Balau Merah Wood

Red Balau, Kayu Batu, is both strong in the face of harsh weather conditions and lovely to admire. It is similar in colour to mahogany and requires very little maintenance. It is mainly used to build fences, decks, bridges, docks and boardwalks. Kayu Batu flooring is also available which is equally beautiful. The wood is naturally insect, fire and decay resistant so it is the perfect choice for any outdoor structures. It is also resistant to scratches, dents and abrasions which is another testament to its durability. It can thrive in any environment from dry and hot to humid and tropical. It is very similar in price to other hardwoods as well as composite plastics.

The best way to maintain this heavy duty material is to treat it annually with Messmer’s CV Plus finishing oil. This will keep the wood looking rich and brand new. If the lumber is not treated regularly it will weather itself into a silver patina. Treated or not, the material will maintain its beauty and structural integrity for 40, 50 or even 60 years.

It is a rarity to find Red Balau that has any knots, holes or odd colors. The wood has a dense grain with a nice, even texture which is great for applying finishes. The grain is very tight which is pleasing to the eye and it will make any room or deck look sophisticated. Even though the lumber has a high density it is still easy to work with. However, pre-drilling all holes in the wood before using nails is strongly recommended.

Red Balau Batu is extremely similar to mahogany but has deeper red undertones that make it stand out from any other type of lumber. It is prized for both its stability, durability and lush colors. When cared for regularly, this material can last for decades to come.

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION COMMON NAME(S): Red Balau BOTANICAL NAME: Shorea, Spp. DENSITY: The timber is a Heavy Hardwood with a density of 800-880 kg/m3 air dry. JANKA HARDNESS: 800-880 kg/m3 NATURAL DURABILITY: The timber is moderately durable under exposed conditions (lasting from 2 to 5 years). The timber is subject to subterranean termite and fungal attacks.    PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT: Both S. guiso and S. ochrophloia have been found to be very difficult to treat with preservatives.  TEXTURE: Texture is moderately fine to slightly coarse and even, with deeply interlocked grain.   STRENGTH PROPERTIES: The timber falls into Strength Group A (Engku, 1988b) or SG 3 (MS 544:Part 2:2001). Strength Properties of Red Balau     Species Moisture Content (%) Modulus of Elasticity(MPa) Modulus of Rupture (MPa) Compression parallel to grain (MPa) Compression perpendicular to grain (MPa) Shear strength(MPa) S. guiso Green 13700 94 43.6 5.52 10.1 Air dry 14,800 100 55.2 5.52 12.0 S. kunstleri Green 19,000 105 57.9 7.03 9.3 Air dry - - - - - S. ochrophloia Green 15,900 85 43.7 - 10.1 Air dry 17,000 99 55.3 - 9.9 MACHINING PROPERTIES It is easy to difficult to saw and work, although planing is easy and the surface produced is smooth to slightly rough. Machining Properties of Red Balau Species Test Condition Sawing Planing Boring Turning Rip-sawing Cross Cutting Ease of planning Quality of finish Ease of boring Quality of finish Ease of turning Quality of finish S. guiso Green Easy Easy Easy smooth Easy smooth - - Air dry slightly difficult slightly difficult Easy slightly rough Easy smooth moderately easy moderately smooth S. kunstleri Green easy to difficult slightly difficult Easy smooth Easy smooth - - Air dry Difficult slightly difficult Easy smooth slightly difficult smooth easy smooth S. ochrophloia Green slightly difficult Easy Easy slightly rough Easy slightly rough - - Air dry slightly difficult Easy Easy slightly rough moderately easy slightly rough difficult smooth to rough NAILING PROPERTY: Nailing property varies according to species; S. guiso is reported to be excellent, while S. ochrophloia is good and S. kunstleri is poor. AIR DRYING: The seasonig properties of some of the species tested are summarised below: Species Time to air dry (months) Remarks 13 mm thick boards 38 mm thick boards S. guiso 4 6 Fairly slow drying; moderate end-checking; slight cupping, splitting, surface-checking, insect attacks and staining. S. kunstleri 4 6 Fairly slow drying; moderate end-checking; slight splitting and surface-checking. S. ochrophloia 3 5 Fairly slow drying; moderate end-checking; slight splitting and surface-checking. KILN-DRYING: Kiln Schedule G is recommended.  Kiln Schedule G Moisture Content (%) Temperature (Dry Bulb) Temperature (Wet Bulb) Relative Humidity (%) (approx.) ° F ° C ° F ° C Green 120 48.5 115 45.0 85 60 120 48.5 113 45.0 80 40 130 54.5 123 50.5 80 30 140 60.0 131 55.0 75 25 160 71.0 146 63.5 70 20 170 76.5 147 64.0 55 10 180 82.0 144 62.5 40 SHRINKAGE: The shrinkage of red balau is summarised below: Species Shrinkage (%) (Green to air dry) Remarks Radial Tangential S. guiso 1.6 3.6 High shrinkage S. kunstleri 2.2 3.3 High shrinkage S. ochrophloia 1.4 3.2 High shrinkage DEFECTS: The logs are generally free from defects.  COMMON USES: The timber is suitable for heavy construction under cover, beams, posts, joists, rafters, pallets (heavy duty), columns (heavy duty), tool handles (impact), joinery, cabinet making, fender supports, vehicle bodies (framework and floor boards), ship and boat building (keels, keelsons and framework), plywood, heavy duty furniture, flooring (heavy traffic), door and window frames and sills, staircase (carriage, angle block, rough bracket, riser, tread, bullnose, round end, winder, stringer and newel), cooling tower (structural members), railway sleepers (treated) as well as telegraphic and power transmission posts and cross arms (treated).