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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. Boring Carving Certified Source 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 Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Plantation species? 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 Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Pinus merkusii Trade Name Merkus pine Family Name Pinaceae Common Names Damar batu, Damar bunga, Huyam, Indo-China pine, Kayu sala, Kayu sugi, Merkus pine, Merkusfohre, Merkustall, Mindoro pine, Pine, Pinus, Sral, Sumatra pine, Sumatrakiefer, Tapulan, Tapulau, Thong mu, Tingyu, Tinshu, Tinyu, Tusam, Uyam Plantation species? Yes Regions of Distribution Africa, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Casks, Chairs, Charcoal, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Matches, Mine timbers, Office furniture, Packing cases, Particleboard, Plywood, Poles, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Toothpicks, Veneer Environmental Profile Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions. Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center A conservation category of Rare has also been offically assigned to the species within its growth range in Sumatra, Indonesia But its status in the Philippines is officially classified as Vulnerable, possibly Endangered. Distribution Overview Merkus pine occurs in eastern Burma, Indochina, Sumatra, and the islands of Luzon and Mindoro in the Philippines. The species is also cultivated in Malaysia. It is the only member in the Pinus genus that is indigenous to regions south of the Equator. Heartwood Color Brown White Red Pink Yellow Orange Purple Yellow, yellowish-red, yellowish-brown, or orange brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange White to cream Darkens upon exposure Brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red White to yellow Pale in color Clearly demarcated from heartwood in old trees Grain Straight Even Straight Texture Fine Even or uniform Medium Uniform Medium coarse to coarse Fair to medium coarse Luster Slightly lustrous Lustrous Freshly-Cut wood has lustrous surfact Dulls with age Dull Natural Durability Non-durable Susceptible to insect attack Perishable Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Very little natural resistance to decay in ground contact Untreated wood in contact with ground could decay in less than 5 years Susceptible to attack by termistes, pinhole bores, and wood wasps Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Non durable Heartwood susceptible to attack by decay fungi Odor No specific taste Distinctive resinous odor Resin Content Numerous resin ducts Drying Defects Distortion Staining Slight surface checking Slight cupping Gum/resin exudation Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Rapidly Reconditioning Treatement Medium to High Shrinkage Easy Dries easily, with very little degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bark width is 5-10 mm Tree height is 10-20 m Bark width is 10-15 mm Bark width is 30-40 mm Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 50-60 m Bole length is 30-40 m Tree height is 0-10 m Product Sources Timber produced by Merkus pine is often mixed and marketed with that from Benguet pine (P. insularis). Apart from timber, Merkus pine is also reported to produce high-quality oleo-resins. Certified Source Certified Source Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Wood bores well, especially when dry Carving Carves well in dry condition Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly good sawing characteristics, despite high resin content Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moderate gluing properties Good gluing properties Gluing characteristics depend upon the age of the tree and amount of resin Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Good mortising properties in dry material Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Moulding operations are rather easy in seasoned wood Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Excellent Stability - Small Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good nail holding properties Depends on age of tree and resin content Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Seasoned wood is easy to work with most tools Resinous boards are rather difficult to plane Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable heartwood Heartwood is permeable Fairly treatable with preservatives Fairly good response to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds well to hand tools Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds well to routing operations Sanding Good sanding properties Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Turns well in dry condition Poor results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Suitable for peeling Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Painting Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Material takes a high polish Staining Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Hardness (side grain) = soft Very high bending strengthand high crushing strength Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Resists wearing and marring Resists denting and marring Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Max. crushing strength = high High in density Hardness = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 10213 18448 psi Crushing Strength 594 1281 psi Density 42 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1123 lbs Impact Strength 28 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4707 8414 psi Shearing Strength 1478