Search for  
 
 
top

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
Light-Induced Color Change
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Eusideroxylon zwageri

Trade Name
Belian

Family Name
Lauraceae

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Abuin, Balian, Belian, Belian bulch, Belian buloh, Belian griting, Belian kapur, Belian tembaga, Belian wi, Bilian, Billan, Billian, Boelian, Bois de fer de Borneo, Borneo eisenholz, Borneo ironwood, Borneo's ijzerhout, Borneo-jarntra, Borneosch ijerhout, Bulian, Bulian rambai, Caju baelian, Ijzerhout, Im muk, Kajo taha, Kajoe besi, Kayu besi, Ku an tin, Ku'an tin, Lampahoeng, Legno ferro del Borneo, Melangganai, Oelin, Onglen, Palembangs ijzerhout, Palo de hierro de Borneo, Sakian, Tadien, Tambulian, Tanoedlen, Tebelian, Telian, Terbelian, Tulian, Ulin, Yam muk

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Office furniture, Pile-driver cushions, Piling, Poles, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shafts/Handles, Shingles, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Stools, Structural work, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Wharf construction

Environmental Profile
Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within significant parts of its range
Considered vulnerable in its natural habitat because its numbers are threatened by serious adverse factors throughout its range. However, the species likely exists today in relatively large numbers.


Distribution Overview
Throughout the lowlands of Sabah extending into the remainder of Borneo, other Indonesian islands, and the Philippines; occasionally abundant.

Heartwood Color
White
Yellow
Red
Brown
Green/grey
Orange
Reddish brown
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Dark brown
Brown
Pale brown
Light brown

Black

Sapwood Color
Red
Yellow
White
White to yellow
Clearly differentiated from the heartwood
Bright yellow when first cut, darkens upon exposure


Grain
Straight
Interlocked
Even
Figure
Weak (figure)

Generally straight, but not always
Interlocked
Weak figure

Generally unfigured.

Texture
Coarse
Fine to medium
Fine
Medium coarse
Even textured


Luster
Low
Lustrous
Slightly lustrous


Natural Growth Defects
Latex or other ducts
Gum and mineral deposits
Brittleheart is rare or absent. When present, it is sparse in amount


Natural Durability
Perishable
Very durable
Very durable
Resistant to attack from marine borers
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles)
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles

Heartwood has exceptional natural durability and can last for 50 to 100 years in ground contact It is immune to termites but is susceptible to attack by marine borers.

Odor
No distinct taste
Lemon-Like scent is persistent even in seasoned material


Light-Induced Color Change
Darker


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rapid
2 - C2 (4/4); T2 - C1 (8/4) US


Drying Defects
Distortion
Checking
Moderate surface checking
Slight surface checking
Slight twist/warp
Slight end splitting


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Rapidly
Easy
Figure Occurrence is variable

Drying properties are reported to vary with origin of the timber, but it generally seasons easily with little degrade.

Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries quickly
Rapid (<10 days for boards < 32 mm, to <30 days for boards >= 63 mm)


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is not buttressed
Fluted
Buttressed


Tree Size
Bole length is 20-30 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Tree height is 30-40 m
Tree height is 40-50 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Wood contains oil cells

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe
Blunting effect on machining is severe
Blunting effect on machining is moderate


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Easy
Described as very hard and heavy
Bores cleanly at slow speed


Carving
Wood is heavy and hard
Fairly good response to preservative treatment


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Easy to saw
Difficult to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult

Saw teeth tend dull rapidly and become accumulated with oil deposits

Gluing
Difficult to glue
Responds poorly to synthetic resin glues


Mortising
Fair to Good Results
Material is Hard and Heavy
Good mortising properties


Moulding
Poor to Very Poor Results
Good moulding properties


Movement in Service
Small


Nailing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Pre-boring recommended
Difficult to nail


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Planes well, to a good finish
Easy to plane

The timber is described as hard and heavy, but it is reported that it responds readily to planing.

Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable sapwood
Permeable heartwood
Heartwood is extremely resistant
Sapwood is permeable
Heartwood is resistant


Resistance to Splitting
Poor


Response to Hand Tools
Difficult to machine
Responds well to hand tools
Moderate working qualities
Easy to machine


Routing & Recessing
Good in both routing and recessing.


Sanding
Good sanding finish
Contains alkaloids giving it good acid resistance


Screwing
Possible if prebored


Turning
Poor to Very Poor Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Good results
Easy to turn


Veneering Qualities
Good gluing qualities
Easy to cut


Painting
Satisfactory results
Good results


Polishing
Satisfactory results
Responds smoothly with care


Staining
Stains well
Found locally, even abundantly, at some of its locations, but in a restricted range
Finish is generally satisfactory


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 61<
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Hardness (side grain) = Hard
Max crushing strength (stiffness) = very high
Bending strength (MOR) = high
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
Density (dry weight) = 53-60
Toughness -hammer drop = medium
Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Max. crushing strength = high


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength2049427194psi
Density62lbs/ft3
Hardness3010lbs
Impact Strength40inches
Maximum Crushing Strength1056513205psi
Shearing Strength2877psi
Stiffness253928031000 psi
Specific Gravity0.81
Weight6150lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage4%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
Volumetric Shrinkage11%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength14401911kg/cm2
Density993kg/m3
Hardness1365kg
Impact Strength101cm
Maximum Crushing Strength742928kg/cm2
Shearing Strength202kg/cm2
Stiffness1781971000 kg/cm2
Specific Gravity0.81
Weight977801kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage4%
Tangential Shrinkage7%

References
Browne, F.G.,1955,Forest Trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their Products.,Government Printing Office, Kuching, Sarawak

Burgess, P.F.,1966,Timbers of Sabah,Sabah Forest Record, no.6

Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1954,Hardwoods for Industrial Flooring,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet, No.48

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1970,Report on a consignment of Belian (Eusideroxylon zwageri) from Sabah,Department of Trade and Industry, Forest Products Research Laboratory,,Princes Risborough, Report on overseas timber 14, F.P.R.L. consignment,No.1370

France - C.T.F.T.,1973,Investigations and Tests carried out on Tropical Timber by several,Research Laboratories,CTFT

Kartasujana, I., Martawijaya, A.,1973,Commercial Woods of Indonesia,Forest Products Research Institute, Department Pertanian, Bogor Indonesia,Report No.3

Keating, W.G., Bolza, E.,1982,Characteristics properties and uses of timbers. South East Asia, Northern,Australia and the Pacific,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Chemical Technology,Inkata Press,1

Kloot, N.H., Bolza, E.,1961,Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia,C.S.I.R.O. Forest Products Division Technological Paper,No.12

Koopman, M.J.F., Verhoef, L.,1938,The Ironwood of Borneo and Sumatra,Tectona 31(6) pp381-99

Kraemer, J.H.,1951,Trees of the Western Pacific Region,West Lafayette, Indiana U.S.A.

Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50)

Malaysian Timber Industry Board,1986,100 Malaysian Timbers,The Malaysian Timber Industry Board

Reyes, L.J.,1938,Philippine Woods,Commonwealth of the Philippines Department of Agriculture and Commerce,Technical Bulletin,No.7

Sarawak - Borneo Lit.Bureau,1961,Common Sarawak timbers,Borneo Lit. Bureau for Sarawak Forestry Department

Sarawak Forest Department,1954,Trees and timbers of Sarawak and Brunei - Family Lauraceae,Sarawak Forestry Department Leaflet No.33

Smythies, B.E.,1965,Common Sarawak Trees,Borneo Literature Bureau

Stadelman, R.C.,1966,Forests of South-East Asia,Wimmer Bros., Memphis Tennessee

Tamolang, F.N., Martawijaya, A., Kartasujana, I., Kadir, K., Parwira, S.,1992,Indonesian Wood Atlas Volume II,Department of Forestry, Agency for Forestry Research and Development,,Bogor-Indonesia

Walker, F.S.,1941,Resistance of Timbers to Marine Borer Attack,Malayan Forester 10(4) pp145-9

WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center - Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.









Search the web for anything relating to wood and forest products.

























Search the web for anything relating to wood and forest products.