Keruing
Keruing (Dipterocarpus)
Keruing is an imported hardwood
Location
Keruing or apitong (Dipterocarpus) is widely scattered throughout
the Indo-Malaysian region. Most of the more than 70 species
in this genus are marketed under the name keruing. Other important
species are marketed as apitong in the Philippine Islands and
yang in Thailand.
Characteristics
The heartwood varies from light to dark red-brown or brown to
dark brown, sometimes with a purple tint; the heartwood is
usually well defined from the gray or buff-colored sapwood.
Similar to kapur (Dryobalanops), the texture of keruing is
moderately coarse and the grain is straight or shallowly interlocked.
The wood is strong, hard, and heavy (density of air-dried wood
is 720 to 800 kg/m3 (45 to 50 lb/ft3)); this wood is characterized
by the presence of resin ducts, which occur singly or in short
arcs as seen on endgrain surfaces. This resinous condition
and the presence of silica can present troublesome problems.
Sapwood and heartwood are moderately resistant to preservative
treatments. However, the wood should be treated with preservatives
when it is used in contact with the ground. Durability varies
with species, but the wood is generally classified as moderately
durable. Keruing generally takes to sawing and machining, particularly
when green, but saws and cutters dull easily as a result of
high silica content in the wood. Resin adheres to machinery
and tools and may be troublesome. Also, resin may cause gluing
and finishing difficulties.
Primary Uses
Keruing is used for general construction work, framework for
boats, flooring, pallets, chemical processing equipment, veneer
and plywood, railroad crossties (if treated), truck floors,
and boardwalks.
*Much of the base wood information presented here is made available
by the USDA FPL FS. If you are interested in a much more technical
description of wood properties, I encourage you to visit the
source.
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