Five species of meranti

MERANTI (all colours)

The name Meranti is a group name covering all the relatively light weight and softer timbers produced by the genus Shorea: this main group is further sub-divided into the following sub-groups: -Meranti Bakau, Dark Red Meranti, Light Red Meranti, llhite Meranti, and Yellow Meranti, and brief descriptions of the timbers included in these sub-groups are given below. Other timbers produced by the gents Shorea are all Heavy Hardwoods.

Meranti Bakau

Meranti Bakau, produced by S. rugosa vat. uliginosa, is in all respects similar to Dark Red Meranti from which it has been separated merely on the ground that it is comparatively more susceptible to seasoning degrade. (For general description and uses see Dark Red Meranti)

MERANTI, DARK RED

Dark Red Meranti is the product of mainly S. curtisii and S. pouciflorabut timbers of similar structure, weight and colour of other soecies of Shorea may be included undei this name. The wood is synonymous with Dark Red Seraya of Borneo and very similar to Dark Red Philippine Mahogany. It is a moderately hard and moderately heavy wood suitable for general construction, interior fittings and furniture. It is not durable under tropical conditions and is difficult to treat with preservatives.

Story at a Glance

Five different species of meranti are described in this exderpt from the Malayan Grading Rules book for sawn hardwood timber. . some of the meranti species are very similar to Philippine red mahogany.

It is easy to work and seasons quickly without any trouble. Sapwood is susceptible to drywood termites.

General desuiption of the wood:Saowood is well defined. The heartwood is dark red-brown in colour, weathering to a darker shade. Surface is not lustrous. The grain is interlocked giving rise to strip figure. The texture is coarse and even. Longitudinal surfaces of Dark Red Meranti, particularly S. paucifiora. are often distinctively marked with narrow, white coloured streaks. These streaks are in fact the exposed longitudinal sections of the resin canals-a normal feature of the wood-and are not considered a defect because they do not affect the strength or utility of the wood. The wood is not resinous.

MERANTI, LIGHT RED

Light Red Meranti is the product of several species of Shorea the more common of which are S. acuminata, S. leprosula, S. macroPtera and S. parvifolia. Except for its lighter colour and lower density it is not unlike Dark Red Meranti and is very similar to Philippine Red MahoganY or Red Lauan and Borneo Red Seraya. It is essentially a cabinet and decorative purpose wood but due to its abundance in Malaya it is being indiscriminately (at present) used for all light constructional purposes. The wood is moderately hard and moderately heavy. It is not durable for external uses in Malaya and does not absorb preservatives. It is easy to work and seasons quickly and without degrade. "Shot holes", which are the galleries of dead Ambrosia beetles that attack the living tree, ate a fairly common defect, and brittle-heart is common in logs of Light Red Meranti. Sapwood is suscePtible to drYwood termite attack.

Generul desciption of the wood:Sapwood is well defined. The heartwood is pale pink, light red-brown or red-brown. The surface is fairlY lustrous. The grain is interlocked and gives rise to stripe figure and texture is coarse and even. Resin canals with white contents occur charact'eristically in concentric lines on end surface but the wood is not resinous.

MERANTI, WHITE

White Meranti is similar to North Borneo Melapi, it is the timber of a group of some Shorea species but most of the timber is the product of S. bracteolata and S. hypochra. It is a moderately hard and moderately heavy general utility wood. It is moderately durable and is amenable to preservative treatment. It is very difficult to cut and blunts cutting tools excessively but it may be peeled readily on a lathe. It seasons without difficulty.

General description of the wood:Sapwood is moderately well defined. The heartwood is almost white when freshly cut weathering to a yellowbrown: surface is lustrous. The grain is wavy or interlocked producing faint stripe figure and texture is moderately coarse and even. Resin canals with white contents occur characteristically in concentric lines on end surface but the wood is not resinous.

MERANTI. YELLOW

Yellow Meranti is the product of several species of Shorea belonging to the Richetia group the most abundant of which are S. faguetiana and S. resina-nigra. It is a moderately hard and moderately heavy general utility wood similar to Yellow Seraya of Borneo and Philippine Yellow Lauan. It is not a durable wood but is amenable to preservative treatment. It is easy to work and seasons quicklY without degrade.

General description of the wood:Sapwood is well defined. The heart' wood is light yellow'brown when fresh weathering to a slightly darker shade of yellow-brown. Surface is not lustrous. The grain is interlocked giving rise to faint stripe figure. The texture is moderately coarse and even. Resin canals with white contents occur characteristically in concentric lines on end surface but the wood is not resinous.

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