What is shorea wood?
Like teak and other hardwoods, shorea is resistant to damage from insects, fungus, and moisture decay. Shorea ( Shorea spp) or sal trees can be found in rainforests and parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, the Philippines and the Terai region of Nepal, where there is an abundant supply.
Is Shorea a general flowering plant?
The majority of Shorea spp. are general flowering species, which is an event that occurs at irregular intervals of 3–10 yr, in which nearly all dipterocarp species together with species of other families bloom heavily. General flowering is thought to have evolved to satiate seed predators and/or to facilitate pollination.
What are the different types of Shorea timber?
Shorea is often categorized into five groups of timbers: For decking purposes, only the dark red and balau groups should be considered, advises botanist Alex Wiedenhoeft of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) U.S. Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory (FPL).
Is shorea wood stronger than teak?
Like teak, shorea wood is very strong and dense, and it’s also highly resistant to damage from both insects and water. Choosing shorea furniture over teak doesn’t mean settling for an inferior product. It’s a strong, high quality wood that is actually more dense than teak.
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Which is best teak or acacia?
The oil content in Acacia is much lower than in Teak and therefore would require some finishing work (as compared to Teak which has a natural finish because of the rich inherent oils). Teak (Tectona Grandis) is considered as the king of Timber. It's rich oils and tight grain makes it naturally termite resistant.
What is the difference between acacia wood and teak?
While acacia and teak wood are both known as durable and weather-resistant materials, teak has the advantage of being more weather-resistant than acacia wood. Acacia, in some conditions, may become brittle or break, and this wood generally requires more maintenance and care than teak to withstand outdoor conditions.
Which is better teak or rosewood?
If you're looking for a rosewood vs teak wood comparison, you should know that rosewood is a tad more expensive than teak. However, rosewood furniture makes up for the price by being durable and termite-resistant. Additionally, the definitive grain pattern in rosewood furniture makes every piece entirely unique!
Is eucalyptus tree good for furniture?
Eucalyptus wood is the real MVP of outdoor furniture materials. It is very resistant to rot and decay, even when left out in the elements.
Is shorea wood sustainable?
More than half of the Shorea species are listed by IUCN as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable. Two Intsia species are listed by IUCN as vulnerable. Keruing is the name given to around 70 commercially harvested timber species from the genus Dipterocarpus.
Is acacia wood expensive?
Is acacia wood expensive? Acacia wood is more expensive than some other hardwood options. It is less expensive than mahogany, for example, but more expensive than oak. One of the reasons for the higher price is that Acacia grows more slowly than other trees, meaning it takes longer to mature and be harvested.
What is the highest quality wood?
The 10 Best Woods for Woodworking (According to a Pro)Cherry. 4/11. ... Hard Maple. 5/11. ... Mahogany. 6/11. ... Pine. 7/11. ... Rosewood. 8/11. ... Teak. 9/11. ... Walnut. 10/11. ... White and Red Oak. 11/11. Characteristics: Reddish brown to tan; strong grain figure; hard and heavy; stains well.More items...
What is the cheapest wood?
Pound for pound, the cheapest wood to buy is maple. Poplar, Alder, white oak and beech are also quite inexpensive. Maple, specifically, is one of the most common woods among entry-level woodworkers and general-purpose woodworks because of its affordability and availability.
Is mahogany better than teak?
Teak furniture is considered more exclusive than mahogany. Mahogany, with it's coarse texture, is harder to maintain as furniture. Teak, with it's closed-pore, oily texture, is considered more water resistant, and overall more durable than mahogany.
What is the difference between teak and eucalyptus wood?
Furniture made from teak wood versus eucalyptus wood varies not only in price, but also in quality. While both teak and eucalyptus are tropical hardwoods that weather to a silver patina with age when left outside, teak is a longer-lasting, more durable and -- not surprisingly -- more expensive wood.
What is eucalyptus hardwood?
Eucalyptus Wood is also known as Eucalyptus Hardwood is harvested from a family of fast-growing tropical shrubs and trees. It's gorgeous, environmentally friendly, easy to work with and incredibly practical. It's also less expensive than traditional hardwoods like mahogany, hickory, and cherry woods.
Can you build with eucalyptus wood?
Eucalyptus wood also has properties that make it an excellent hardwood for buildings. The trees grow long and straight, giving the wood strength and stability beyond most other hardwoods. The durability of eucalyptus is said to be comparable with teak and 10-20% denser on average.
What is the trade name for Shorea timber?
They are sold under various trade names including "lauan", "lawaan", "meranti", "seraya", "balau", "bangkirai", and "Philippine mahogany". (For a list of species associated with each name, see the article on Dipterocarp timber classification .) The "Philippine mahogany" sold in North America is not a true mahogany at all, but a mixture of woods from the genus Shorea .
What is the name of the tree that is Shorea?
Genus: Shorea. Roxb. ex C.F.Gaertn. Sections. See List of Shorea species for complete taxonomy to species level. Shorea is a genus of about 196 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The genus is named after Sir John Shore, the governor-general of the British East India Company, 1793–1798.
Why do Shorea spp. bloom?
The majority of Shorea spp. are general flowering species, which is an event that occurs at irregular intervals of 3–10 yr, in which nearly all dipterocarp species together with species of other families bloom heavily. General flowering is thought to have evolved to satiate seed predators and/or to facilitate pollination. Both explanations apparently hold merit. Flowering is thought to be triggered by droughts that occur during transition periods from La Niña to El Niño. The magnitude of a flowering event is suggested to be dependent on the timing of the droughts associated with the El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO) cycle, with the largest events occurring after an interval of several years with no flowering.
How many species of Shorea are endangered?
Of the 148 species of Shorea currently listed on the IUCN Redlist, most are listed as being critically endangered. Some concerns exist regarding the IUCN's listing of dipterocarps, as the criteria used to assess the level of threat are based mainly on animal population characteristics. This is thought to overstate the threat assessment, when applied to long-lived, habitat-specific organisms such as trees. Furthermore, one species reportedly extinct on the IUCN Red list, Shorea cuspidata, is reported to be common in the Bako National Park and also present in the Lambir National Park. The Shorea species page gives threat classifications.
What is the name of the tree that is named after Sir John Shore?
The genus is named after Sir John Shore, the governor-general of the British East India Company, 1793–1798. The timber of trees of the genus is sold under the common names lauan, luan, lawaan, meranti, seraya, balau, bangkirai, and Philippine mahogany.
Where do Shorea faguetiana live?
In west Malesia and the Philippines, this genus dominates the skyline of the tropical forests. The tallest documented tropical angiosperm is an 88.3-m-tall Shorea faguetiana in the Tawau Hills National Park, in Sabah on the island of Borneo , and in that park at least five other species of the genus have been measured to be over 80 m tall: S. argentifolia, S. gibbosa, S. johorensis, S. smithiana, and S. superba. Borneo is also the hotspot of Shorea diversity with 138 species, of which 91 are endemic to the island.
Is Philippine mahogany real?
The "Philippine mahogany" sold in North America is not a true mahogany at all, but a mixture of woods from the genus Sho rea . Other products from Shorea spp. include dammar and illepe. Dammar is a resin collected from a variety of species. It varies in colour among the different taxonomic groups.
What is Shorea wood?
Shorea has several great advantages when used for making hardwood furniture: 1 Strong wood. Shorea is a strong and dense hardwood with very tight grain. It’s actually more dense than teak wood. 2 Pest resistant. Due to its density, termites, ants, and other insects stay away. 3 Rot resistant. It’s protected naturally from water decay, as well as damage from mold and fungus. It should easily last 30 years or more even when left outdoors. 4 Looks beautiful. New shorea wood has a nice warm glow with a reddish-tint, and it will fade to a stately silver over time if left untreated, much like teak.
Where is Shorea wood native to?
There are nearly 200 closely-related species of tree that produce this tropical hardwood, which are all native to Southeast Asia. Like teak, shorea wood is very strong and dense, and it’s also highly resistant to damage from both insects and water. Shorea trees grow up tall and straight.
What are the advantages of Shorea wood furniture?
Shorea has several great advantages when used for making hardwood furniture: Strong wood. Shorea is a strong and dense hardwood with very tight grain. It’s actually more dense than teak wood. Pest resistant. Due to its density, termites, ants, and other insects stay away. Rot resistant.
What are the disadvantages of Shorea wood?
The one minor disadvantage of shorea wood deserves mention too: Moderate checking. Some slight checking of the grain can be expected as shorea wood ages due to its reduced elasticity.
What kind of wood is used in Oxford Garden?
Oxford Garden has a huge variety of shorea wood furniture as you can tell from many of the previously reviewed items. They build a benches in a number of different designs and lengths. Probably my favorite of these is the 5-foot Chadwick bench.
How long does shorea wood last?
It’s protected naturally from water decay, as well as damage from mold and fungus. It should easily last 30 years or more even when left outdoors. Looks beautiful. New shorea wood has a nice warm glow with a reddish-tint, and it will fade to a stately silver over time if left untreated, much like teak.
What is a stand alone outdoor furniture piece?
Another classic stand alone outdoor furniture piece is a bench. It’s no coincidence that public parks around the world have benches as the main type of furniture. A backed bench gives nice support to sit down comfortably, and you’re free to seat as many people as you care to squeeze in. They’re also really sturdy—you’re not going to tip one over accidentally.
Location
Meranti is a common name applied commercially to four groups of species of Shorea from southeast Asia, most commonly Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. There are thousands of common names for the various species of Shorea, but the names Philippine mahogany and lauan are often substituted for meranti.
Characteristics
Meranti species as a whole have a coarser texture than that of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) and do not have darkcolored deposits in pores. The grain is usually interlocked. All merantis have axial resin ducts aligned in long, continuous, tangential lines as seen on the end surface of the wood.
Primary Uses
Species of meranti constitute a large percentage of the total hardwood plywood imported into the United States. Other uses include joinery, furniture and cabinetwork, moulding and millwork, flooring, and general construction. Some dark red meranti is used for decking.