Merbau

Botanical Name: Intsia Bijuga

Fast Facts

Color: The heartwood of merbau is generally brownish orange when first cut. When exposed to air, it becomes a darker reddish brown.

Grain: The grain of merbau has a course texture and can be straight or wavy.

Variations within Species and Grades: The color takes moderate to high variations.

Hardness/Janka: 1,925 is the Janka rating for merbau.

Dimensional Stability: The dimensional stability of merbau is excellent at 4.6.

Sawing/Machining: Sawing merbau lumber could be a little difficult.

Sanding: If the methods are respected, merbau can be sanded.

Nailing: There are no known problems associated with nailing.

Finishing: A neutral finish can be easily applied but merbau lumber can be difficult to stain.

Availability: moderately available.

Credit: NWFA

Merbau is generally found in Pacific Ocean islands and Southeast Asia. Merbau is a favorite in Southeast Asia because of its natural resistance to decay and its strength, relative to teak. Trees may reach a height of up to 160 feet. The tree thrives in the wet settings such as swamps, floodplains, riverbanks, and rain forests. Some of the trees can be found in the last remaining rainforests of Indonesia.

History

The largest markets for merbau were Germany and the Netherlands. Here, the wood was used for doors and windows.

Nowadays, China has become a large importer of merbau. Huge amounts of lumber were imported while preparing for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is also widely used in both the United States and European flooring markets.

The lumber is a famous choice for those making furniture, cabinets, and musical instruments. Dye can be extracted from the wood, and the leaves and bark have been used for homeopathic medicinal purposes.

Durability

The Janka scale is one of the most reliable indicators of the durability. This scale presents numbers, ranging from zero to 4,000.

A Janka rating of zero indicates a lumber is too soft. This cannot be successfully used in flooring. A ranking near 4000 means the lumber is too hard to be used for flooring.

The Janka scale rating of merbau is 1,925 and shows that the lumber suitable to being used in flooring. Actually, it is quite harder and more stable then red oak. In addition to that, the wood is resistant to termite infestation.

Workability

The truth is that merbau can be difficult to work with.

The wood has a tendency to gum the saw teeth and also dull cutting edges. Carbide tooling is recommended. Sanding can be easily accomplished if the standard sequencing is followed. Nailing and gluing can easily be done.

Neutral finishes pose no difficulties but finishing the flooring can be difficult in case of stains.

Where to use

Merbau is a perfect choice for indoor locations with low to moderate foot traffic.

Furthermore, go for merbau if you are interested in a durable flooring with dark coloring. While it can be used in corporate settings, there are other hardwoods that are better suited for heavier use.

Even this wood can be used with almost any décor, it may actually blend more naturally with one that has a traditional, rustic or sophisticated feel.

Of course, keep in mind, merbau should not be installed in locations that will be exposed to standing water or excessive moisture.

Care and Maintenance

Even merbau is more resistant than other hardwood flooring choices, it is still important to take preventative maintenance and routine care.

Rugs or runners should be used in any areas that are going to receive heavy foot traffic. This will minimalism the damage caused by shoes with heals. Pads should be placed underneath the feet of all pieces of furniture.

Furthermore, you should trim the nails of your pets regularly in order to reduce the number and severity of scratches.

Finally, a regular cleaning schedule should be established. Over time, the sand and other particles can combine and scour the finish of the floor. Regular sweeping or vacuuming, is necessary. In addition to that, anything that is spilled on the floor should be immediately wiped.

Environmental Issues

The popularity of merbau has led to extensive logging of the tree in many areas of Southeast Asia and this resulted in the near extinction or endangered listing in many places.

Lately, some environmental groups have called for consumers to ban this type lumber because of the illegal harvesting. The good news is that there are still enough legitimate sources for merbau.

In addition to that, with responsible harvesting the merbau tree will be still be around for future generations.