Balau is a timber variety commonly found in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is a very dense hardwood so it is mostly used for heavy constructions. Balau varies from yellow – brown, brown or reddish colour. It is moderately fine- textured, so it is very friendly and easy to work. Pre-drilling can be used while nailing.
Properties of balau
Botanical Name: Shorea laevis
Common Name: Balau
Meaning of Balau: Hard or strong
Type: Hardwood
Grains: Interlocked grain
Odor: No specific odor
Common Form: Sawn
Origin: Southeast Asia
Other properties
Density,color and durability: The density of balau varies from 900kg/m3 for Seasoned to 1150kg/m3 for Unseasoned. The color of the Balau may vary. Balau found in pink, pink brown, yellow, white, pale straw, yellow brown, light to dark red, chocolate, or brown in color. The durability of Balau in ground is from 15 to 20 years. But above ground the durability is higher; it may more than 40 years.
Toxicity: Balau never causes serious irritation, but it belongs to Shorea genus, so it may cause eye or throat irritations. It contains poisons that limit bugs entering into it and it is good in resins and oils which normally repulses water and cutoff rots. All wood will in the long run rot. It is only that some will spoil faster as they are less thick and less slick which implies they will retain water all the more effectively, which stays in the wood, making organisms develop which separates the filaments in the wood and is generally called rot. Rot doesn’t cause by water. Parasite, because of water and daylight, causes rot.
Uses: For heavy constructions. Building of ships, sleepers, plywood, flooring, wharfage etc are its other uses. Because of its natural versatility, quality, strength and adaptability it is used for applications such as wall landscaping, timber pole construction etc
Pricing: It is a mostly harvested variety in Southeast Asia so the price of Balau is moderate.
Pros:
- Strong and dense hardwood
- Good versatility
- Water Resistant
- Moderate Price
Cons:
- Drying out process is slow
- Small cracks may occur
Because of its nature and its high standard properties, the balau timber may know as the timber of the future. In Malaysia, We Montco supply high quality Yellow Balau sawn timbers at a fair price .To know more about yellow balau sawn timber please visit our shop or contact us.
