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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 Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing 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 Trade Name Tree Identification Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Swintonia spicifera Trade Name Merpau Family Name Anacardiaceae Common Names Merpau, Merpauh, Merpauh daun tebal, Merpauh dawn tebal, Pitoh, Selan Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brunei, Malaysia Common Uses Boat building (general), Heavy construction, Light construction, Matches Heartwood Color Brown Red Black Purple Red Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Reddish brown Greenish to greyish Sapwood Color Green/Grey Red Brown Paler than heartwood White to yellow Grain Interlocked Figure Distinct (figure) Interlocked Distinct figure Texture Fine Uniform Even or uniform Medium Coarse Medium to coarse Fine Fine to medium Luster Low Lustrous Pronounced Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Non durable Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) often present in the standing tree Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Durable Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Slight spring/bow Ease of Drying Slowly Thick Stock Requires Care Requires special attention Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Blunting Effect Moderate Blunting effect on machining is severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fair to Good Results Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Easy to nail Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is permeable Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fair to Good Results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor results Difficult to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = medium Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Max. crushing strength = medium Max. crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7711 12078 psi Density 45 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1658 lbs Impact Strength 34 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 5408 8171 psi Shearing Strength 2847 psi Stiffness 2167 2494 1000 psi Weight 44 35 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 542 849 kg/cm2 Density 721 kg/m3 Hardness 752 kg Impact Strength 86 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 380 574 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 200 kg/cm2 Stiffness 152 175 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 705 560 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % References Browne, F.G.,1955,Forest Trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their Products.,Government Printing Office, Kuching, Sarawak Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 4 South East Asia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Burgess, P.F.,1966,Timbers of Sabah,Sabah Forest Record, no.6 Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15 Lee, Y.H., et al,1974,Commercial Timbers of Peninsular Malaysia,Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia and,Malaysian Timber Industry Board Lee, Y.H., Lopez, D.T.,1968,The Machining Properties of some Malayan Timbers,Malayan Forester,3,pp194-210 Lee, Y.H.,1965,Timber tests - merpauh (Swintonia spp.,Malayan Forester 28(1) pp56-62 Menon, P.K.B.,1959,The wood anatomy of Malayan timbers: commercial timbers, 3. Light,hardwoods,Malaysian Forest Research Institute Kepong, Research Pamplet, No. 27. Ng, F.S.P. (Ed,1989,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 4,Forest Research Institute Malaysia Ministry of Primary Industries