Timber Guru

Learn All The Unique Types of Timber!

Having options in life is a problem that only the privilege would have. If you are wise enough to consider timber decking, you would probably be able to relate to this problem. You would probably have asked yourself: "Which timber should I use for the decking?"

There are four types of commonly used timber for timber decking, which are Teak, Merbau, Chengal and Ironwood. Let's discuss the characteristics of each species so that timber fans could make a well-informed decision for their decking.

Teak Wood

Teak Woods

Teak Color

Teak mostly originates from Burma and Indonesia. Famous for its distinctive golden color, teak wood is a favorite timber for those who highly rate the aesthetics aspect of the wood. From all the different types of woods, Teak would have the least cracks over time, estimated to be only at 3%. This means that out of 100 blocks of teak used, only about 3 blocks would have some cracks over time. One thing to take note, however, is that although Teak has a high dimensional stability, it's Janka hardness is only at 1070. Janka hardness is measured by placing a metal ball on top of the wood. Although Teak has a relatively low janka hardness compared to Merbau, Chengal and Ironwood, it is still very safe to use Teak as decking and flooring material.

Teak Stairing

Teak Decking

Merbau Wood

Merbau Woods

Merbau Color

Merbau, characterized by the yellow flecks, grows naturally throughout Southeast Asia and is usually in brown color. Merbau wood is considered a very stable wood, and therefore its capability to provide robust support for decking is positively viewed by timber fans. It is also relatively easy to maintain the wholeness of Merbau blocks as the cracking percentage over time is estimated only to be around 8%. Merbau's janka hardness is estimated to be around 1925, suggesting that it is a moderately dense timber.

Merbau Yellow Flecks

Merbau Decking

In considering Merbau as a material for decking and flooring, timber lovers should be aware of Merbau tannin. Tannin is a water soluble extracts in Merbau that is washed out of the timber by rain and would stain the surface of the wood.

Chengal Decking

Chengal Wood

Chengal Pinholes

The well-known Chengal timber mostly originates from Malaysia, and the geographical convenience explains why Chengal has been a popular material for decking and flooring in Singapore over the years. Chengal is a moderately stable wood with a rating of 2130 janka hardness. Although relatively famous in Singapore, Chengal has aesthetics drawback over time with 100% probability of having cracks and one of the few woods which would produce splinters over time. Also, Chengal tends to have pinholes across the surface of the woods. These pinholes are a result of Ambrosia beetles which tend to crave for Chengal. Interestingly, many Chengal fans see these pinholes as a unique iconic feature of Chengal. 

Bornean Ironwood

Raw Ironwood

Ironwood Decking

As the name suggests, ironwood is famous for its hardness, rated at 3010 in janka hardness scale. Ironwood has an estimated 80% probability of cracking over time but the solidity of the wood provides a moderately strong stability. An interesting fact about ironwood is that it has a lot of nicknames; some call it Bornean ironwood, some call it billian and some call it ulin. 

Making Your Decision

All the wood species have their own unique characteristics, and therefore deciding which wood to use as your decking or flooring material may not always be a one-dimensional consideration. The typical aspects you would probably want to consider are the hardness of the woods, the stability and maybe the probability of cracking.

Care,

Timber Guru