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Light Red Meranti

INTRODUCTION The Standard Malaysian Name for the pink-red and lightweight timber of the genus Shorea (Dipterocarpaceae). Vernacular names used include majau (Sabah), meranti (Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak) with various epithets, seraya batu (Sabah) with various epithets, red seraya (Sabah) and various other local names too numerous to list here. Major species include S. acuminata (partly), S. dasyphylla, S. hemsleyana, S. johorensis, S. lepidota, S. leprosula, S. ovalis, S. palembanica, S. parvifolia, S. platycarpa (partly) and S. teysmanniana. The sapwood is lighter in colour, usually greyish and distinct from the heartwood, which is light pink to light red or light brown. Also known as Light Red Meranti (Brunei); Meranti merah, Meranti merah muda, Seraya merah, Tangile andUrung (Indonesia); Almon, Light red lauan, Light Red Philippine Mahogany andMayapis(Philippines); and Saya and Saya-khao (Thailand). DENSITY This is a Light Hardwood with a density of 385-755 kg/m3 air dry. NATURAL DURABILITY Light red meranti (LRM) is not durable when used in contact with the ground or in exposed conditions. The heartwood is resistant to fungal attacks but not resistant to termite attacks. However, the sapwood of the timber is liable to attack by drywood termites which may subsequently spread to the heartwood. Almost all the species of LRM are resistant to powder-post beetle attacks (Menon, 1957). The standard graveyard tests conducted at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) have indicated that the average service life of this timber is less than two years and is therefore classified as not durable (Jackson, 1965; Dahlan & Tam, in press). However, this classification applies to the less durable species like S. ovalis, S. leprosula and S. teysmanniana. For S. acuminata, S. parvifolia and S. hemsleyana, the average service life is more than two years and are classified as moderately durable. Similar tests done at Princess Risborough (U.K.)showed that it is moderately durable with a service life of 15-25 years when in contact with the ground (Anon., 1975). It was reported by Burgess (1966) that the timber is highly susceptible to attack by marine borers. PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT The LRM isgenerally resistant to preservative impregnation. TEXTURE Texture is coarse but even, with interlocked grain. STRENGTH PROPERTIES The timber falls into Strength Group C (Engku, 1988b) or SG 6 (MS 544:Part 2:2001). Strength Properties of LRM
Species Test Modulus Modulus Compression Compression Shear of parallel to perpendicular strength Condition of Elasticity Rupture grain (MPa) to grain (MPa) (MPa) (MPa) (MPa)

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S. acuminata S. hemsleyana S. leprosula S. parvifolia

Green Green Air dry Green Air dry Green Air dry

10,500 13,200 13,400 11,400 13,600 9,300 10,200

54 68 77 53 75 50 63

27.4 37.0 42.7 29.0 41.4 25.6 34.5

2.41 2.39 2.51 2.00 2.41

6.3 7.7 11.0 6.4 6.8 5.9 6.5

MACHINING PROPERTIES It is easy to saw and work and gives a smooth planed surface. Machining Properties of LRM
Species Test Condition Sawing Planing Boring Turning ReCross Ease of Quality of Ease Quality of Ease of Quality of turning sawing Cutting planing finish of finish finish boring easy easy easy smooth easy smooth easy easy easy smooth easy smooth easy moderately smooth easy easy easy smooth easy smooth easy easy easy smooth easy rough easy smooth easy easy easy smooth easy smooth easy easy easy smooth easy moderately easy moderately smooth smooth easy easy easy smooth easy rough easy easy easy smooth easy rough easy moderately smooth easy easy easy moderately easy smooth smooth easy easy easy smooth easy smooth easy smooth

S. acuminata

Green Air dry Green Air dry Green Air dry Green Air dry Green Air dry

S. hemsleyana S. leprosula

S. parvifolia

S. teysmanniana

NAILING PROPERTY The nailing property of most species testedis good, except for S. hemsleyana, whichis rated as poor. AIR DRYING The seasoning properties of some species tested are summarised below:
Time to air dry (months) Remarks 13 mm 25 mm 38 mm thickboards thickboards thickboards S. hemsleyana 2.5 5 Moderately slow drying; free from all seasoning defects. S. leprosula 2 3.5 4 Fairly fast drying; free from seasoning defects. S. parvifolia 2 3.5 4 Fairly fast drying; free from seasoning defects. S. 4.5 Moderately slow drying; teysmanniana slight bowing and twist. Species

KILN-DRYING Kiln Schedule F is recommended. The timber dries rapidly without degrade. 25 mm thickboards take about 6 days to kiln-dry from 50 to 10% moisture content, while 50 mm thickboards will require about 20 days. Kiln Schedule F
Moisture Content (%) Temperature (Dry Bulb) F Green 60 120 120 C 48.5 48.5 Temperature (Wet Bulb) F 111 109 C 44.0 43.0 Relative Humidity (%) (approx.) 75 70

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40 30 25 20 10

125 130 140 155 170

51.5 54.5 60.0 68.0 76.5

109 109 115 124 136

43.0 43.0 46.0 51.0 58.0

60 50 45 40 40

SHRINKAGE The shrinkage of some species tested are summarised below:

Species Shrinkage (%) (Green to air dry) Radial S. hemsleyana S. leprosula S. parvifolia S. teysmanniana 1.9 2.1 1.5 1.6 Tangential 5.4 5 4.8 7.4 High shrinkage, especially in the tangential direction. High shrinkage, especially in the tangential direction. High shrinkage, especially in the tangential direction. Very high tangential shrinkage. Remarks

DEFECTS The presence of brittle heart is more severe and wide spread in LRM than in dark red meranti. The defect is often accompanied by advanced stages of rot resulting in hollow cores in old and over-matured trees. It can be readily identified on the sawn end of the affected part, which is rough and irregular in outline. The frequent transverse fracture of the fibre on the sawn surface is further evidence of its presence. LRM timbers are liable to attack by 'shot-hole' and 'pin-hole' beetles and in some cases it can be quite severe. USES The timber is very popular as a general utility timber, being suitable for furniture, interior finishing, panelling, partitioning, mouldings, skirtings, decorative works, joinery, shop and office fittings, staircase (angle blocks, rough brackets, baluster, balustrade, handrail and sprandrel framing), flooring, decking, posts, beams, joists, rafters, door and window frames and sills, pallets (expendable type), tool handles (non-impact), vehicle bodies (planking), ship and boat building (general planking), ornamental items, cooling tower (non-structural members),plywood and light construction works. REFERENCES 1. Anon. 1975. The Natural Durability Classification of Timber. Tech. Note No. 40, Princess Risborough Lab., U.K. 2. Burgess, P. F. 1966. Timbers of Sabah. Sabah For. Rec. No. 6. 3. Choo, K. T. & Lim, S. C. 1983. Malaysian Timbers -Light Red Meranti. Malaysian Forest Service Trade Leaflet No. 75. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 11 pp. 4. Engku Abdul Rahman Chik. 1998b. Basic and Grade Stresses for Strength Groups of Malaysian Timbers. Malayan Forest ServiceTrade Leaflet No. 38. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 13 pp. 5. Jackson, W. F. 1965. The Durability of Malayan Timbers. Mal. For. Ser. Trade Leaflet No. 28. 6. Menon, K. D. 1957. Susceptibility of Commercial Species of Malayan Timbers to Powder-post Beetle Attack. Mal. For. Ser. Trade Leaflet No. 27. 7. Menon, P. K. B. 1986. Uses of Some Malaysian Timbers. Revised by Lim, S. C. Timber Trade Leaflet No. 31. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 48 pp. 8. Mohd. Dahlan Jantan & Tam, M. K.Natural Durability of Some Malaysian Timbers by Stake Tests.In press. 9. MS 544:Part 2:2001. Code of Practice for the Structural Use of Timber: Permissible Stress Design of Solid Timber. 10. Wong, T. M. 1982. A Dictionary of Malaysian Timbers. Revised by Lim, S. C. & Chung, R. C. K. Malayan Forest Records No. 30. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 201 pp.

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If you have any queries about MTC Wood Wizard, please write to woodwizard@mtc.com.my Copyright 2006 Malaysian Timber Council 18th Floor Menara PGRM, 8 Jalan Pudu Ulu, Cheras 56100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: +603-9281 1999 Fax: +603-9282 8999

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