Quarter cut section of Merbau

Merbau, Ipil, Kwila

Intsia bijuga (palembanica)

Intsia bijuga (palembanica)
Other common names Ipil and Merbau.

Kwila is a large hardwood native to South-East Asia from the Malaysian mainland through the islands to New Guinea and as far east as Fiji and the Solomon Islands with some occurrence in northern Australia.
Under its various names the timber is widely available in Australia and is highly regarded for a broad range of applications

Although very dense the timber work fairly well, dresses and turns to a smooth surface however the rather greasy characteristic of the wood tends to clog saws and planer blades easily. The heartwood is orange-brown to brown or dark red-brown while the sapwood is usually pale yellow and very easy to distinguish.
The texture is moderately coarse but even with an interlocked grain and highly visible vessels containing a yellow substance as well as the presence of growth rings. The timber has a very low shrinkage rate and dries with very little degrade.
In Asia it is used regularly for furniture, panelling, boatbuilding and veneers whilst in Australia it is imported for flooring , joinery, predominately staircase and handrail material, and is highly prized as decking

Timber Properties
Density(average)
1200 kg m3 green
850 kg m3 dry
Durability Class 2
Strength Group
S2 green
SD3 dry
Hardness Rating(average)
7.6 kN green
8.6 kN dry