Chengal (Balanocarpus heimii)
Family: Dipterocarpaceae
Common names: Chengai, Chengai batu, Chengal, Chi-nga mas, Chingal, Karakong, Kong, Mindanao narek, Narek, Penak, Penak bunga, Penak lilin, Penak sabut, Penak tambaga, Takhian chan, Takhian chan ta maeo, Takian-chan, Takien chan, Taknian chan tamaeo, Tjengal
Distributed in: Indonesia, Malaysia, Solomon Islands, Thailand (Oceania and S.E. Asia)
Distribution overview: Indomalesia (Malay peninsula), particularly in Thailand.
Common uses: Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Building construction, Canoes, Casks, Construction, Cooperages, Crossties, Decks, Dockwork, Door, Factory construction, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Food containers, Furniture, Handles: general, Harbor work, Heavy construction, Joinery, Lifeboats, Light construction, Marine construction, Mathematical instruments, Mine timbers, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Stakes, Tool handles, Utility poles, Vats, Vehicle parts
Environment profile: Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within its range
Tree size:
The tree is large, with boles that are typically well-shaped and clear
Colors: the heart isReddish brown, Yellow to golden-yellow to orangeand the sapwoodWell defined, White to yellow.The grain isWavy, the textureMediumand the lusterSlightly lustrous
Natural durability: Very resistant to attack by termites , Very resistant to decay
Odor: No specific smell or taste
Silica Content: High
LightInduced Color Change: Darker
Kiln Schedules: UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2
Drying Defects: Slight twist/warp, Surface checking is a common drying degrade
Ease of Drying: Slowly
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good Good wearing qualitites, and is highly suited for industrial flooring
Blunting Effect: Slight blunting effect on cutting tools
Boring: Good boring qualitites
Carving: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Cutting Resistance: Saws may become gummy from resin in the wood
Gluing: Good gluing properties
Mortising: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Moulding: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Movement in Service: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Nailing: Possible if prebored, Requires pre-boring
Planing: Resin may adhere to tools
Resistance to Impregnation: Sapwood is moderately resistant
Resistance to Splitting: Poor
Response to hand tools: Responds well to hand tools
Routing recessing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Sanding: Produces smooth surfaces
Turning: Good results
Painting: Fair to Good; Polishing: Satisfactory; Staining: Stained effectively ; Varnishing: Requires care especially when resin is present ;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
 |
 |
 |
 |
Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
0,66 |
0,78 |
|
Density |
|
897 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
1191 |
1682 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
612 |
820 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
1019 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
119 |
134 |
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
161 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
172 |
196 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
6 |
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
2 |
|
% |
Weight |
929 |
881 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
1,26 |
1,4 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
|
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
779 |
854 |
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 16950 | 23930 | psi | Density | | 56 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 2247 | lbs | Impact Strength | 47 | 53 | inches | Maximum Crushing Strength | 8705 | 11664 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 2296 | psi | Static Bending | 11084 | 12152 | psi | Stiffness | 2459 | 2792 | 1000 psi | Work to Maximum Load | 18 | 20 | inch-lbs/in3 | Specific Gravity | 0.66 | 0.78 | | Weight | 58 | 55 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 2 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 6 | | % | Volumetric Shrinkage | 11 | | % | |
Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft 1 Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Hardness (side grain) = hard Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Very high density Very heavy Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = very high Max. crushing strength = high Hard Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = high
It is far stronger, for example, than Hard maple, White oak, or Teak. It is hard and superior to Teak and probably Mahogany
Balan Menon, P.K.,1958,Uses of Malayan Timbers,Malayan Forester 21(1) pp34-44Balan Menon, P.K.,1967,The structure and identification of Malayan woods,Malyasia Forestry Department, Forestry Research Institute, Malayan Forest,Records,No.25Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 4 South East Asia,TRADA, Red Booklet SeriesBryce, J. and Kitambi, G.,1960,The Air-drying Properties of some Tanganyika Timbers Technical Note No 23,Tanganyika Forest Department Utilisation Division Technical NoteChudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. LondonDesch, H. E. 1957. Manual of Malayan Timbers. The Malayan Forester, 28(30):315-318.Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15Flemmioh, C.O.,1959,Timber Utilization in Malaysia,Malayan Forest Records 13, Govt. Printer SingaporeFoxworthy, F.W.,1927,Commercial Timber Trees of the Malayan Peninsula,Malayan Forest Records 3Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.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,1Kloot, N.H. and E. Bolza. 1961. Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper No. 12, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia.Kraemer, J.H.,1951,Trees of the Western Pacific Region,West Lafayette, Indiana U.S.A.Lee, Y.H., et al,1974,Commercial Timbers of Peninsular Malaysia,Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia and,Malaysian Timber Industry BoardLee, Y.H., Lopez, D.T.,1968,The Machining Properties of some Malayan Timbers,Malayan Forester,3,pp194-210Smitinand, T., Et al,1980,A Manual of Diplerocarpaceae of Mainland South-East Asia,Forest Department, ThailandStrugnell, E.J.,1931,Notes on woods for furniture making,Malaysian Forester 1 pp69-73Suvarnasuddhi, K.,1950,Some Commercial Timbers of Thailand - Their Properties and Uses,Royal Forest Department, ThailandSymington, C.F.,1943,Foresters manual of Dipterocarps,Malaysia Forest Record,No.16Thomas, A.V.,1934,Results of mechanical and physical tests on fully air dried timbers,Malayan Forester 3 pp15-17WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.
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