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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 Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resin Content Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Shorea contorta Trade Name Light red meranti Family Name Dipterocarpaceae Common Names Almon, Lauan, Light red lauan, Light red meranti, Light red seraya, Mayapis, Meranti bunga, Perawan, White lauan Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Philippines, Thailand Common Uses Beams, Bedroom suites, Building construction, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Porch columns, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Little or no threat to its population Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Abundant within natural habitat Distribution Overview The Light red meranti group of Shorea genus are found in the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, the Philippines, as well as Sabah and Sarawak. They prefer well-drained soils and usually grow at low altitudes. Heartwood Color Red Brown White Black Purple Pink Pale pink to dark red or light red-brown Sapwood Color White Pink Yellow Same color as heartwood Grayish tinge Dark reddish-brown, often with alternating lighter reddish-brown and golden brown bands Grain Interlocked Interlocked Texture Coarse Medium Coarse Luster Medium Low Slightly lustrous Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Perishable Moderately durable Non-durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Varied natural resistance of heartwood to decay (poor to moderate) Susceptible to attack by powder-post beetle Odor Has an odor Has a taste No distinct odor or taste Resin Content Contains resin streaks and oil Kiln Schedules T6-D4 (4/4) T3-D3 (8/4) US Schedule F (4/4) United Kingdom Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Thick material dries slowly and tends to surface check Stock in thinner dimensions may warp during drying Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Slowly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Rapidly Dries easily with little degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Bole length is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Bark width is 20-25 mm Light red meranti trees are tall and sometimes buttressed Product Sources Shorea is a major source of lumber and veneers on the international market. The trees are abundant, and supplies are universally available, especially in the form of veneers. This popular wood is priced in the inexpensive 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. Blunting Effect Little Slight blunting effect on cutting tools Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Easy Clean and smooth surfaces Bored surfaces are usually clean Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Respond very well to carving operations Cutting Resistance Easy to saw May be some break away at the base and back cut when sawing lighter stock Good sawing properties Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Takes glue well Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good mortising properties Bores readily with ordinary tools, with very good results Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds very well to most machine tools Responds readily to ordinary tools in boring operations to produce clean surfaces Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Small moverment after manufacture Good dimensional stability and shows little movement in use Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory nailing qualities Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planing with satisfactory tools is satisfactory if they are kept very sharp Interlocked grain may cause some tearing, and a reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees is recommended in planing The timber exudes resin and oil but they do not interfere with machining operations Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Resistant to very resistant to preservative treatment Fairly permeable Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Yields a smooth, clean finish Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routs easily with ordinary machine tools Produces clean surfaces Sanding Lighter stock may produce rough surfaces in sanding Denser stock sands well Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Takes screws satisfactorily Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turned surfaces of lighter stock may be somewhat rough Easy to turn Denser stock is reported to turn well Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Suitable for peeling Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Tends to Degrade Wood buckles severely Very poor Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good polishing properties after filling Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Stains well Stains satisfactorily after surface preparation Strength Properties Weight=Medium Not hard Dents and marrs easily Density=High Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending stength in air-dried condition...is medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7278 10439 psi Density 31 lbs/ft3 Hardness 528 lbs Impact Strength 17 25 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 3912 5978 psi Shearing Strength 951 psi Stiffness 1227 1439 1000 psi Toughness 212 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.33 0.45 Weight 31 25. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 14 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 511 733 kg/cm2 Density 496 kg/m3 Hardness 239 kg Impact Strength 43 63 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 275 420 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 66 kg/cm2 Stiffness 86 101 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 244 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.33 0.45 Weight 496 400. kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Andy Poynter. 1993. Personal Communication. Arno, J. 1988. Shorea spp. - Lauan. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 329-330. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Kaiser, J. Wood of the Month. Wood & Wood Products, July 1986 to September 1993. Lavers, G.M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, 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.