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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 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 Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Shorea smithiana 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] Indonesia, Malaysia Common Uses Balusters, Building construction, Building materials, Concrete formwork, Construction, Interior construction, Light construction, Moldings, Stairworks, Stringers Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Little or no threat to its population Generally secure within its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview The geographical distribution of Light red meranti or Light red lauan group of Shorea includes the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, the Philippines, as well as Sabah and Sarawak. reported to grow on well-drained soils, typically at low altitudes. Heartwood Color White Brown Yellow Red Orange Pink Grey Pale pink to dark red or light red-brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Same as heartwood Grayish tinge Dark reddish-brown, often with alternating lighter reddish-brown and golden brown bands Grain Interlocked Interlocked Texture Coarse Medium Coarse Luster Medium Slightly lustrous Lustrous Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Perishable Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Varied natural resistance of heartwood to decay (poor to moderate) Susceptible to attack by powder-post beetle Odor No distinct odor or taste Resin Content Contains resin streaks and oil Kiln Schedules T6-D4 (4/4) T3-D3 (8/4) US Schedule F (4/4) United Kingdom Drying Defects Distortion Checking Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Thick material dries slowly and tends to surface check Stock in thinner dimensions may warp during drying Ease of Drying Slowly Fairly Easy Dries easily with little degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Product Sources Shorea is the major source of timber in Southeast Asia. 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 difficult to very difficult 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 Responds readily 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 Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Takes glue well Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Good mortising properties Easy mortising operations Bores readily with ordinary tools, with very good results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Responds readily to ordinary tools in boring operations to produce clean surfaces Responds readily to machine tools Movement in Service Retains shape well after manufacture Good dimensional stability and shows little movement in use Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent 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 sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable heartwood Resistant to very resistant to preservative treatment Fairly 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 Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Lighter stock may produce rough surfaces in sanding Denser stock sands well Screwing Takes screws satisfactorily Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turned surfaces of lighter stock may be somewhat rough Easy to turn Denser stock is reported to turn well Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Suitable for peeling Steam Bending Wood buckles severely Poor Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good polishing properties after filling Staining Stains satisfactorily after surface preparation Strength Properties Weight=Medium Not hard Dents and marrs easily Density=High 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 33 lbs/ft3 Hardness 451 lbs Impact Strength 22 23 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 0.39 0.53 Weight 32 26. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 14 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 454 654 kg/cm2 Density 528 kg/m3 Hardness 204 kg Impact Strength 55 58 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 0.39 0.53 Weight 512 416. 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. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.