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 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 Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing 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 Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Shorea leptoclados Trade Name Light red meranti Family Name Dipterocarpaceae Common Names Almon, Lanan, Light red lauan, Light red meranti, Light red seraya, Mayapis, Meranti bunga, Perawan, White lauan Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines Common Uses Balusters, Bedroom suites, Bent Parts, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fine furniture, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Sub-flooring, Utility furniture, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Species in the Light red meranti or Light red lauan group in Shorea genus are distributed in the Malayan Peninsula, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sabah and the Sarawak. The trees are usually found growing in well-drained soils at low altitudes. Heartwood Color White Brown Green Yellow Red Pale pink to dark red or light red-brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Red Same as heartwood Grayish tinge Dark reddish-brown, often with alternating lighter reddish-brown and golden brown bands Grain Closed Interlocked Wavy Wavy Interlocked Texture Medium Coarse Fine Even or uniform Coarse Luster High Medium Slightly lustrous Lustrous Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to termites Non-durable Moderately durable Perishable Durable Very durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Varied natural resistance of heartwood to decay (poor to moderate) Susceptible to attack by powder-post beetle Odor Has a taste No distinct odor or taste Resin Content Contains resin streaks and oil Toxicity Sawdust can cause throat irritation in some individuals Sawdust can cause skin irritation in some individuals Sawdust can cause nose irritation in some individuals Kiln Schedules T6-D4 (4/4) T3-D3 (8/4) US Schedule F (4/4) United Kingdom Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Thinner stock may warp Thick material dries slowly and tends to surface check Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Reconditioning Treatement Rapidly High tangential shrinkage can result from lack of care during drying. Fairly easy to easy Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Product Sources Shorea genus is a major timber source 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 genera 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. Certified Source Certified Source Blunting Effect Little Slight blunting effect on cutting tools Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Easy Clean and smooth surfaces Bored surfaces are usually clean Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Respond very well to carving operations Cutting Resistance Easy to saw May be some break away at the base and back cut when sawing lighter stock Good sawing properties Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Takes glue well Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good mortising properties Easy mortising operations Bores readily with ordinary tools, with very good results Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds readily to ordinary tools in boring operations to produce clean surfaces Responds readily to machine tools Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Excellent Stability - Small Movement Small movement after seasoning Good dimensional stability and shows little movement in use Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Poor to Very Poor Results Satisfactory nailing qualities Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Planing with standard tools is satisfactory if they are kept sharp Interlocked grain may cause some tearing, and a reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees is recommended in planing The timber exudes resin and oil but they do not interfere with machining operations Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant to very resistant to preservative treatment Moderately permeable Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Yields a smooth, clean finish Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routs easily with ordinary machine tools Produces clean surfaces Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Lighter stock may produce rough surfaces in sanding Denser stock sands well Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Takes screws satisfactorily Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Turned surfaces of lighter stock may be somewhat rough Easy to turn Denser stock is reported to turn well Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Difficult to veneer Veneers moderately easy Steam Bending Wood buckles severely Very poor Painting Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Surface Preparation Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Good polishing properties after filling Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Stains satisfactorily after surface preparation Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties Weight=Medium Dents and marrs easily Density=Average/Medium Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending stength in air-dried condition...is medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6468 9310 psi Density 27 lbs/ft3 Hardness 451 lbs Impact Strength 22 21 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 3263 5802 psi Shearing Strength 951 psi Stiffness 1019 1205 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 6 8 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.34 0.42 Weight 31 25 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 14 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 454 654 kg/cm2 Density 432 kg/m3 Hardness 204 kg Impact Strength 55 53 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 229 407 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 66 kg/cm2 Stiffness 71 84 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.42 0.56 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.34 0.42 Weight 496 400 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % 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. Kaiser, J. Wood of the Month: Meranti - The Hardworking Import. Wood & Wood Products, May 1991. Page 48. Lavers, G.M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.