Thread: Can you identfy this timber

G'day.

Could be Kwila aka Merbau.

Does the grain have a white or yellow fleck through it that
looks like it had paint on it that was sanded off?

If it hasn't been sealed, wipe it with a wet rag several times.
If it is Kwila/Merbau, after a couple of minutes,
it will start to bleed a red stain on your rag.
This stain is a real pest with unsealed Kwila/Merbau as it washes out with water for ages.

The advantages of the stuff is that it is good for outdoor furniture &
it is easier to work that regular, generic, Australian Hardwood.

I am making a work bench out of it at present.
I'll post some pics when it's finished.

Hi Cliff,

Thanks for the response.

If it was Merbau it must have been seasoned.

As I kept a close eye on it on my daily walking and bike rides over a number of months. Can't tell you how many times I sat on it without getting any stains on my clothes.

I just remember the simplicity of the design the 12 degree lean and the beauty of the wood.

Regretably, when I returned recently, to get some pics of the grain, it had been painted brown.

As I've been using Merbau now for about 4 years I didn't recognize the grain as Merbau. Does all Merbau have the yellow fleck thru it. As I have some pieces that do not. But certainly some that do.

G'day.

I was guessing going on the colour I could see.

Not all of it has the fleck in the grain, the stuff I have for my workbench has it on some pieces & not others.

I also have some much older pieces & it's now very brown rather than the reddish colour but it also has the flecks in the grain.

If it's not Kwila/Merbau, then it must be one of our "Generic" Australian Hardwoods.

jarrah ?

cheers - multinut