
Mersawa (Anisoptera costata)
Family: Dipterocarpaceae
Common names: Ansiopi, Armaniuri, Asomba, Bak, Baligan, Baoti, Baripung, Baurai, Berua, Cha wa ta pho, Chengal, Damar kelasi, Damar ketimpun, Damar lilin, Damar mata kuching, Damar miharo, Damar tingkis, Doka, Entenam, Gawi, Jamar, Kabaak khok, Kaban, Kaban kaunghmu, Kakan, Kansiopi, Kaunghmu, Kedao, Kenyau, Ketimpun, Kokadaka, Kora, Kra-bak, Krabak, Krabak daeng, Krabak dam, Mansiuri, Marlangat, Mascalwood, Meranti kawan, Merayo, Merbani, Merlangsat, Merluang lauh, Mersaw daun lebar, Mersawa, Mersawa kesat, Mersawa merah, Mesawa, Mi dang wa, Mindanao, Palosapis, Pedu kalui, Pengiran, Pengirin kesat, Penogran, Perapat hutan, Phdiek, Phdiek kraham, Punyau, Sampean, Sitairak, Suri, Tabaak, Tairak, Taire, Tairi, Tampudau, Tampurau, Tenam, Tukam, Ven van trang, Ven ven, Ven ven xanth, Venven, Vin vin, Von ven, Von-ven, weru
Distributed in: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam (Oceania and S.E. Asia)
Distribution overview: Usually found in dry evergreen forests, scattered all over the countryside along depressions and along valleys of low hill ranges. Elevation is generally around 500m. Known to occur in Thailand.
Common uses: Beams, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: planking, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Clogs, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles, Handles: general, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Joists, Light construction, Moldings, Particleboard, Plywood, Railroad ties, Tool handles, Toys, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Windows
Product sources: The ITTO reports that timber production from this species is in low quantities. Exports are more or less regular. Exportation of the timber from Cameroon is prohibited.
Environment profile: Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions.
Tree size: Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm
Colors: the heart isYellow, Yellow to golden-yellow to orangeand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isWeak figure, the textureUniformand the lusterNon-lustrous
Natural durability: Susceptible to insect attack, Susceptible to termite attack
Odor: No specific taste
Silica Content: Siliceous
LightInduced Color Change: Darker
Kiln Schedules: T6-D4(4/4);T3-D1(8/4) US Schedule E; United Kingdom
Kiln Drying Rate: Naturally dries slowly
Drying Defects: Susceptible to sap-stain during air-drying , Wet pockets may also cause uneven variations in drying rate
Ease of Drying: Slowly
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: Retards the setting of cement and should not be used for shuttering concrete
Blunting Effect: High to severe
Cutting Resistance: Fairly difficult to saw
Gluing: Glues well
Moulding: Very sharp cutting edges are required to produce a smooth surface
Movement in Service: Very sharp cutting edges are required to produce a smooth surface
Nailing: Holds nails well, Very Good to Excellent
Planing: Reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees is recommended for best
Resistance to Impregnation: Sapwood is permeable
Response to hand tools: Responds Readily
Sanding: Very Good to Excellent Results
Veneering qualities: Veneers easily, Veneers moderately easy
Steam bending: Poor to Very Poor Results
Screwing: Screwing yields satisfactory results, Very Good to Excellent Results; Turning: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Polishing: Very Good to Excellent; Staining: Stains satisfactorily after surface preparation ;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
 |
 |
 |
 |
Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
0,51 |
0,52 |
|
Density |
|
641 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
484 |
746 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
273 |
463 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
|
kg |
Impact Strength |
|
|
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
107 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
94 |
110 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
7 |
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
3 |
|
% |
Weight |
608 |
480 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
|
|
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
|
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 6888 | 10620 | psi | Density | | 40 | lbs/ft3 | Maximum Crushing Strength | 3883 | 6599 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 1528 | psi | Stiffness | 1346 | 1573 | 1000 psi | Specific Gravity | 0.51 | 0.52 | | Weight | 38 | 30 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 3 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 7 | | % | Volumetric Shrinkage | 15 | | % | |
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. 0 Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low High in density Heavy Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high
It compares favorably with Teak, which also has high bending strength. Some familiar species with high crushing strength parallel to grain include Hard maple, Teak, and White oak
Ashton, P.S.,1964,A manual of the Dipterocarp trees of Brunei State,O.U.P. LondonBrown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse UniversityBrown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 4 South East Asia,TRADA, Red Booklet SeriesChudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.Eddowes, P. J. 1961. Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea: Their Properties and Uses. Office of Forests, Papua New Guinea.Eddowes, P.J.,1977,Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea: Their Properties and Uses,Hebano Press, Port Moresby, Papua New GuineaFrance - C.T.F.T./C.T.B.,1982,Guide pour le Choix des Essences Deroulables-pour la fabrication du,contreplaque,C.T.F.T./C.T.B. FranceFundter, J.M.,1982,Names for Dipterocarp timbers and trees from Asia,Pudoc, Wageningen, NetherlandsHMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.Keating, W.G., Bolza, E.,1982,Characteristics properties and uses of timbers. South East Asia, Northern,Australia and the Pacific,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Chemical Technology,Inkata Press,1Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.Martawijaya, A. (Ed.,1978,Timbers used for the ship building industry in Indonesia,Lembaga Penelitian Hasil Hutan, Bogor, Indonesia, Laporan No.109Martawijaya, A., Kadir, K., Kartasujana, I.,1986,Indonesian Wood Atlas. Vol.1.,Department of Forestry Agency for Forestry Research and Development.,Bogar-IndonesiaMeijer, W., Wood, G.H.S.,1964,Dipterocarps of Sabah (North Borneo,Sabah Forest Department, Forest Record No.5
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