Meranti Red Lauan VS Sugi Japanese Cedar
- Harder wear surface (Janka 800 vs 320 lbf)
- Stronger in bending (MOR 79.3 vs 36.4 MPa)
- Easier to machine and fasten
- Lighter (0.38 vs 0.52 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Tie |
| Hardness | Meranti Red Lauan |
| Strength (MOR) | Meranti Red Lauan |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Meranti Red Lauan |
| Flame spread | Tie |
| Machining ease | Sugi Japanese Cedar |
| Lightness | Sugi Japanese Cedar |
Engineering data
| Property | Meranti Red Lauan | Sugi Japanese Cedar |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 800WD lbf | 320WD lbf |
| Density | 0.52FPL g/cm³ | 0.38WD g/cm³ |
| MOE | 10.6FPL GPa | 7.65WD GPa |
| MOR | 79.3FPL MPa | 36.4WD MPa |
| Durability | Class 3 Moderately Durable | Class 3 Moderately Durable |
| Stability | Poor (warp-prone) | Poor (warp-prone) |
| Fire (E84) | Class C indicative | Class C indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 3WD % | 2.1WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 7.5WD % | 6.8WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 2.5 | 3.24 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Meranti Red Lauan | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Sugi Japanese Cedar | ★★★☆☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Meranti Red Lauan | ★★☆☆☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Meranti Red Lauan
Advantages relative to Sugi Japanese Cedar
- Janka is 800 lbf vs 320 lbf, about 2.5× harder
- MOR is 79.3 MPa vs 36.4 MPa, about 118% higher
- MOE is 10.6 GPa vs 7.7 GPa, about 38% higher
Limitations relative to Sugi Japanese Cedar
Sugi Japanese Cedar
Advantages relative to Meranti Red Lauan
Limitations relative to Meranti Red Lauan
- Janka is 320 lbf vs 800 lbf, about 60% lower
- MOR is 36.4 MPa vs 79.3 MPa, about 54% lower
- MOE is 7.7 GPa vs 10.6 GPa, about 27% lower
Recommendation
Choose Meranti Red Lauan if…
- Plywood — the timber's dominant use worldwide — interior furniture and cabinetmaking, general construction and concrete forms, doors and window frames, panelling and flooring where the harder, stiffer sheet or lumber is the specification
- Interior mouldings, skirting and architraves that benefit from higher bending strength
Choose Sugi Japanese Cedar if…
- Exterior cladding, yakisugi siding, structural post-and-beam framing where the traditional Japanese architectural role is what the project is specifying, and low weight and aromatic character are part of the design intent
- Interior panelling, tansu furniture, sake barrels or bento boxes where the aromatic heartwood is a functional feature
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Meranti Red Lauan or Sugi Japanese Cedar?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 3, Moderately Durable). Outdoors, movement will not separate them either — 7.5% against 6.8% tangential. The practical difference is weight: Meranti Red Lauan runs 0.52 g/cm³ against 0.38, so Sugi Japanese Cedar is the easier fix overhead and the cheaper one to freight.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
Both are EN 350 Class 3, and tangential movement runs 7.5% for Meranti Red Lauan against 6.8% for Sugi Japanese Cedar — close enough that decay resistance will not choose between them, and Sugi Japanese Cedar holds its dimension marginally better. Meranti Red Lauan gives the harder wearing surface at 800 lbf; Sugi Japanese Cedar is the lighter section at 0.38 g/cm³ — traffic favours the first, cladding and handling the second.
Is Meranti Red Lauan harder than Sugi Japanese Cedar?
Yes — Janka 800 lbf vs 320 lbf.