Merbau Post

Dukekamaya · Oct 22, 2008 6:06 pm

I_BUILD

Australia doesn't import anywhere near the amount that the Asian countries do. China are the biggest importers of merbau and thousands of tons were used for the Olympics and other industries and that has threatened the existence of this tree.

Not only that it depletes the natural habitats of many endangered animals.
The US is also a major consumer of merbau/kwila. It is one of their biggest selling T&G flooring species there.

China used just over 800,000 cubic metres for the Beijing Olympics.....

Kevin Brown · Oct 22, 2008 7:14 pm

Dukekamaya

Kevin Brown

Bunnings are no longer selling Meranti for that same reason
Thanks Dukekamaya for the info

?? All the Bunnings stores I've been in are full of meranti - we keep oodles of it at work as well, as does any timber yard.
The BCA I mentioned doesn't apply to meranti as its not a structually graded timber.
The majority of solid doors are meranti as well as jambs/skirting/ architrave/ mouldings etc.

Maybe I'm wrong about Bunnings then...I'll make a point of looking next time.
I know there is a local hardware store not stocking meranti...not sure wich one now

Dukekamaya · Oct 22, 2008 8:06 pm

What are they selling for jambs/ architrave etc?? Just softwood?

Kevin Brown · Oct 22, 2008 8:14 pm

Dukekamaya

What are they selling for jambs/ architrave etc?? Just softwood?

Customwood mostly....I'll let you know after I visit next.
I dont go there very often...all of my board stock is delivered

builda · Oct 23, 2008 9:18 pm

Why not go for Cypress Pine? It is as durable as Red Gum, in fact more so I think and is readily avialable in 150 x 150 and is completely termite resistant.

We have a 150 yr old ruin in SA and the roof timbers are original and as solid as the day they were hand cut - all local Cypress Pine.

Don't use Oregon - complete waste of time. You will struggle to get Treated Pine to that finished size. The Laminated Merbau is fine so long as they use the you beaut weatherproof glue - the sort they use on boats - cannot remember the name of it at the moment but it will come to me. Readily available at most hardware stores.

Dukekamaya · Oct 25, 2008 10:26 pm

They're laminated in Asia so the glue name probably won't be what we use here. It is in groung rated though so I'm told by the reps.
Depends on the location , cypress in those sizes isn't redily avialable in those sizes in NSW for example

procelo · Oct 27, 2008 8:00 pm

Hi Everyone,

I would like to say THANK YOU for all your opinions and suggestions wherein it helped me in deciding to use all Merbau timber on my freestanding pergola. Although some of you guys and my friends too suggested to use treated pine as the most economical way but I just love Merbau . . . . . . . . . .

Once again, big thank you to everyone who contributed the topic.

C H E E R S > > > > >

PROCELO

procelo · Oct 27, 2008 8:01 pm

Hi Everyone,

I would like to say THANK YOU for all your opinions and suggestions wherein it helped me in deciding to use all Merbau timber on my freestanding pergola. Although some of you guys and my friends too suggested to use treated pine as the most economical way but I just love Merbau . . . . . . . . . .

Once again, big thank you to everyone who contributed the topic.

C H E E R S > > > > >

PROCELO

buddy · Nov 15, 2008 8:34 pm

have a look at this supplier in bayswater (outer east melbourne) - they supply ethically sourced merbau

http://www.outdoortimber.com.au/