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
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

Wood Image 1

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
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength838910303psi
Density34lbs/ft3
Hardness683lbs
Impact Strength2729inches
Maximum Crushing Strength40495630psi
Shearing Strength1490psi
Stiffness137115091000 psi
Work to Maximum Load810inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.430.49
Weight3932.lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage8%
Volumetric Shrinkage10%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength589724kg/cm2
Density544kg/m3
Hardness309kg
Impact Strength6873cm
Maximum Crushing Strength284395kg/cm2
Shearing Strength104kg/cm2
Stiffness961061000 kg/cm2
Work to Maximum Load0.560.70cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.430.49
Weight624512.kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage8%

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.