Rengas

Rengas (Gluta spp.)

Common Name(s): Rengas

Scientific Name: Gluta spp. and Melanorrhoea spp.

Distribution: Indo-Malaysian region

Tree Size: 100-130 ft (30-40 m) tall, 2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 48 lbs/ft³ (765 kg/m³)

Basic Specific Gravity: .625

Hardness: 1,720 lb_f (7,650 N)

Rupture Strength: 13,100 lb_f/in² (90,300 kPa)

Elastic Strength: 1,915,000 lb_f/in² (13,200 MPa)

Crushing Strength: 8,380 lb_f/in² (57.8 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 2.9%, Tangential: 5.3%, Volumetric: 8.2%, T/R Ratio: 1.8

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a deep red with darker streaks, while the sapwood is a lighter pinkish-brown to almost white. Heartwood will darken in color upon exposure to light and air. Sapwood especially is said to be highly irritating to some individuals.

Grain/Pore: Has a fine to medium texture with typically straight or slightly irregular grain.

Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; medium pores in no specific arrangement; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; tyloses present; growth rings distinct due to marginal parenchyma; rays barely visible without lens; parenchyma banded, vasicentric.

Durability: Rated as moderately durable, though not resistant to termites or other insects.

Workability: Severely dulls cutting tools due to a high silica content. Otherwise, wood is fairly easy to work and glues and finishes well.

Scent: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.

Safety: The sap of Rengas is reported to be strongly irritating to the skin, causing blisters, sores, and reactions similar to poison ivy, as well as fever and constitutional effects in some individuals. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price/Availability: No data available.

Comments: It has been reported that Rengas is an excellent and handsome wood for cabinetry and other projects, but that the tree is so highly irritating among foresters and end-users, that it has fallen out of favor. Sap can still be irritating to some sensitized individuals even after the wood has been dried, and sap can also seep through some wood finishes to the surface of the wood.

Some common uses for Rengas include: turnery, cabinetry, furniture, and other specialty wood items.