Thread: Identifying a light coloured hardwood

Interesting that one....

I would not even hazard a guess, but that is a very different cellular make up on the end grain pic.
Are you sure it is in fact a hardwood?

Looking forward to hearing what anyone else comes up with.

Looks like Meranti.

Originally Posted by Cool Runnings

I would not even hazard a guess, but that is a very different cellular make up on the end grain pic.
Are you sure it is in fact a hardwood?

I'm pretty sure the light lines going from top left to bottom right are medullary rays, if so, that would lock it in as a hardwood.

Originally Posted by BEM

I'm making a pine shoe box for outside the back door (to keep spiders out of my shoes ). I am making the "feet" of the box out of a light coloured hardwood that I got in a bundle of mixed woods a while back. I have no idea what it is but I'd like to. Here are some closeup photos. Does anyone have a clue what wood it is?

Thanks
Lyndon

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First thanks for the excellent images you supplied Lyndon.

Although familiar I cant id it, but I'm sure from the features (rays and parenchyma) in the end grain image it IS a hardwood and possibly what was suggested (Meranti) which varies in colour but is a mixtures of related species of the same genus (some creamy coloured, others pink, some plal brown) all of low density and used for light construction eg door and window frames etc.

I am sure a wood anatomist could id it from the pics provided. I am not a wood anatomist but there are a few in IWCS. Not sure if they frequent this site though.

Euge

Here is a link to Meranti that is not too technical. Its a tropical (asian rainforest) hardwood

White Meranti | The Wood Database - Lumber Identification (Hardwood)

There are other source if you search.

Shorea species I believe are called meranti amongst many other names.

Euge

Thanks guys for the replies. I hadn't thought of meranti as I've never seen it in yellow; till now. I had a look at the Wood Database and a few photos on Google Images and I'm sure you're all right. Yellow Meranti it is then.

Cheers
Lyndon

My money is on Yellowwood Ash (Flindersia colliana) or perhaps Cairns Hickory (Flindersia ifflianna). The Flindersia's all have fairly unique smells when cut. Density is a key to differentiating it from Meranti. I've never seen white/yellow Meranti as all the Meranti I have handled was pink / red Meranti. I don't believe the macro photograph is consistent with Merati.

The pores don't seem to match Flindersia colliana but maybe Flindersia ifflianna. What do they smell like? I did have a smell after I cutting it but I couldn't place it. It smells like nothing in the memory bank.

Originally Posted by BEM

The pores don't seem to match Flindersia colliana but maybe Flindersia ifflianna. What do they smell like? I did have a smell after I cutting it but I couldn't place it. It smells like nothing in the memory bank.

I think the key identifiers in your macro photo are not the pores but the other features - the ray structures, growth ring figuring etc - they aren't present with such definition in Meranti.

I'm not great at describing "smells" or "tastes" and just marvel at the descriptions of taste and bouquet for wine etc. I find that Yellowwood & Cairns Hickory leave a slight but readily discernible acrid after taste and have a sweetish, slight peppery smell. (best I can come up with.)

In among a fire sale lot of timber I purchased years ago is a white / cream timber that I have not been successful in identifying. It has very similar features to your sample and a more acrid smell / taste than any timber I'm familiar with. It planes in a similar manner to yours as well - leaving readily distinguishable "strips" in each shaving. Density is very similar to Northern Silver Ash. As it came from a furniture makers workshop that handled quite a bit of imported timber it could have come from across the globe. Unfortunately the person disposing of the timber lots could not assist either. For small samples of timber smell may not be a reliable identification key as "neutral" timbers can take on the aroma of "strong" timbers like New Guinea Rosewood etc if stored with them.

I'd be very loath to rule out a meranti, Moby. It's not a single species, but a lumping term for a very large number of species (even different genera, I think) and the range of grain structures, colours. & densities I've struck in my limited exposure has been very wide. I've always said that colour is one of the least useful guides to identification of wood! (You could say it's just as well we don't have many girls in this section or the colour arguments could be fierce! ) The Flindersias you mention are probably only available locally, the OP is in the 'deep south', so an imported wood is at least as likely as an uncommon N.Q. species.

I'd go with 'most likely a meranti' myself, but if you did manage to track down the original source of the mystery wood & Mobyturns turns out to be on the money, it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong.....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

The Flindersias you mention are probably only available locally, the OP is in the 'deep south', so an imported wood is at least as likely as an uncommon N.Q. species.

Cheers,

I wouldn't discount any timber, unless I had a very good idea of its source, chain of custody etc. Lots of bastardry in the timber industry - just look to Pacific, PNG, Indonesia, Phillipines etc. Is it "new" timber or has it come from a "stash?" Its a mugs game trying to identify timber from photos. So much can aid in correct ID, Bootle's "burning splinter test" etc - but we are suckers for a challenge.

Ian, Do you know how much timber was carted out of Far North QLD (Ingham to Cooktown)? At its peak the timber industry supported some 60 ply and veneer mills plus as many or more mills supplying sawn timber. Given the total population of NQ was less than 100k at the time most of it went to the timber merchants in the "deep south." The turpentine pilings, and ply that went out of FNQ to support the war effort in WWII was staggering.

Unfortunately I have no idea where it came from. I bought some walnut and white oak at auction and the guys at the site had a pile of wood that was unsuitable to auction. They asked me if I wanted it. "SURE" I said. It's a small pile of a few different woods. A lucky dip. My specimen photos came from that pile.

Originally Posted by BEM

Unfortunately I have no idea where it came from. I bought some walnut and white oak at auction and the guys at the site had a pile of wood that was unsuitable to auction. They asked me if I wanted it. "SURE" I said. It's a small pile of a few different woods. A lucky dip. My specimen photos came from that pile.

So if you were buying American timber, possibly, this other timber could be from anywhere?
Regards,
Crocy.

It was a closed down flooring place. The free pile was in no way related to the other lots. I think a lot of them were feet for wood lots. E.g. operating like pallets with banding around them. Like when you buy a wood from the wood merchant it comes bound with foot blocks.