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Keruing

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Keruing

  • Other Names

    Apitong, Hagakhak, Panau, Dau, Eng, Yang, Keruwing, Kruen, Kujun, Klalar, Keroewing, Iagan,Dipterocarpus, Dipterocarpus alatus, Dipterocarpus apterus, Dipterocarpus baudii, Dipterocarpus cornutus, Dipterocarpus costulatus, Dipterocarpus crinitus, Dipterocarpus dyeri, Dipterocarpus exalatus, Dipterocarpus gracilis, Dipterocarpus gradiflorus, Dipterocarpus indicus, Dipterocarpus lowii, Dipterocarpus macrocarpus, Dipterocarpus obtusifolius, Dipterocarpus sublamellatus, Dipterocarpus turbinaturs. Dipterocarpus verrucosus, Dipterocarpus warburgii

Keruing is a hardwood native to South East Asia and used in a wide variety of internal and external applications.

Keruing is the name given to the timber yielded from more than 70 species of the genus Dipterocarpus. This group of large hardwoods is indigenous to South East Asia, where the species are harvested from managed forests with regeneration programs.

Across the entire species, a wide variety of heartwood hues are available, including deep-pink, orange-pink and purple-red. The most common heartwood is red-brown. Sapwood is usually lighter, sometimes with yellow or grey tinges. The wood darkens with age and features a generally straight, or shallowly interlocked grain, sometimes with a stripe figure on the radial surface. Texture varies between species from fine to coarse but is always uniform.

Keruing timber is low maintenance, hardwearing and ideal for outdoor furniture use. The wood is strong and classified as durable, making it useful for construction purposes. Other common uses include internal flooring, protected framing and boards, internal joinery and mouldings, lining, paneling and framework. Preservative-treated material is used for poles, piles, sleepers and cross-arms.  It is often used as a cheaper alternative to oak for heavy construction, decking, vehicle building and sleepers, and it is also in plywood.

Where other timbers may require curing, keruing is completely cured and ready for immediate use with no risk of leaching, bleeding or leach sap. It contains oleo-resins and will exude it onto surfaces during drying or when exposed to heat or sunshine when in use; gums may also cause problems in machining.

  • Botanical Name

    Dipterocarpus confertus

  • Preferred Common Name

    Keruing

  • Species Type

    Hardwood

Appearance

Across this entire species of keruing, a wide variety of heartwood hues are available, including deep-pink, orange-pink, and purple-red. The most common heartwood is red-brown. Sapwood is usually lighter, sometimes with yellow or grey tinges. The wood darkens with age and features a generally straight or shallowly interlocked grain, sometimes with a stripe figure on the radial surface. Texture varies between species from fine to coarse but is always uniform.

Common Applications

Keruing timber is strong and classified as durable, making it useful for construction purposes. Other common uses include internal flooring, protected framing and boards, internal joinery and mouldings, lining, paneling, and framework. Preservative-treated material is used for poles and piles.

Common Form

Sawn

Workability

Keruing may be difficult to work when dry due to the presence of both silica and resin. Sanding dust can irritate the skin. The wood nails satisfactorily but glues variably.

Where other timbers may require curing, keruing is completely cured and ready for immediate use with no risk of leaching, bleeding or leach sap. It contains oleo-resins and will exude it onto surfaces during drying or when exposed to heat or sunshine when in use; this high resin content makes it a poor base for coating. Gums may also cause problems in machining and it is unsuitable for steam bending.

Origin of Timber

Asia

Availability - Further Information

Keruing is occasionally imported to Australia.

Shrinkage

Very Low Low Medium High Very High

Tangential :

5.30%

Radial:

2.40%

Unit Movement Tangential:

0.53%

Unit Movement Radial:

0.24%

Strength Group

Very High

High

Reasonably High

Medium High

Medium

Reasonably Low

Low

Very Low

Unseasoned:

S1

S2

S3

S4

S5

S6

S7

Seasoned:

SD1

SD2

SD3

SD4

SD5

SD6

SD7

SD8

Stress Grade

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

Unseasoned:

F17

F14

F11

F8

F7

Seasoned:

F27

F22

F17

F14

F11

Density per Standard

Seasoned:

780kg/m3

Unseasoned:

950kg/m3

Joint Group

Very High

High

Reasonably High

Medium

Low

Very Low

Unseasoned:

J1

J2

J3

J4

J5

J6

Seasoned:

JD1

JD2

JD3

JD4

JD5

JD6

Colour

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

Mechanical Properties

Modulus of Rupture - Unseasoned:

82

Modulus of Rupture - Seasoned:

137

Modulus of Elasticity - Unseasoned:

12

Modulus of Elasticity - Seasoned:

14

Maximum Crushing Strength - Unseasoned:

39

Maximum Crushing Strength - Seasoned:

72

Impact - Unseasoned:

Impact - Seasoned:

Toughness - Unseasoned:

Low - up to 15 Nm

Toughness - Seasoned:

Low - up to 15 Nm

Hardness - Unseasoned:

4.7

Hardness - Seasoned:

5.6

Durability

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

In-Ground:

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

Above ground:

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

Marine Borer Resistance:

Lyctid Borer Susceptibility:

Susceptible

Lyctid Borer Susceptibility - Other:

Termite Resistance:

Not Resistant

Fire Properties

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

EFH Spread-of-Flame Index:

EFH Smoke-Developed Index:
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:

<250

Bushfire Resistance:

BAL 12.5 and 19 – All AS3959 required applications

Panelling, Interior

Internal panelling, also known as appearance boards and linings, is not just a practical means of covering one or more walls and ceilings in a building, its inclusion in a room's interior design can generate looks that are both dramatic and stylish. Internal paneling comes as either solid natural timber paneling or as sheets of engineered wood products that provide a durable and hardwearing surface for areas subject to high impact. As they typically function as appearance products they generally have no structural requirements. This guide describes the variety of panelling products available and outlines the straightforward process of installing them.

Mouldings

Timber mouldings add style, class and an elegant touch to any interior, offering a depth of beauty and warmth in a way only wood can. From period times to those more contemporary, timber mouldings have graced the most stylish and chic of interiors, decorating furniture, doors and windows. Decorative mouldings such as architraves, skirtings, cornices and ceiling roses remain an ever popular choice for designers seeking a finished result of beauty, style and quality. Like all timber products, mouldings are extremely versatile and durable, enhancing the aesthetics of any interior and functioning as the perfect finishing touch for designs with a focus on beauty and splendour.

Mouldings can be created from any commercially available species of timber and the moisture resistant wood product, MDF, is also a popular choice. When it comes to style and design, the sky is the limit with many suppliers offering custom matching to existing mouldings, as well as efficient supply of those that are individually designed. Installation is a breeze, with the majority of mouldings easily attached with a reputable wood adhesive. Finishes can be tailored by design requirements and the preferences of the end user, with mouldings commonly being both stained and/or painted.

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