Users from all around the world praise the Malaysian Meranti Wood's magnificence. This Malaysian Meranti Wood, which provides a superb mix of beauty, strength, and longevity, is cost-effectively priced. The greatest Malaysian Meranti Wood for interior design is preferred because of its natural look and unique decorations.
So, why is Yellow Meranti Wood so popular? Yes! It is the most significant wood genus commercially in Asia's moist tropics. We'll explain everything about Malaysian Yellow Meranti Wood in this article. Then, we assess workability. Finally, we'll provide you with advice on how to purchase meranti wood that is sustainably harvested.
Malaysian Yellow Meranti
Colour/Appearance: Usually yellow to golden-brown, and as it ages, it tends to get darker.
Grain/Texture: Has medium to big pores and a rough feel. Sometimes grains get locked together.
Rot Resistance: Said to be non-durable in decay resistance and vulnerable to insect assault.
Odor: No distinctive odor.
Allergies/Toxicity: Meranti of the Shorea genus has been documented to induce eye, throat, and skin irritation, while serious responses are relatively rare.
Sustainability: Meranti is not classified in the CITES Appendices; however, many species of the Shorea genus are. Most Shorea species are classified as severely endangered due to a population loss of more than 80% during the last three generations, which was brought on by a reduction in its native range and exploitation.
Pricing/Availability: Meranti is generally accessible and widely harvested worldwide. Despite being imported, it should be reasonably priced, yet, some specific Yellow Meranti species are reportedly endangered.
Wood anatomy
- Sapwood is somewhat too different from the heartwood, light in colour, and logs are frequently delineated by staining and black dammar exudation.
- The grain is occasionally wavy and typically interlaced but not very deeply.
- The texture is moderately coarse or relatively fine and even; the figure is unnoticeable but occurs as a faint ribbon figure because of the interlocked grain and a speckled ray figure on quarter-sawn faces.
- Wood that has just been chopped has a strong tannic aroma.
- Growth rings obscure or nonexistent; vessels few to relatively numerous, visible to the naked eye, generally open; parenchyma sparse to moderately abundant, reasonably defined, generating dull yellow pores similar to white meranti but less aliform; rays few, dull yellow, visible.
- Typically, ripple markings are either nonexistent or difficult to see.
- Intercellular canals are present on transverse surfaces in more or less extensive concentric lines. However, they may sometimes be as big as or more prominent than the vessels.
Workability
Although interlaced grain might be problematic during planning, it is often simple to work with. Due to trace amounts of silica in the wood, some species may have a modest blunting impact on tools. It effectively stains, binds, and finishes.
Sawing – This species may easily be sawed.
Cutting Rotary Veneer – It is possible to laminate this species.
Sliced Veneer – It is possible to laminate this species.
Machining – It is said that this species is simple to machine.
Planing – Operations involving plans are rather simple.
Boring – Air-dried timber's bored surfaces are rough, perhaps due to the interlocked grain.
Nailing – Pre-boring is advised because of this wood's good to fair nailing behaviour.
Glueing – Although alkaline glues have been known to cause specific issues, they glue nicely.
Finishing – Before applying a transparent or clear varnish for external applications, DD varnish is advised.
Coatings – Before painting or varnishing, it is advised to plug the pores.
Uses
The wood is appropriate for general purpose use, light construction, ship and boat building, as well as planking for vehicle bodies, mouldings, panelling, partitioning, furniture, shop and office fittings, flooring, decking, joinery, staircase (angle blocks, rough bracket, apron lining, baluster, spandrel framing and railing), tool carries (non-impact), railway sleepers, pallets, beams, posts, rafters, joists, and pencil. As a species for plywood, this wood is highly valued.
Natural Durability
- multiflora and S. longisperma have average service lives of 1.9 years and 1.1 years, respectively, according to the standard cemetery tests performed by the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM). 15 of the 45 S. multiflora test stakes were damaged in the first six months, and the final two were destroyed in the third year.
Similarly, experiments on S. longisperma revealed that only 8% of the test stakes remained functional at the end of the first year. Termites were virtually always the culprit in the devastation of wood. As a result, yellow meranti is categorised as unreliable in Malaysian settings.
How Did It Become So Popular?
Light building work is done using yellow meranti. Because it is especially vulnerable to attack by the powder-post beetle, sapwood should be eliminated from any application or adequately treated. Light traffic flooring, planking, ceiling, door and window frames, utility furniture, interior trim and cabinetry, turnery, toys, boxes, and boat and shipbuilding are all examples of uses for the heartwood.
Generally speaking, it makes an excellent wood for joinery. When good firmness is needed, it is frequently employed locally. Application in touch with the ground should be avoided since the wood is not very resilient. As a face and core veneer, yellow meranti is an excellent wood for plywood. The wood works well as paper pulp and is a great material for creating hardboard and particle board.
The darkest dipterocarp is produced by the yellow meranti species and is extremely dark, nearly black. However, despite being of inferior quality, it is occasionally used for torches. When this practice was popular, resin from particular species was used to darken teeth. Some species' bark may be scrapped and turned into baskets and storage containers or used to decorate interior walls.
To Sum Up
Several furniture creations have used the tropical hardwood Yellow Meranti. Meranti is becoming less and less sustainable due to the overexploitation of these tree species, which has resulted in a significant decline in population over the past few decades. The fact that wood is more environmentally friendly than plastic should not be overlooked, especially when it comes from the best Yellow Meranti Wood suppliers.
