Keruing
Dipterocarpus spp.
Also known as apitong, yang, gurjun · Botanical Dipterocarpus spp.
Revision history
- — Data re-verified in site-wide audit (formulas, sources, durability classes)
- — Working properties and comparable-species data cross-checked against listed sources
About Keruing
Keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.) is a mid-range timber, hard enough for everyday wear and still easy to work, with a Janka hardness of 1,270 lbf (5,649 N) and a density of about 0.69 g/cm³. It grows in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Tangential movement of 10.9% against 5.2% radial puts the T/R ratio at 2.10. That is the ratio to watch: it predicts cupping in wide flatsawn boards better than either figure alone. Its fibre saturation point is near 27%. Below it, movement is the governing constraint on this species: 10.9% tangential against 5.2% radial, a T/R ratio of 2.10. Flatsawn boards will cup; quartersawn stock is worth the premium here. — wide boards need real expansion room, not a token gap.
At 690 kg/m³ a cubic metre of Keruing weighs about 690 kg air-dry — that figure, the 10.9% tangential and 5.2% radial movement and the 1,270 lbf hardness are the three inputs the calculators below actually consume. Select Keruing in any of them to get species-specific results for weight, moisture, shrinkage and hardness.
Working properties
How Keruing behaves at the bench and on the machine, drawn from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory, ITTO and Australian government timber data.
Durability & use classification
Keruing is rated moderately durable (EN 350 Class 3), with above-ground exposure typically quoted at 7–15 years and poor resistance to dry-wood insects — treat it with preservative for any ground contact. Durability varies by species, which matters here: “keruing” covers roughly 70 Dipterocarpus species sold collectively, so resin content, grain and hardness all vary between and within batches. Many Dipterocarpus species are IUCN-listed as critically endangered.
Typical applications & suitability
Indoor Outdoor — A tough, high-strength utility hardwood — it compares with teak on most strength measures and is about 40% more shock-resistant — used where impact and wear matter more than looks.
Documented end-uses: truck and trailer flooring (its signature use, sold as ‘apitong’), general and heavy construction, boat framework, industrial and domestic flooring, bridges, boardwalks, railway crossties (treated), pallets, chemical-processing equipment, veneer and plywood.
Comparable species
Species closest to Keruing by density, hardness, stiffness and bending strength, computed directly from the Vriksai species dataset rather than hand-picked.
Trade alternatives. Within the dipterocarps, Sal and Balau cover similar structural ground more durably, while Meranti is the lighter, easier-working relative.
Alternatives to Keruing
Keruing measures 1,270 lbf Janka at 0.69 g/cm³, EN 350 durability Class 3, movement rated Moderate. Keruing sits mid-range, which gives the widest choice of substitutes — and the widest scope to pick the wrong one on appearance alone. Read the numbers against the Janka scale and EN 350 durability classes.
For domestic flooring, worktops and furniture edges taking regular contact. Harder timber dents less and machines slower — both matter on a quotation.
Lighter and faster to work. Pricing is not shown here: timber cost varies with region, grade, origin, certification and availability, and we hold no verified price data to publish.
The axis that decides whether a wide panel or a door stays flat through a Panipat monsoon and then a 45 °C May. Size the gaps with the shrinkage predictor and EMC calculator.
If Keruing is unavailable and the specification cannot change, these are the nearest substitutes across hardness, density, movement, stiffness, bending strength and durability class together — not on any single property. Lower distance means a closer match.
Keruing is EN 350 Class 3, so untreated exterior service is not advisable. These reach Class 1–2 at comparable hardness.
Computed from measured properties only — hardness, density, movement, stiffness, bending strength and EN 350 class. Price, availability and appearance are never inputs. Figures are representative values, not consignment absolutes: two species within a few percent are equivalent until verified on the material. Full method and the rules the engine cannot break.
Substitution is a match on durability class, movement and strength — not on colour or grain. Where two candidates are close, compare them directly before specifying.
Compare Keruing side by side
The head-to-heads specifiers most often weigh against it for furniture and interior joinery. Every pairing shows the measured figures side by side; full matrix in the comparison index.
Calculators relevant to Keruing
Chosen for how Keruing is actually specified — its density, movement and durability class feed straight in. Full set in the tool index.
Understand the figures
Durability & fire — EN 350 classes and E84 ratings · Thermal conductivity — k-value and insulation behaviour · ThermoWood species guide — Thermo-D/Thermo-S treatment classes · Janka hardness scale — how the lbf figure is measured.
Further reading. Wood moisture content explained · How to calculate board feet.
Common questions about Keruing
unverified no published source for this figure · FPL USDA FPL Wood Handbook GTR-190 · WD The Wood Database (Eric Meier) · calc derived from the figures above