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Yellow Meranti

INTRODUCTION The Standard Malaysian Name for the timber of the Richetia group of Shorea (Dipterocarpaceae). Vernacular names applied include bam (Pahang), damar hitam (Peninsular Malaysia) with various epithets, meranti (Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak) with various epithets, seraya (Pahang), seraya kuning (Sabah) with various epithets and other localised names too numerous to list here. Major species include S. dolichocarpa, S. faguetiana, S. gibbosa, S. hopeifolia, S. longisperma, S. maxima and S. multiflora. The sapwood is lighter in colour and is clearly defined from the heartwood, which is lighter yellow-brown with a green tinge, darkening to deeper shades of yellow-brown or brown. Also known as Yellow Meranti (Brunei); Dammar hitam, Dammar kelepek and Meranti kuning (Indonesia); Bam, Manggasinoro and Yellow Lauan (Philippines); and Kalo (Thailand).

DENSITY The timber is a Light Hardwood with a density of 575-735 kg/m3 air dry.

NATURAL DURABILITY
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The standard graveyard tests conducted at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) have shown that the average service life of S. multiflora and S. longisperma are 1.9 years and 1.1 years respectively. Out of the 45 tests stakes of S. multiflora, 15 stakes were destroyed within 6 months while the last two stakes were completely destroyed after three years. Similarly, tests on S. longisperma indicated that only about 8 percent of the test stakes were still serviceable at the end of the first year. The destruction of timber was caused almost exclusively by termites. Therefore, yellow meranti is classified as not durable under Malaysian conditions.

PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT The timber is moderately difficult to treat with preservatives.

TEXTURE Texture is moderately coarse but even, with usually interlocked and sometimes wavy grain.

STRENGTH PROPERTIES The timber falls into Strength Group C (Engku, 1988b) or SG6 (MS 544: Part 2: 2001).

Strength Properties of Yellow Meranti

Species Test Modulus of Modulus of Compression Compression Shear Condition Elasticity(MPa) Rupture(MPa) parallel to perpendicular Strength grain to grain (MPa) (MPa) (MPa) Green Air dry Green Air dry Green Air dry 10,700 10,500 11,000 12,100 60 55 57 67 32.8 29.5 30.2 40.0 3.86 2.97 6.4 6.0 6.5 8.0

S. faguetiana S. longisperma S. multiflora

MACHINING PROPERTIES It is easy to resaw and cross-cut in both green or air dry conditions. Planing is also easy and the planed surface is smooth to moderately smooth.

Machining Properties of Yellow Meranti

Species
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Test

Sawing

Planing

Boring

Turning
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condition

Re- Cross- Ease of Quality of sawing cutting planing finish easy easy easy smooth

Ease Quality Ease of Quality of of turning of boring finish finish easy smooth to rough rough -

S. faguetiana

Green

Air dry S. longisperma Green

easy easy

easy easy

easy easy

moderately easy smooth smooth

easy -

slightly rough -

easy smooth to rough easy rough

Air dry S. multiflora Green

easy easy

easy easy

easy easy

smooth smooth

easy -

slightly rough -

easy smooth to slightly rough easy rough

Air dry

easy

easy

easy

smooth

easy

slightly rough

NAILING PROPERTY Nailing property ranges from good to poor depending on the species.

AIR DRYING The timber dries moderately slowly, with very little degrade, except for some cupping, bowing and powder-post beetle attacks in the sapwood. 13 mm thick boards take approximately 3 months to air dry, while 38 mm thick boards take 5 months.

KILN-DRYING Kiln Schedule J is recommended. The timber is reported to dry well without any defects.

Kiln Schedule J
Moisture Content (%) Green 50 40 30 20
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Temperature (Dry Bulb) F 135 135 140 150 170 C 57.0 57.0 60.0 65.5 76.5

Temperature (Wet Bulb) F 123 119 118 121 127 C 50.5 48.0 47.5 49.0 53.0

Relative Humidity (%) (approx.) 70 60 50 40 30

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SHRINKAGE Shrinkage is rather high to high, especially in the tangential direction. Radial shrinkage ranges between 0.9% and 1.2% while tangential shrinkage ranges between 3.1% and 3.8%.

DEFECTS Yellow meranti timbers are liable to brittle-heart formation. The extent of damage due to the brittle heart may be negligible in some logs but appreciable in others. The timber appears to be relatively free from shot-hole borer damage but they are subjected to attack by pin-hole borer (Desch, 1941). They are also reported to be highly susceptible to powder post beetle after felling (Menon, 1957). The timber stains when in contact with iron components ( Burgess, 1966).

USES The timber is suitable for general utility purpose, light construction, planking for vehicle bodies as well as ship and boat building, panelling, mouldings, partitioning, shop and office fittings, furniture, joinery, flooring, decking, staircase (angle blocks, rough bracket, apron lining, baluster, balustrade and sprandrel framing), tool handles (non impact), pallets, railway sleepers, posts, beams, joists, rafters and pencil. This timber is highly prized as a plywood species.

REFERENCES 1. Burgess, P. F. 1966. Timbers of Sabah. Sabah For. Rec. No. 6. 2. Choo, K. T. & Lim, S. C. 1988. Malaysian Timbers Yellow Meranti. Timber Trade Leaflet No. 107. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board and Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 4 pp. 3. Desch, H. E. 1941. Manual of Malayan Timbers. Vol. 1 Mal. For. Rec. No. 15. 4. Engku Abdul Rahman Chik. 1988b. Basic And Grade Stresses For Some Malaysian Timbers. Malayan Forest Service Trade Leaflet No. 38. The Malaysian Timber Industry Board And Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 13 pp. 5. Menon, K. D. 1957. Susceptible of Commercial Species of Malayan Timbers to Powder-post Beetle Attack. Malaysian Forest Service Trade Leaflet No.27. 6. 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 Insitute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 48 pp. 7. MS 544: Part 2: 2001: Code Of Practice For Structural Use Of Timber. Permissible Stress Design of Solid Timber. 8. Redding, L. W. 1977. Resistance of Timbers to Impregnation with Creosote. F.P.R.I.
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Bulletin No. 54 HMSO London. 9. Wong, T. M. 1982. A Dictionary of Malaysian Timbers. Revised by Lim, S. C. & Chung, R. C. K. Malayan Forest Record No. 30. Forest Research Institute Malaysia Kuala Lumpur. 201 pp.
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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