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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Shorea acuminata Trade Name Red meranti Family Name Dipterocarpaceae Common Names Meranti rambai daun, Red meranti Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Malaysia Common Uses Beams, Building construction, Building materials, Construction, Door, Flooring, Framing, Furniture , Joists, Organ pipes, Packing cases, Rafters, Windows Environmental Profile Vulnerable Status in wild unknown due to inadequate information Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview This genus is widely distributed, starting from Sri Lanka and India on the west and throughout Burma and other countries of Southeast Asia, up to the Philippines on the east. The greatest concentration of Shorea species occurs in Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula. Shorea acuminata is one of eighteen species representing several relatively distinct but related botanical groups of Shorea in Malaysia, which are collectively called Red Meranti. They usually grow at low altitudes and prefer well-drained soils. Heartwood Color Brown White Yellow Orange White lines formed by intercellular canals Occasional dark streaks Light pink to purple-brown Darkens after exposure Eventually loses the pink or red tinge Sapwood Color Brown Yellow White Yellow-Brown, gray-brown or yellow-pink, often with a distinct purple cast Clearly demarcated from heartwood in old trees May be 2 to 2.5 inches (2.5 to 6 cm) wide, usually 1.5 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) Grain Interlocked Narrow striped figure on quarter sawn surfaces Interlocked Flecked figure Texture Even or uniform Uniform Coarse Medium Coarse Luster Medium Low Natural Growth Defects Commonly interlocked Advanced stages of rot, which results in hollow cores in old trees Natural Durability Perishable Durable Non-resistant to termites Some natural resistance to decay in contact with or above ground Not readily attacked by insects Odor Has an odor No distinct odor or taste Silica Content High Kiln Schedules T6-D4 (4/4) T3-D3 (8/4) US Schedule F (4/4) United Kingdom Drying Defects Discoloration Distortion Thinner material may distort slightly, but this can be prevented through proper precautions Ease of Drying Rapidly Reconditioning Treatement Stock in thinner dimensions should be closely stickered and weighted to prevent degrade Shrinkage is higher than in Teak (Tectona grandis) and true Mahogany (Swietenia) Seasons well and rapidly and proper stacking leads to very little degrade Tree Size Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Product Sources Meranti is the principal source of general utility timbers used in Malaysia. Local consumption of the timber exceeds all others in the country, and it is regarded as one of the most important Malaysian species. It is also one of the principal export timbers. Blunting Effect High to severe Slight dulling effect on cutting tools Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Saws without difficulty Sawn surfaces tend to be fuzzy because of interlocked grain Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good gluing properties Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Holds shape well after drying Good dimensional stability and shows little movement in use Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Good nailing characteristics Planing Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Responds well to ordinary tools in mortising Quarter sawn stock should be planed with sharp cutters to prevent pick-up Interlocked grain tends to yield woolly surfaces, unless cutting edges are very sharp Fairly easy to work Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Poor to very poor response to preservative treatment Fairly difficult to treat with preservative chemicals Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work The operation requires sharp cutting edges for best results Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good screwing properties Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Veneering Qualities Rotary cut to produce plywood and sliced into veneers for decorative applications Highly figured and attractive veneers Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Wood buckles severely Polishing Surface Preparation Very Good to Excellent Results Responds well to polishing Staining Surface Preparation Very Good to Excellent Results Stains well Varnishing Surface Preparation Strength Properties Weight=High Low resistance to shock loads Crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7713 11813. psi Crushing Strength 343 532. psi Impact Strength 24 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 3891 6236. psi Static Bending 4273 6662. psi Stiffness 1490 1761. 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 9 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.45 Weight 45 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 542 830. kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 24 37. kg/cm2 Impact Strength 60 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 273 438. kg/cm2 Static Bending 300 468. kg/cm2 Stiffness 104 123. 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.63 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.45 Weight 721 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % References Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Desch, H. E. 1957. Manual of Malayan Timbers - Volume I. Malayan Forest Records, No. 15. Malaya Publishing House Ltd., Singapore. Desch, H. E. 1957. Manual of Malayan Timbers. Malayan Forest Records, 28(30):315-318. Malaya Publishing House Ltd., Singapore. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc. Fresno, California. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing: Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC, Plants Program, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.