The Species:

Flooring Trade Name: Merbau

Botanical Name: Intsia, spp

Lumber Name: Merbau, Kwila

Grows In: South East Asia

Products / Merbau

Description:

Merbau is medium brown colored wood with reddish/orange highlights with a course graining. Many pieces exhibit yellow "flecking" in the pores.

Color Range & Color Change:

Color Range: Merbau comes in a fairly wide range of color variability, from light browns to medium browns to dark browns. Many pieces will have a yellow dust in the pores which show up as gold "flecking" when finished.

Color Change: Merbau undergoes a medium to large degree of color change, with the muting of the color variation from when fresh milled and with darkening over time to deeper orangey brown color.

Hardness:

Merbau is 150% as hard as red oak ( 1925 on the Janka scale vs. 1260 for red oak )

Where to Use:

Merbau may be used both residentially and commercially wherever the rich look of Merbau is desired.

Stability:

Merbau is one of the world's most stable woods and rivals teak in stability.

Allergic Reaction Potential:

There are no cases of allergic reaction known to us at this time. However, wood dust in general can be a hazard.

Known Finish Issues:

There are no finish compatibility issues known for Merbau at this time. However, ALWAYS test the finish you propose to use FIRST on test pieces to insure compatibility.