Name: Rengas - Box Making
SKU: 11694
Availability: InStock

Description

Rengas (Gluta spp. / Melanorrhoea spp.)

Rengas is a Southeast Asian hardwood that commands attention with its vibrant and rich colour palette. You will notice its heartwood displays a deep red or fiery orange-red base, often highlighted with dramatic, darker veins and streaks. This timber possesses a fine to medium texture and a natural lustre that you can bring to a high polish, making it a visually impressive choice for decorative work.

Perfect for Box Making:

You can use the intense colour and figuring of Rengas to create exceptionally striking boxes. Its bold appearance makes it highly effective for:

Small, decorative keepsake or jewellery boxes that serve as a statement piece.
Feature panels and contrasting lids, especially when paired with a pale, plain timber.
Any project where you want the wood’s natural, fiery colour to be the main attraction.

Working Properties:

CRITICAL SAFETY WARNING: You must exercise extreme caution when working with Rengas. The wood’s sap contains oils that are a severe irritant, similar to Poison Ivy.

Toxicity & Handling: Contact with wet or unseasoned wood, sawdust, or even fine dust from seasoned wood can cause severe skin inflammation, rashes, and blistering. We insist that you wear a high level of personal protective equipment (PPE), including a quality respirator, full eye protection, and long-sleeved clothing. Use gloves when handling the raw timber. Ensure you have excellent dust extraction.
Workability: Despite the handling risks, the timber itself works reasonably well. You should use sharp tools to prevent burning. The wood can be brittle and prone to chipping, so take care with machining operations.
Finishing: You will find that Rengas finishes beautifully. It takes oils, lacquers, and waxes well, which enhances its deep colour and lustre. A complete seal coat is essential to lock in any potential irritants and make the final product safe to handle.
Gluing: The wood glues effectively for strong joints.

Specifications:

Common Names: Rengas, Rengas wood, Borneo Rosewood (though not a true Rosewood)
Botanical Name: Gluta spp. and Melanorrhoea spp.
Origin: Southeast Asia (including Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea)
Appearance: A vibrant red or orange heartwood, often with darker streaks. The grain can be straight or interlocked.

A Note on Our Wood Products

Please remember that the photos you see are indicative only. As a beautiful, natural material, wood inherently varies in grain, color, and figure. While we meticulously select outstanding pieces to send your way, each item will possess its own unique charm. We believe these natural variations are part of what makes our wood products so special and truly one-of-a-kind.

Our Commitment to Quality

At Trend Timbers, we are committed to providing woodworkers with the highest quality materials. All our timber is sourced from sustainable, ecologically responsible forests and is kiln-dried to meet stringent Australian standards. Our hand-selected range includes premium species suitable for everyone, from novice enthusiasts to seasoned artisans.

Project Advice & Support

For projects requiring dimensions larger than our listed sizes or you require further information about a particular species, including custom sizing or current availability, our knowledgeable staff is here to assist. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly for expert advice.

Visit Our Showroom

In addition to our online store, Trend Timbers offers an even wider selection of beautiful species and woodcraft supplies, including turning and carving blanks. We warmly invite you to visit our showroom to experience our full range firsthand and see the unique character of our timbers up close. We are always inspired to see where our timber ends up, so feel free to share your finished projects with us when you visit.