah) and also various local names too numerous to list here. Major species producing this timber include S. acuminata (partly), S. argentifolia, S. curtisii, S. ovata, S. monticola, S. pauciflora, S. platyclados and S. slootenii. The sapwood is pink with a grey tinge and is not clearly defined from the heartwood, which is medium red to deep red to deep red-brown.
Also known as Dark Red Meranti (Brunei); Meranti ketuko, Meranti Merah and Meranti merah tua (Indonesia); Dark red Lauan, Dark Red Philippines Mahogany, Mayapis, Red lauan, Tangile and Tiaong (Philippines); and Saya and Saya-Daeng (Thailand).
DENSITY
The timber is a Light Hardwood with a density of 415-885 kg/m3 air dry.
NATURAL DURABILITY
The standard graveyard tests on untreated specimens carried out by the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) have classified Dark Red Meranti as moderately durable with an average service life ranging from about 2.0 years (S. singkawang) to 3.9 years (S. platyclados). For the species S. curtisii, S. pauciflora, S. platyclados and S. acuminata, the heartwood is classified as moderately durable (with an average service life of 2-5 years). Similar tests on S. pauciflora at Princess Risborough (U.K.) have indicated that the timber is moderately durable with a service life of 10-15 years (under temperate conditions). The sapwood of dark red meranti is susceptible to dry-wood termite attacks, which may eventually spread to the heartwood. However, an initial invasion of the heartwood is less likely to occur. Untreated timber of S. curtisii was only slightly attacked by marine borers after eight months submergence at Port Klang (Thomas, 1933). Preliminary work done by Oliver & Woods (1957, 1959) have tentatively classified dark red meranti as resistant to such attacks.
PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT
The timber is difficult to treat with preservatives. Generally, it was found that all forms of meranti (including dark red meranti) absorb less preservative than kempas and keruing when subjected to identical treatments.
TEXTURE
Texture is moderately coarse and even, with interlocked grain.
|
Products 
