Meranti and pine are both excellent species. There is a great demand for furniture and construction. In this post, you will know the difference between Meranti and Cedar Wood.
Meranti wood is more durable and stable for outdoor furniture than cedar wood. Pine wood is pale yellow, whereas meranti wood varies in color from light pink to brownish and reddish-brown.
Meranti Wood
It is moderately durable, stable, and affordable hardwood. It is native to Southeast Asia.
Meranti wood is versatile wood, widely used for all types of wooden projects. general constriction and making quality plywood.
Meranti wood is susceptible to insect attack and is moderately rot-resistant. Hence it is not considered better for external use but doesn’t handle extreme weather well.
Meranti wood can be divided into many groups on the basis of its properties. Such as Light Red Meranti, Dark Red Meranti, White Meranti, Yellow Meranti, and Balau.
Pine Wood
Pine Wood is durable, versatile, and affordable softwood. It is known for its natural Appearance.
The density of pine wood is low, due to which there is a possibility of getting dents and scratches easily.
There are about 120 species of Pine worldwide. But only a few species are used for lumber. Some of the main species are as follows: Eastern White Pine, Western White Pine, Sugar Pine, Red Pine, Jack Pine, Longleaf Pine, Shortleaf Pine, and many more.
| # | Meranti Wood | Pine Wood |
| Scientific Name: | Shorea spp. | Pinus |
| Tree Height: | 65-130 ft (20-40 m) tall, 3-6 ft (1-2 m) trunk diameter | 50–150 ft (15–45 m ) tall, 2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m) trunk diameter |
| Rot-resistant: | Low or no rot-resistant | Moderate to low in rot resistance |
| Workability: | Usually easy to work | Easy to work with hand and machine tools |
| Wood types: | Hardwood | Softwood |
| Wood color | Pale pink to brown and reddish-brown | Light brown to pale yellow |
| Uses: | Plywood, interior furniture, general construction, veneer, and boatbuilding. | Crates, boxes, interior millwork, construction lumber, carving, and boatbuilding. |
Uses
Meranti Wood Uses
Meranti wood is most commonly used for making plywood, interior furniture, and general construction.
Dark Red Meranti is also known as Lauan, Philippine Mahogany. Dark red meranti is used for boatbuilding. Because of the moderate density, it does not absorb moisture easily.
Meranti wood has an amazing dark reddish color and straight uniform grain. Which attracts everyone. Hence wood is used to make veneers.
Pine Wood Uses
Pine Wood is widely used for interior millwork, construction lumber, carving, and boatbuilding.
Woods is used for making boxes/crates. Because of its lightweight and good strength. Due to its lightweight, it is easy to transport.
Longleaf Pine has medium Density (Janka Hardness is 870 lbf (4,120 N)), it is used for construction, such as stringers, roof trusses, poles, joists, piles.
Wood Color and Appearance
The heartwood of Meranti is dark red or purple-brown to dark red-brown while the sapwood is golden yellow-brown in color.
Meranti wood grains can be straight or interlocked with a coarse texture and less natural luster.
Generally, the heartwood of pine wood is reddish-brown with a slightly reddish hue while the color of sapwood is yellowish-white to nearly white. Pine grains are straight with an even, medium texture.
By the way, the color of the wood depends on the species of meranti and pine wood.
Working with Meranti wood and Pine Wood
Meranti Wood
Meranti wood is easier to work with all types of tools, But having interlocked grains can cause problems during planing.
Due to having straight or interlocked grains, stream bending properties are not very good. Some species of meranti have medium to high silica. Which can cause problems.
It holds the glue well and gives excellent results after finishing.
Pine Wood
Almost all species of pine are easy to work with both hand and power tools. Glue and finish well.
Longleaf pine contains resin, which can affect workability. Some species of pine are hard, such as yellow pine. It can be a bit more difficult to cut.
Often there is a problem of uneven and blotchy stains while staining pine. Because pine absorbs wood stains very quickly.
It is best to use a pre-conditioner stain for pine wood. The pre-conditioner slows down the process of adsorption of the stain and gives a uniform appearance.
Meranti vs Pine Wood | Which is better for outdoor use?
Meranti is a preferred hardwood for indoor applications. Treated wood can be used for outdoor use, it works better than untreated wood.
Pine Wood is usually not rot-resistant. But it is strong and very stiff softwood with relatively high compressive strength.
Pine Wood can be used outdoors, as it is as strong as cedar. But before using it, we have to prepare for the outdoor environment by sealing it properly.
Meranti vs Pine Wood: Rot Resistance
Meranti is moderately-durable and has low rot-resistant hardwood, wood cannot rot if it is kept dry. But Meranti is susceptible to insect attack.
Meranti wood is stable and resistant to warping or twisting. Hence it can be used for external use. But regular care is required.
Whereas pine wood is softwood. The Pine heartwood is rated as moderately resistant to decay, But not a rot-resistant wood.