Balau
Scientific Name:
Shorea spp. (Family: Dipterocarpaceae)
General Description:
There are about 13 species of Shorea classified under Balau in Malaysia. This timber is one of the most commonly used heavy hardwoods in the country. The trees are medium-sized to very large and grow up to 75m tall.
Timber Description:
- Density: 850 - 1,155 kg/m3
- Heartwood: yellow - brown, brown or red, darkening to darker brown, purple-brown or dark red-brown
- Sapwood: fairly distinct, lighter in colour.
Spot Characters:
- timber is very heavy
- vessels fine and numerous
- vertical canals in long tangential series, filled with white resin
parenchyma aliform
- end cut with metallic cluster
- tyloses abundant
Utilisation:
The timber is suitable for all forms of heavy construction, bridges, wharves, railway sleepers, power-line poles, boat building, door and window frames, joists, beams, rafters, heavy duty flooring, parquet flooring and heavy duty furniture.