Mahogany, Philippine Light Red

Philippine light red mahogany is a tropical hardwood sought after as a finishing timber throughout Australia.

Other Names

Almon, Mayapis, White Lauan, Bagtikan, White Seraya, Gerutu, Thingado, Meranti, Putih, Parashorea Spp, Parashorea malaanonan, Shorea almon, Shorea squamata, Palosapis, Parashorea plicata, Pentacme contorta, Pacific Maple

Botanical Name

Shorea Spp

Common Form
Sawn
Species Type
Hardwood
  • Overview

    • Philippine light red mahogany is a tropical hardwood typically found in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Part of the extensive Shorea species that includes over 180 species, it is a popular export timber and widely used as a slightly cheaper alternative to teak. The light red of the species is the most common and is sought after as a finishing timber throughout Australia.

    The heartwood of light red mahogany is a pale straw colour when first cut, with a characteristic oily odour. It turns to a pale pink to mid red brown hue as it dries. The sapwood is up to 50mm wide and usually yellow, pink, or grey and sometimes not easily distinguished. The timber's texture is coarse but even, with an interlocked grain that often produces a stripe or ribbon figure on the radial surface. Logs may contain brittleheart. Narrow concentric lines of resin ducts may be mistaken for growth rings and pinhole borer discolouration and pencil streak is more common than in dark red mahogany.

    The timber is relatively easy to dry but bluestain can be a problem unless precautions are taken. It mostly finishes well, although tools must be kept sharp to avoid producing a woolly surface. This feature can often be overcome with sanding. Light red mahogany nails and glues well but beware of localised tearing when cross cutting and pre-drilling. It is unsuitable for steam bending.

    Philippine light red mahogany is often used for plywood, internal moulding, joinery and paneling. It is popular for domestic finishing applications such as skirting boards, architraves and door jambs.

    Shrinkage

    Very Low Low Medium High Very High
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    Tangential : Provides a simplified rating for tangential shrinkage. This is the measure of the percentage reduction in dimension from the unseasoned to 12% moisture content condition.
    4.20%

    Radial : Radial shrinkage is perpendicular to the growth rings. It is shrinkage in the direction towards the centre of the tree. Measurement is % value
    1.60%

    Unit Movement Tangential: This is the percentage of dimensional change for each 1% moisture content change between about 3% moisture content and the fibre saturation point for the particular species.
    0.30%

    Unit Movement Radial: This is the percentage of dimensional change for each 1% moisture content change between about 3% moisture content and the fibre saturation point for the particular species.
    0.14%

    Strength Group Strength groups are given for unseasoned (S1-S7) and seasoned (SD1-SD8) timber in accordance with AS 2878. S1 and SD1 yield the highest strength and stiffness whereas S7 and SD8 yield the lowest.

    Very High

    High

    Reasonably High

    Medium High

    Medium

    Reasonably Low

    Low

    Very Low

    Unseasoned:

    S1

    S2

    S3

    S4

    S5

    S6

    S7

    S8
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    Seasoned:

    SD1

    SD2

    SD3

    SD4

    SD5

    SD6

    SD7

    SD8
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    Stress Grade A stress grade is defined in AS 1720 as the classification of timber for structural purposes by means of either visual or machine grading. The stress grade indicates the basic working stresses and stiffnesses to be used for structural design purposes. Measured in MPa.

    Structural
    No. 1    		 Structural
    No. 2    		 Structural
    No. 3    		 Structural
    No. 4    		 Structural
    No. 5

    Unseasoned:

    F8

    F7

    F5

    F4

    Seasoned:

    F11

    F8

    F7

    F5

    F4

    Density per Standard Seasoned density is based on moisture content of 12%. Unseasoned density is an approximation as it depends on the moisture content at the time of measurement. Measured kg/m3.

    Seasoned:

    550kg/m3

    Unseasoned:

    Joint Group The joint group is a classification of the strength of a species in joint design. The values are from 1 (very high strength) to 6 (very low strength).

    Very High

    High

    Reasonably High

    Medium

    Low

    Very Low

    Unseasoned:

    J1

    J2

    J3

    J4

    J5

    J6

    Seasoned:

    JD1

    JD2

    JD3

    JD4

    JD5

    JD6
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    Colour The colour of seasoned heartwood can vary between species and often within a species. The information provided should be used as a general guide only. In most cases, the colour of sapwood is either a lighter shade of the heartwood or a white/cream colour.

      White, yellow, pale straw to light brown Pink to pink brown Light to dark red Brown, chocolate, mottled or streaky
       
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    Mechanical Properties

    Modulus of Rupture - Unseasoned: This property is a measure of maximum stress which timber can momentarily sustain when loaded slowly and continuously as a beam. Measured in MPa.
    46

    Modulus of Rupture - Seasoned: This property is a measure of maximum stress which timber can momentarily sustain when loaded slowly and continuously as a beam. Measured in MPa.
    66

    Modulus of Elasticity - Unseasoned: This property is of importance in determining the deflection of a beam under load — the greater the stiffness, the less the deflection. Measured in GPa.
    7.2

    Modulus of Elasticity - Seasoned: This property is of importance in determining the deflection of a beam under load — the greater the stiffness, the less the deflection. Measured in GPa.
    8.5

    Maximum Crushing Strength - Unseasoned:

    Also referred to as compression strength. This property measures the ability of the timber to withstand loads applied on the end grain. Measured in MPa.
    23

    Maximum Crushing Strength - Seasoned: Also referred to as compression strength. This property measures the ability of the timber to withstand loads applied on the end grain. Measured in MPa.
    41

    Impact - Unseasoned: Provides the Izod value, which is the energy taken in joules (J) to fracture the timber.

    Impact - Seasoned: Provides the Izod value, which is the energy taken in joules (J) to fracture the timber.

    Toughness - Unseasoned: This is a measure of timber’s ability to resist shocks and blows, and is synonymous with impact strength. It is measured in Nm.

    Toughness - Seasoned: This is a measure of timber’s ability to resist shocks and blows, and is synonymous with impact strength. It is measured in Nm.

    Hardness - Unseasoned: Refers to the Janka hardness test and is a measure of timber’s resistance to indentation.
    2

    Hardness - Seasoned: Refers to the Janka hardness test and is a measure of timber’s resistance to indentation.
    2

    Durability

    Low Moderate Reasonably High High
    (0 - 5 yrs) (5 - 15 yrs) (15 - 25 yrs) (more than 25 yrs)

    In-Ground: Durability is defined as the inherent resistance of a timber species to decay, or to insect or marine borer attack. All references to durability refer to the heartwood only. A scale of low to high (durability class 4 = low; 1 = high) has been adapted for above and in-ground durability.

    		 Check mark
    (0 - 7 yrs) (7 - 15 yrs) (15 - 40 yrs) (More than 40 yrs)

    Above ground: Durability is defined as the inherent resistance of a timber species to decay, or to insect or marine borer attack. All references to durability refer to the heartwood only. A scale of low to high (durability class 4 = low; 1 = high) has been adapted for above and in-ground durability.

    		 Check mark
    (0 - 20 yrs, usually < 5) (21 - 40 yrs) (41 - 64 yrs) (More than 60 yrs)

    Marine Borer Resistance: Indicates whether a species is resistant (R) or not resistant (NR) to marine borer attack.

    		 Check mark

    Lyctid Borer Susceptibility: Indicates whether a species is susceptible (S) or not susceptible (NS) to lyctid borer attack.

    Susceptible

    Lyctid Borer Susceptibility - Other:

    Termite Resistance: Indicates whether a species is resistant (R) or not resistant (NR) to termites.

    Not Resistant

    Fire Properties

    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

    EFH Spread-of-Flame Index: This is a material's propensity to burn rapidly and spread flames based on a scale of 0 to 10 where 0 means that the materials will not cause flames to reach the ceiling and 10 indicates that the material could be expected to cause flames to reach the ceiling of a room within 10 seconds of ignition.

    EFH Smoke-Developed Index:This is a measure of the concentration (measured by optical density) of smoke a material emits as it burns. It is based on an arbitrary scale of 0 to 10. The higher the index, the greater the hazard from smoke is likely to be.
    1 - non-combustible 2 - reasonably non-combustible 3 - slightly combustible 4 - combustible

    Fire Properties Group
    Number:

    Group Number - Other:
    3 if used on MDF or particleboard ≥12mm; veneer thickness 0.6-0.85mm

    Average Specific Extinction Area: This value is determined by the volume of smoke measured over the mass loss of the tested sample per test carried out in accordance with ‘Cone Calorimeter Test’ AS/NZS 3837. It is measured in units of m2/kg.
    <250

    Bushfire Resistance: Naturally bushfire-resisting timbers are those with inherent bushfire-resisting properties. Some species have been tested and a number are in the process of being tested and are measured by Bushfire Attack level (BAL). BAL -12.5: Ember attack, BAL – 19: Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux between 12.5 and 19 kWm3, BAL – 29: Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux between 19 and 29 kWm3.
    Not Tested
    Appearance

    The heartwood of light red mahogany is a pale straw colour when first cut, with a characteristic oily odour.  It turns to a pale pink to mid red brown hue as it dries. The sapwood is up to 50mm wide and usually yellow, pink, or grey and easily distinguished. The timber's texture is coarse but even, with an interlocked grain that often produces a stripe or ribbon figure on the radial surface. Narrow concentric lines of resin ducts may be mistaken for growth rings and pinhole borer discolouration and pencil streak is more common than in dark red mahogany.

    Common Applications

    Philippine light red mahogany is often used for plywood, internal moulding, joinery and paneling.  It is popular for domestic finishing applications such as skirting boards, architraves and door jambs.

    Workability

    The timber is relatively easy to dry but bluestain can be a problem unless precautions are taken. It mostly finishes well, although tools must be kept sharp to avoid producing a woolly surface. This feature can often be overcome with sanding. Light red mahogany nails and glues well but beware of localised tearing when cross cutting and pre-drilling. It is unsuitable for steam bending.

    Origin of timber
    Asia
    Readily Available
    NSW
    Philippine light red mahogany is widely marketed and used in Australia as a finishing timber and is readily available in all states. It is commonly known as Pacific maple in this country but can also be traded as Maple, Lauan, Meranti and Seraya.
    Source of timber
    Native Forest
    a reception desk in a building

    Panelling, Interior

    Timber panelling creates interiors as warm as they are stylish. Commonly using an MDF or plywood substrate, internal timber paneling is natural and versatile and comes as either solid natural timber panels or as sheets of engineered wood products

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