What is Lauan plywood (Shorea tree)?
In the United States, Lauan plywood is commonly referred to as Luan plywood. The Shorea tree species is also used in Philippine mahogany as well as Meranti plywood. How Is Lauan Plywood Made?
What is Lauan plywood made of?
Luan (or Lauan) plywood (also known as Philippine Mahogany) is an interior plywood product made from a mix of hardwood species. Lauan plywood is versatile tropical hardwood plywood made from Shorea trees.
What is the other name of lauan?
It is also sometimes called Philippine mahogany or meranti. Nowadays, manufacturers create veneer from either white lauan (Shorea almon) or red lauan (S. negrosensis).
What is Lauan lumber?
Scientifically, the name Lauan has been used to encompass most commercial lumber found in the Shorea genus, where it is very commonly used in it’s native southeast Asia. There is an abundance of variety between the difference species: each with different working properties, appearances, and mechanical strength values.
Is Luan a tree?
Lauan (tree), several varieties of tree known as Philippine mahogany.
What is lauan wood used for?
Lauan plywood (also known as Luan Plywood) is a commercial term used throughout the United States that typically refers to a 1/8" - 1/4" tropical hardwood plywood panel used for underlayment in flooring, lamination, paper overlay, furniture, and millwork applications.
What wood is Luan made of?
Luan, also spelled lauan, refers to a tropical hardwood plywood product usually made from trees in the Shorea family. It has many home and hobby applications and is readily available at lumberyards and home improvement stores. The term typically refers to a plywood panel 1/4 or, less commonly, 1/8 inch thick.
Is lauan wood strong?
It is a heavy hardwood. It ranges in color from dark rich red through light pink to pale grayish brown. The dark woods are known as red lauan and the light woods are called white lauan. Although coarser in texture and softer than true mahogany, lauan is actually of the same strength.
Is Luan a good wood?
Luan or tropical plywood If correctly manufactured, luan ply has good strength, quality and smoothness. Typically, luan ply comes in thinner sheets of an 1/8 or a 1/4 inch thick. This makes it perfect for delicate or small-scale projects where we need shaping and flexible ply is an advantage.
How do lauan trees grow?
Dig a plant hole with dimensions of at least 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm. Plant the seedling at proper depth. Root collar should be at level with or a little below the ground surface with the seedling oriented upward. Fill the hole with top or garden soil and press soil firmly around the base of the seedling.
Is Luan weather resistant?
It will be outdoors, but only rarely wet. This doesn't need to be structural, just hide the joists. Quarter inch thick would be fine. I'll put some battens on for decoration and it will get a solid stain.
Can you paint luan wood?
Can I Paint Luan? You certainly can. Most builders do not recommend it, though. You can stain luan if you wish, but you will need to do significant work to make it look nice.
How do you cut lauan?
You CAN cut luan along the grain (cutting along the 8 foot length) without scoring, but is is always best to score it before cutting no matter which direction you cut. There is one way to greatly help limit the splintering when cutting any wood veneer: Place masking tape over the cut line first.
What is known as Philippine mahogany?
Philippine mahogany is a common name for several different species of trees and their wood. Botanically, the name refers to Toona calantas in the mahogany family, Meliaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines. In the US timber trade, it is often applied to wood of the genus Shorea in the family Dipterocarpaceae.
What type of wood is common in the Philippines?
Philippine Wood Species | Rosewood, Mahogany, Beech, Yakal, Teak, Oak.
Where are meranti trees grown?
These trees are grown in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. There are thousands of local names for these species, but from a lumber point of view, the species are divided into four groups, based on color and weight: dark red meranti, also called tanguile, (pictured) which is dark red and very heavy ...
How tall is a meranti tree?
A typical tree can reach heights of 200 feet and 6 feet in diameter. The stem is straight, so clear lumber is plentiful. Much meranti has been imported into North America as Philippine mahogany plywood. At times, the low density of the species used in such plywood have given this name a low-quality inference.
What color is Meranti lumber?
Sometimes the pores have deposits in them that glisten. The color also varies from very light to fairly dark red, depending on the species. When purchasing meranti lumber, careful attention to the specification will be required to assure consistency of appearance and properties.
Is Lauan lumber accurate?
However, lauan varies greatly in quality and appearance, so generalizations are not accurate. The key for purchasing plywood and lumber is to use proper specifications to assure that you will receive the desired quality. PROCESSING SUGGESTIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS.
Where does luan come from?
The term luan comes from the lauan tree, native to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries. It is also sometimes called Philippine mahogany or meranti. Nowadays, manufacturers create veneer from either white lauan (Shorea almon) or red lauan (S. negrosensis). The veneers are glued together in layers to make a very soft plywood product with a smooth surface. The few defects are filled and sanded smooth, but this means that the wood is best used for applications where it will be painted, so as not to show the corrections. Like other plywoods, an exterior grade of luan exists which is made with waterproof glue.
What is Luan plywood?
Luan, also spelled lauan, refers to a tropical hardwood plywood product usually made from trees in the Shorea family. It has many home and hobby applications and is readily available at lumberyards and home improvement stores. The term typically refers to a plywood panel 1/4 or, less commonly, 1/8 inch thick.
Where is luan plywood made?
According to Patriot Timber, Pacific Rim countries such as Japan and Taiwan first began manufacturing luan in the mid-20th century, importing huge supplies of hardwood lumber from Southeast Asia and the Philippines. The logs were perfect for creating this product because they were straight with stable wood fibers, consistent in color and easy to peel to make the veneers. Inevitably, as demand increased, the pressures on the southeast Asian supply of hardwoods increased and, by the 1990s, plywood manufacturers had widened their source materials to include hardwoods from other regions around the globe such as Africa, South America and the South Pacific. Because most of these source plantations were not sustainably harvested, the supply continued to dwindle. As of 2012, at least one company produces a luan-type plywood product that is promoted as being manufactured completely from sustainable, plantation-grown timbers.
Is luan good for cutting?
Because luan is so thin, it is a good idea to support both sides when cutting large sheets with a table or circular saw. When making delicate cuts with a jigsaw or handheld cutting tool, such as for toys or other crafts, there is a danger of splintering off the top veneer layer, which would ruin the look of the piece.
Can Luan be used as a subfloor?
It is easy to die-cut small parts out of the plywood. Luan is also sometimes used as an underlayment for resilient flooring, but professionals war n that it should only be used as a supplement to a more durable subfloor, mostly because of the danger of swelling from moisture intrusion.
Is luan plywood waterproof?
The few defects are filled and sanded smooth, but this means that the wood is best used for applications where it will be painted, so as not to show the corrections. Like other plywoods, an exterior grade of luan exists which is made with waterproof glue.
What Is Luan Wood?
Luan is a hardwood plywood with many uses and a few different looks. Sometimes spelled lauan, sometimes called meranti, and other times referred to as Philippine mahogany, this plywood comes from any number of the 196 species of Shorea trees found in the Philippines and New Guinea.
Best Uses for Luan Wood
As with just about anything in construction and building projects, your project determines the suitability of materials. Luan has its ups and downs, so review all its characteristics to see if it’s a good fit for your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Even with all that information, you might still have questions. So let’s address any lingering misgivings you might have before you make your final decision on what wood to get for your next project.
Is Luan the Right Wood for Me?
So, what is luan wood? It’s a versatile, thin, and malleable plywood. While luan may not be the perfect selection for every project, it just might be the perfect (and affordable and lightweight) choice for you.
What Is Lauan Plywood?
Lauan plywood (commonly referred to as Luan plywood) refers to a ⅛” to ¼” plywood panel made of tropical hardwood.
Where Does Lauan Plywood Come From?
The first Lauan plywood originated in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea more than 40 years ago. These three countries imported huge amounts of tropical hardwood logs from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
How Is Lauan Plywood Made?
Making Luan plywood is very similar to making other types of plywood. Thin slices of wood (also called plies) are glued on top of each other. Each one is rotated 90 degrees in a process called cross-graining. This makes the plywood extremely strong.
What Is Lauan Plywood Used For?
Lauan plywood has many uses. It can be used as part of the underlayment process, although it’s not ideal for underlayment on its own. Paneling, cabinetry, siding, and interior trim are all areas where Lauan plywood can be used successfully. Lauan plywood is also good for use in lamination and paper overlay.
How Much Does Lauan Plywood Cost?
As of 2021 in the United States, the average sheet of Lauan plywood costs $15 to $25. Per square foot, that comes out to about $0.45 to $0.70 for a ¼ inch thick four-by-eight board.
Pros Of Lauan Plywood
One of the best features of Lauan plywood is its consistent color and density. Lauan plywood has a very stable wood fiber that gives it a gorgeous appearance. Plus, it’s very durable, inexpensive, and cost-effective.
Cons Of Lauan Plywood
There are a few disadvantages to Lauan plywood. The first is that it’s not very resistant to moisture. When exposed to moisture over time, it’s likely to warp, shrink, and expand.
