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Thinking Outside the Trends: Red Balau Decking, Part 1

June 5, 2017 By Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

While Red Balau is far from new to the decking market, it’s clearly not as trendy as Ipe or Cumaru. As part of the Shorea genus, Red Balau is related, so to speak, to species such as Meranti and Philippine Mahogany, both of which are commonly used for marine applications and other exterior work. An excellent tropical decking option, Red Balau boasts fabulous rot and insect-resistant properties as well as an attractive appearance.

How Does It Compare to Other Decking Species?

Red Balau ranks right up there with other tropical decking species, when it comes to the all-important characteristics of hardness and durability. Its tight grain and tiny pores allow it to actually out-rank its peers, when it comes to consistency in appearance. While other tropical decking species can appear striped and include areas of raised grain, Red Balau looks and feels smooth. The essentially defect-free reddish brown boards allow for very little waste, providing you with little need to buy more than your project will actually require. When you consider the lack of need to purchase extra board feet with the fact that Red Balau can cost half the price of Ipe or Cumaru, the comparison seems to lean even more significantly in favor of Red Balau.

What Kind of Red Balau Boards Do You Have?

J. Gibson McIlvain offers both 5/4 by 6” and 1×4” Red Balau in a wide variety of lengths; all decking boards come as S4S, E4E boards. If you prefer, we can groove your boards, so they’re ready for hidden fasteners. Whether you prefer hidden clips or face-screwing installation, we can supply clips or screws, along with oil, sealant, and just about anything else you’d need to install your Red Balau deck.

Finished Red Balau deck

How Can You Ensure I’m Getting the Best Red Balau Possible?

First, as an Importer of Record, J. Gibson McIlvain directly imports Red Balau from mills in Indonesia, eliminating unnecessary complexity in the supply chain as well as any questions about the origin. Because of our careful sourcing, we make sure all our tropical decking lumber is harvested from sustainable forests and carries FSC certification. Upon request, we’re glad to provide you with documentation that shows the chain-of-custody details which are needed when applying for LEED points.

In addition to ensuring sustainable sourcing, we thoroughly research each mill to make sure it can provide us with a steady supply of Red Balau with consistent coloring. One major difference between the Red Balau we carry and typical Meranti decking is that instead of potentially including many Shorea species, we source only a single species; this kind of careful selection provides you with even more of a consistent color match than other suppliers may be able to offer.

Continue reading with Part 2.

Learn More about the Lumber Industry

  • Hardwood Lumber Grading
  • Why Lumber Is Slowly Dried in a Kiln

J. Gibson McIlvain Company

Since 1798, when Hugh McIlvain established a lumber business near Philadelphia, the McIlvain family has been immersed in the premium import and domestic lumber industry. With its headquarters located just outside of Baltimore, the J. Gibson McIlvain Company (www.mcilvain.com) is one of the largest U.S. importers of exotic woods.

As an active supporter of sustainable lumber practices, the J. Gibson McIlvain Company has provided fine lumber for notable projects throughout the world, including the White House, Capitol building, Supreme Court, and the Smithsonian museums.

Contact a representative at J. Gibson McIlvain today by calling (800) 638-9100.

Filed Under: Construction, Flooring, Lumber

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