Merbau wood, which has the scientific name Instia Bijuga , found in many areas of East Africa and Southeast Asia, such as in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Sari Jati get merbau wood from regions in Papua.
Merbau wood is a kind of heavy wood with a average dried weight of 750 - 950 kg/m3. The janka hardness reaches 750-800, 7.620 N and has a bending strength of 1100 - 725 kg/m3 and a pressure strength of 650 - 425 kg/m3. With a strength class level I/II, merbau wood has the strength to withstand the load well, in both direction, either parallel to the wood grain, or perpendicular to the wood grain.
With the level of durability class I / II, when merbau wood placed in direct contact with moist soil can last 8-5 years, if the wood is not protected against wind and climate but protected from water, it can last 15-20 years. When the wood placed in a place which is protected from wind, weather and water (for example indoors), endurance is unlimited. Merbau wood is resistant to insects and fungi, nor is it eaten by termites.
Merbau wood is often used as raw material for making wood jamb, door, window, parquet, flooring, wall panel, ceiling panel, stair, moulding, furniture and home decor.
The color of merbau wood is dark reddish brown and sometimes accompanied by yellow highlights. The visual appearance of the grain is marked by the presence of needle fibers / broken lines. Pores of merbau wood are quite large, so the visual appearance of the texture of the grain is quite rough, well, it is not as smooth as teak wood visual. Because the basic color is already dark, merbau wood is usually finished with dark color of wood stain.
Merbau Wood Grain
Merbau Wood Finishing Options
Merbau wood can be finished by using a water-based finishing system, or solvent-based finishing system as follows.
1. Acrylic Water-based Finishing (transparent and solid color water-based)
Water-based finishing is an environmentally friendly, odorless, non-toxic paint that is easily applied with a spray or brush evenly, also easy to repaint. Because of its excellent resistance to ultraviolet light, this finishing is suitable for use in interiors and exteriors. Besides being weather resistant, this finishing is also resistant to mold and insects. Acrylic water-based finishing has good adhesion to the surface of the wood, seeps into the wood pores and is quite elastic, so that the wood will not easily peeled off. The last / top coat of finishing can be selected with the choice of doff / matt or gloss appearance.
There are two types of color in this acrylic water-based finishing system: transparent colors and solid colors. For merbau wood , dark transparent colors should be chosen to because the natural color of merbau wood is dark already. Meanwhile, if you choose to not to use any color / type of dark wood stain , then the final appearance of the merbau wood color will look like the natural color of the merbau wood, just apply the final layer: clear doff / matt or clear gloss only then.
1.1. Transparent Wood Stain (visible wood grain )
1.2. Solid Color Wood Stain (invisible wood grain)
Merbau wood can be applied using solid color wood stain as follows:
2. Melamine Solvent-based Finishing (transparent color solvent-based)
Melamine finishing is a two-component wood finishing system with low formaldehyde content so it is relatively odorless and less poignant in the eyes. This paint has a low level of yellowing tendency, and a good level of scratch resistance, has a matt or glossy look, hard and thick coating, and resistant to water and household chemicals. This finishing system still has good transparency so that it can show the authenticity of the wood grain. The last coat / top of finishing can be selected with the choice of doff / matt or gloss appearance.
Melamine finishing has very high transparency properties. Below is a choice of wood stain that can be applied to merbau wood, which are dark colors on average. The addition of wood stains which tend to be dark-colored, due to dark natural color of merbau wood mentioned above. Meanwhile, if you choose to not use any dark color wood stain then the color of the merbau wood will look like the natural color of the merbau wood, just apply the final layer : clear doff / matt or clear gloss only then.
2.1. Choice of Transparent Color Wood Stain (visible wood grain )
3. Paint Finishing (solid color solvent-based)
Paint is a nitrocellulose-based auto refinish lacquer paint that is dry, fast, has high glossy visual and is available in a variety of durable color choices. This paint finishing system also has excellent adhesion and durability to be applied to wood. Beside applied to wood, this paint is also known as a painting system on vehicles, machinery, iron and steel. The last coat of paint finishing can be applied with a matte / doff or gloss top coat finished.
Paint finishing has no transparency at all, so it will cover all the deficiencies of merbau wood visual appearance. Below are some examples of the paint finishing color selection as follows:
3.1. Solid Color Paint (invisible wood grain)
