Expert Tips: Identifying Wood Species Is Easier Than You Think!

We often receive inquiries from readers about methods for identifying wood species. This time, Mr. Shen Yuxin has detailed methods for identifying Indonesian wood species, specifically Indonesian wood. Click the upper right corner to add this to your collection! (High-definition images included, so be careful if you have intensive phobia.)

There are two types of wood:

Everyone knows that softwood and hardwood are the two main types of wood. But do you know how to distinguish between the two?

Broadleaved timber is also known as hardwood: Hardwood's growth rings are generally less distinct, and its cells are mainly composed of irregularly sized vessels (Vesse), sieve tubes (Tracheids), wood rays (Wood Rays), parenchyma cells (Parenchyma), and wood fibers (Fer). Medium density and above are the most common materials, but there are also low-density species.

Coniferous wood, also known as softwood, has distinct growth rings, with cells primarily composed of relatively regular sieve tubes (tracheids), wood rays, and parenchyma cells. The wood is generally soft, but some species have higher densities. Only two types of softwood are commonly found in Indonesian timber markets: pine (Merkusii pine) and Agathis cypress.

A closer look at wood characteristics

By observing the appearance characteristics of the radial section, tangential section and cross section of the wood, the wood species can be clearly identified.

Color: The color of the wood can help identify the species, such as Kapur. After sawing, the sapwood is light greenish-yellow and the heartwood is pink.

After sawing, the sapwood of Kapur logs is light green-yellow.

There is a clear difference from the pink heartwood.

Smell: The odor characteristics of wood can help identify the wood species. For example, when kapur wood is sawn, it will emit the fragrance of camphor.

Specific Gravity: The specific gravity of wood can help identify the species. For example, ironwood (Belain or Un) has an air-dried weight of 850kg~1100kg/m3.

Annual Rings: Indonesian hardwoods generally have unclear annual rings, but a few species, such as lacquer trees (commonly known as Rengas), have distinct annual rings. Based on the distribution of their vascular structures, they can be divided into diffuse porous hardwood and ring porous hardwood. Examples include red eucalyptus and borogh, which are ring porous.

Heartwood: Heartwood is usually brittle. Some wood species contain more extractives and are heavier. For example, the heartwood of borneol contains crystalline resin as white as borneol. The heartwood and sapwood of some wood species are clearly distinguished, such as the tree species commonly known as Rengas.

The heartwood of Kapur contains

A crystalline resin that is white like ice flakes.

Sapwood: Usually light yellow or white in color. In some wood species, the color difference between the sapwood and heartwood is not obvious, such as rubber wood.

Wood Grain: The texture of each type of wood is different. Common wood textures include: a. Straight grain, such as Bean; b. Wavy grain; c. Spiral or diagoWood grain can be interlocked, such as in Dark Meranti. The grain characteristics of wood can help identify the species.

Texture: The thickness of the wood texture is different for each type of wood. You can use your naked eyes or touch the surface of the polished wood to distinguish the thickness of the wood texture and help identify the wood species.

Wood Ray: Using a magnifying glass (10-20 times) to observe the thickness, color, and gloss of the wood ray on the tangential and radial sections of planed wood can help identify the wood species.

Identification by cell extracts

Use a 10-20x magnifying glass to observe the surface of the planed wood and find the representative characteristics of the wood species to help identify the wood species.

Latex: When observing undried wood with the naked eye, latex can be seen at the end of some wood species, such as Merbau. When sawing wood with a band saw, latex can be found on the band saw blade.

Resin Canal: For example, red eucalyptus wood has obvious resin canals, which is one of the important characteristics to help identify the wood species.

Enlarged cross-section of red eucalyptus wood

Obvious resin ducts can be seen.

It is one of the important characteristics that helps identify wood species.

Oil: After planing Keruing, the oil on the surface of the wood can be seen. It is easier to see the oil penetrating into the surface of the end from the cross section.

Minerals: The minerals contained in the wood cells of each type of wood are not the same. For example, in the Merbau wood, yellow minerals such as sulfur can be clearly seen with the naked eye in the ducts of the tangential or transverse section, while yellow linear minerals can be seen in the ducts of the tangential section.

Merbau is in the duct in cross section.

Many yellow minerals such as sulfur can be clearly seen with the naked eye.

It is one of the important characteristics that helps identify wood species.

Do you encounter any problems when manufacturing boards or processing wood? Don't hesitate to ask Mr. Shen Yuxin!

Mr. Shen Yuxin was born in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia in 1948. He graduated from the Forestry Department of National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan in 1974 and subsequently worked for the Taiwan Forestry Bureau. From 1975 to 1995, Mr. Shen worked in the wood processing and wood-based panel industries in Malaysia, Singapore, and Kalimantan, serving as an engineer, production supervisor, production manager, and general production manager. In 1996, Mr. Shen joined the Asian Woodworking Group of a world-renowned chemical company as Regional Technical Service Director.