Nyatoh wood

Nyatoh wood (Palaquium spp) is widely known in Indonesia. There are about 48 species of Nyatoh tree with the distribution area in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua. The tree grows in low land in the altitude to 1100 m above sea level. It has medium hardness, good property for, gluing, drilling, machining and processing in the woodworking.

The wood is used for many purposes. The wood has nice grain, moderately fine texture but with fairly strong character. It has varied base color from the light brown at the sap wood to the read purple at the heartwood with some dark strip at the grain. The wood pores are quietly deep but small. The wood is utilized for wood for many purposes; for wood construction, plywood, flooring, panel boards, decking, indoor furniture, wood house, house frame, doors, windows, and craft paper. In the furniture maker it can be used to substitute the mahogany and teak wood. 

nyatoh wood

The physical properties of the Nyatoh wood

• Has a Smooth Texture

Nyatoh wood has a smooth texture and slippery character that make it comfortable when it being touched. However, there are some parts of the wood that have a rougher texture. Even so, this wood is very suitable as raw material for making household product and furniture

• Straight grain pattern

Nyatoh wood also has straight grain pattern. It grain pattern may not as strong as mahogany or teak wood, but the wood have his special beauty with straight grain and pores With proper process and finishing the wood can perform his nice looked that make many people like.

• Bright brown base color

Nyatoh wood has a natural bright brown color that loved by many peoples. If needed, the wood can be stained and finished to form any darker color. The wood will give the nice looked with simple finish.

• Medium hardness

The wood has medium hardness make it quite easy to process. The wood can be cut, formed and shaped quite easy. It is also has good sanding properties, means it can be sanded with standard process without any big problem. 

• Durability level

Nyatoh wood is considered as medium wood in durability, The wood is not suitable to be used as material for product for heavy duty. It is not recommended for outdoor use product such as : exterior furniture, fence, flooring, etc. The wood is also not recommended for construction because of the strength and the price consideration.

• The drying process

The drying process of the wood must be done carefully to avoid crack and bending. The chemically treatment is also recommended during it drying process. The wood should be dipped with the chemical preservative to minimize the risk of insect attack in the future.

The physicals data for the Nyatoh wood can be seen at the table below

Average Dried Weight    (Basic, 12% MC)             : 39 lbs/ft3 (620 kg/m3)

Specific Gravity                                                      : .53, .62

Janka Hardness                                                      : 1,070 lbf (4,760 N)

Modulus of Rupture                                                : 13,920 lbf/in2 (96.0 MPa)

Elastic Modulus                                                      : 1,939,000 lbf/in2 (13.37 GPa)

Crushing Strength                                                   : 7,890 lbf/in2 (54.4 MPa)

Shrinkage                                                               : Radial: 3.2%, Tangential: 5.5%, 

Volumetric shrinkage                                               : 8.7%, T/R Ratio: 1.7

the data is taken from : the wood database

Finishing for Nyatoh wood.

The wood has good properties according to the finishing process. It can easily absorb and accept the finishing material applied on. All type of finishing material can be applied on without any problem. The wood also has an attractive appearance. The transparent finish can be applied to generated the nice wood looked. It can be stained to make any color to make the dark brown or light brown color to imitate the mahogany or teak wood color.