RED MERANTI

THE TREE

MEDIUM-WEIGHT MERANTI OF A RED TO DARK-RED COLOR IS KNOWN AS DARK-RED MERANTI IN CONTRAST TO THE PALER LIGHT-RED MERANTI. LIKE OTHER MERANTIS, RED MERANTI IS A MIXTURE OF SPECIES, BUT S.PAUCIFLORA IS A COMMON SOURCE IN MALAYSIA; IT IS A VERY LARGE TREE, REACHING 70m IN HEIGHT WITH A BOLE UP TO 1.5m IN DIAMETER.


THE WOOD

RED MERANTI IS DISTINGUISHED BY ITS MEDIUM-RED TO DARK RED-BROWN WOOD, OFTEN WITH CONSPICUOUS, WHITE DAMMAR, OR RESIN, STREAKS. IT HAS A MEDIUM TO COARSE TEXTURE AND A SHALLOWLY INTERLOCKED GRAIN. IT IS HEAVIER THAN LIGHT-RED MERANTI AND IS USED FOR MORE EXACTING PURPOSES.

TECHNICAL PROPERTIES

DARK-RED MERANTI DRIES MORE SLOWLY THAN LIGHT-RED MERANTI AND HAS SOME TENDENCY TO SPLIT AND CHECK IN THICK SIZES; ONCE DRY IT IS A STABLE WOOD. IT HAS GOOD STRENGTH, BUT IS EASILY SPILT BECAUSE THE GRAIN IS STRAIGHT. IT SAWS EASILY AND WORKS WELL, TAKING A GOOD FINISH; IT IS MORE RESISTANT TO FUNGI THAN THE PALER, LIGHT-RED WOODS.


USES

RED MERANTI IS AN IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL TIMBER, SHIPPED FROM MALAYSIA TO EUROPE AND ELSEWHERE AND FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO THE UNITED STATES, WHERE IT IS KNOWS AS PHILIPPINES MAHOGANY. IT IS POPULAR FOR JOINERY, INCLUDING OUTDOOR USE IN TEMPERATE COUNTRIES, FOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION, CLADDING, PANELING, FLOORS AND FOR BOAT- BUILDING.
 SOFT WOODS: