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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 Drying Rate 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 Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Shorea kalunti 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] Brunei, Malaysia Common Uses Balusters, Building construction, Building materials, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Sub-flooring, Tables , Utility furniture, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The geographical range of the species, which is a member of the Yellow meranti group of Shorea includes Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The genus is widely distributed, from India and Sri Lanka in the west and extending throughout Burma and several countries in Southeast Asia, up to the Philippines in the east. Highest concentrations of Shorea species are reported to occur in Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula. Heartwood Color Yellow Purple Red Brown Orange Light yellow, dull yellow, or yellow brown Greenish tinge Darkens after exposure Yellow meranti from Malaysia and Yellow seraya from Sabah are produced by about a dozen Shorea species. They are generally similar to Red meranti and Red seraya but they are not tinted red Sapwood Color Paler than heartwood Grayish tinge Grain Interlocked Interlocked Texture Fine Coarse Medium Moderately coarse Luster Low Non-lustrous Dull Natural Growth Defects Brittleheart sometimes present. Natural Durability Very durable Durable Vulnerable to attack by marine borers Very little natural resistance to decay in ground contact Susceptible to termite attack Not readily attacked by insects Odor No distinct odor or taste Toxicity Sawdust can cause skin irritation in some individuals Kiln Schedules T10-D5S (4/4); T8-D4S (8/4) US Schedule J (4/4) United Kingdom T10-D5S (4/4) Drying Defects Checking Cupping in thinner material, and honeycombing in thicker material Ease of Drying Slowly Seasons slowly and may cup Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Product Sources Species in the Shorea group are a major source of timber in international trade. They are plentiful, and supplies are universally available, especially in the form of veneers. This popular wood is typically 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. Comments Tendency to stain under moist conditions when brought in contact with iron and iron compounds Blunting Effect Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges Boring Stock should be supported adequately at tool exits Easy Carving Easy to carve Cutting Resistance Moderate cutting resistance Gluing Good gluing properties Mortising Stock should be supported adequately at tool exits Easy to mortise with ordinary machine tools Moulding Easy to mould Movement in Service Retains shape well after manufacture Good dimensional stability and shows little movement in use Nailing Good nailing characteristics Planing 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 Moderately resistant to preservative treatment Extremely resistant to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Yields a smooth, clean finish Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Good routing characteristics, except in material containing interlocked grain Sanding Good sanding properties Screwing Good screwing properties Steam Bending Steam bend to a moderate radius of curvature Polishing Fair to Good Results Good polishing properties after filling Good finishing properties Staining Stains well Strength Properties Soft Heavy Does not wear well Dents and marrs easily Density=High Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending stength in air-dried condition...is medium It is closer in strength to Mahogany than either Teak or White oak, which have higher bending strength Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8389 10303 psi Density 34 lbs/ft3 Hardness 683 lbs Impact Strength 27 29 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4049 5630 psi Shearing Strength 1490 psi Stiffness 1371 1509 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 8 10 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.43 0.49 Weight 39 32. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 589 724 kg/cm2 Density 544 kg/m3 Hardness 309 kg Impact Strength 68 73 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 284 395 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 104 kg/cm2 Stiffness 96 106 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.56 0.70 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.43 0.49 Weight 624 512. 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. 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.