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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 Comments 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 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 Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Shorea acuminatissima Trade Name Yellow meranti Family Name Dipterocarpaceae Common Names Yellow meranti, Yellow seraya Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Indonesia, Malaysia Common Uses Balusters, Bent Parts, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Construction, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fine furniture, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Paneling , Parquet flooring, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Sub-flooring, Utility furniture, Wainscotting, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center This species is currently classified as Vulnerable within its natural habitat in Kalimantan and the Sabah region in Malaysia Distribution Overview The Yellow meranti group in the Shorea genera grows in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The growth range of Shorea genus is rather extensive, from Sri Lanka and India on the west and throughout Burma and several countries in Southeast Asia, up to the Philippines on the east. Species concentration is highest in the forests of Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Green Light yellow, dull yellow, or yellow brown Greenish tinge Darkens after exposure Timber of Yellow meranti from Malaysia and Yellow seraya from Sabah are produced by about a dozen Shorea species. They are generally similar in appearance to Red meranti and Red seraya but their wood lacks the red tint Sapwood Color Grey Paler than heartwood Grayish tinge Grain Interlocked Shallowly interlocked Texture Coarse Medium Moderately coarse Luster Low Non-lustrous Dull Natural Durability Perishable Non-resistant to termites Susceptible to termite attack Not resistant to powder-post beetle attack Non durable Liable to attack by marine borers Odor Has an odor No distinct odor or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules T10-D5S (4/4); T8-D4S (8/4) US Schedule J (4/4) United Kingdom T10-D5S (4/4) Drying Defects Internal Honeycombing Possible Distortion Cupping in thinner material, and honeycombing in thicker material Ease of Drying Slowly Air dries slowly Tree Size Tree height is 60-70 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm The tall trees, which usually have straight, clear and cylindrical stems and large buttresses. Product Sources Shorea is a major source of timber in Southeast Asia. Supplies are plentiful, especially in the form of veneers and price is typically in the low range. Many species in the Shorea genus are also a source of other economically important non-timber products. Seeds of some species yield fat which is used in the manufacture of chocolate. Others produce nuts, the most common of which is the illipe nuts of commerce produced by S. gysbertisiana . The nuts yield a fat which is similar to cocoa-butter in some of its properties. Shorea trees are also tapped for oleo-resin, and typical dammar is obtained from S. wiesneri which grows in Java and Sumatra. The tree of S. robusta produces dammar which is used as a disinfectant and as incense in religious ceremonies in India. Other non-timber products from Shorea are reported to include tannin and fibers. Comments Tendency to stain under moist conditions when brought in contact with iron and iron compounds Blunting Effect Moderate Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges Boring Fairly easy to very easy Stock should be supported adequately at tool exits Easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to carve Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Moderate cutting resistance Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good gluing properties Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Stock should be supported adequately at tool exits Easy to mortise with ordinary machine tools Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Material containing interlocked grain may cause some tearing Easy to mould Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Retains shape well after manufacture Good dimensional stability and shows little movement in use Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good nailing characteristics Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Interlocked grain may cause some tearing, and a reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees is recommended in planing Easy to work in planning and almost all machine operations Clean, finished surfaces Can be planed to a smooth finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Moderately resistant to preservative treatment Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Yields a smooth, clean finish Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Good routing characteristics, except in material containing interlocked grain Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good sanding properties Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good screwing properties Steam Bending Fairly Easy to Very Easy Steam bend to a moderate radius of curvature Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good polishing properties after filling Good finishing properties Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Stains well Strength Properties Weight=Medium Resists denting and marring Hardness = medium Density=High Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending stength in air-dried condition...is medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7727 9682 psi Density 33 lbs/ft3 Hardness 725 lbs Impact Strength 20 19 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 3773 5739 psi Shearing Strength 1561 psi Stiffness 1122 1248 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 7 8 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.43 0.64 Weight 35 29 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 543 680 kg/cm2 Density 528 kg/m3 Hardness 328 kg Impact Strength 50 48 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 265 403 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 109 kg/cm2 Stiffness 78 87 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.49 0.56 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.43 0.64 Weight 560 464 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Arno, J. 1988. Shorea spp. - Luan. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 329-330. Chowdhury, K.A. and S.S. Ghosh. 1958. Indian Woods - Their Identification, Properties and Uses, Volume I - Dilleniaceae to Elaeocarpaceae. Published by the Manager of Publications, Delhi, India. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. HMSO. 1972. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Kaiser, J. Wood of the Month: Meranti - The Hardworking Import. Wood & Wood Products, May 1991. Page 48. Lavers, G.M. 1967. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Ministry of Technology, Forest Products Research, Bulletin No. 50, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. 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-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.