Merbau

Technical species specifications for Merbau Hardwood Flooring from Fantastic Floor – Discount Exotic and Domestic Hardwood Flooring, Prefinished Solid Flooring, Unfinished Solid Flooring and Engineered Flooring.

Description

The Merbau Hardwood color is pretty dark brown with reddish tones. While the sapwood of the Merbau tree consists somehow whitish colors, the heartwood of the Merbau tree is a lot darker with brown and red-brown colors. When first cut the Merbau heartwood is a lot brighter with orange yellowish colors, but it gets the darker colors upon exposure and with time. Another interesting thing about the Merbau hardwood is that sometimes you might see golden-yellowish “flecks” on it, something that gives the Merbau hardwood a very beautiful and shiny look. Most of the Merbau Hardwood Flooring consists with medium to high variation in colors. Material is hand selected, at the mill level, for dark or light to achieve a better color selection.

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Scientific Name, Other Names:

Intsia biuga, Intsia palembanica, Ipil, Kwila, Lumpha, Lumpho, Tat-talun, Vesi, Mirabow

About:

The surface is smooth, glossy, and coarse-textured with yellow flecks throughout. When finished, these golden flecks will give the floor a regal appearance.

Applications:

Flooring is just on of the many uses for this durable wood. It can also be found in furniture, joinery, paneling, decorative woodwork, cabinets, and musical instruments. Merbau is also a source for dyes.

Janka Hardness:

1,925 pounds

Strength (MOR):

16,679 psi

Stiffness (MOE):

2,239 1000 psi

Density (KG/m3):

0

Tangential Shrinkage:

640.0 %

Radial Shrinkage:

380.0 %

Family:

Caesalpiniaceae

Tree Characteristics:

The Merbau is a large tree with an average height of 50′ tall. The trunk can grow up to more than 5′ wide, and grows with strong wide spreading buttresses.

Geographic Area:

Grown in Indonesia and the indo-malaysian regions near Sumatra and Borneo, and as far into the pacific islands as the Philippines.

Color:

When freshly cut, the heartwood of Merbau is a yellowish to orange-brown color, but then darkens to brown or red brown.

Photosensitivity:

Gets darker colors upon exposure and with time.

Luster:

Low

Grain:

Straight to interlocked or wavy

Texture:

Coarse

Drying Characteristics:

Merbau wood can be dried satisfactorily without incurring significant defect.

Working Characteristics:

This wood gums saw teeth and dulls cutting edges, so sawing is difficult, and the use of carbide tools when working Merbau is recommended. It sands and finishes well and has good holding ability. Care must be taken with Merbau, as contact with moisture or iron ferrous metals can stain the wood black.

Durability Rating:

Merbau is almost as stable as teak. And although comparable to hickory in strength, Merbau has a much lower density. It has excellent dimensional stability and is highly resistant to termites.