Dried Dark red Philippine Mahogany wood plank, planed and squared. Manually selected.

The name “Dark red Philippine Mahogany” does not refer to a specific tree but is actually a group of 7 woods with similar characteristics from the almost 200 varieties of the Shorea botanical group. They all originate from the same geographical area, between the Philippines and Indonesia. The name "Meranti" is also used to refer to those same woods, or "Lauan" if it is plywood made with this wood.

Because the color and working characteristics resemble real mahogany (swietenia macrophylla) or African mahogany (khaya senegalensis), Meranti is often used as an inexpensive substitute for these woods, hence the name “ Philippine mahogany. However, they have no botanical relationship, they belong to different genera.

The specific variety we offer at Contraveta is the Shorea polysperma, also called “Tanguile” in the Philippines, Red Meranti or Philippine Red Mahogany.

The wood is reddish-brown in color, with a more silvery grain. It often has white lines that are resin channels.

It works by hand or with machinery without difficulty, and does not present any problem with the application of glues or finishes.

It is resistant to fungi and insects, so it is frequently used outdoors. It is also used for the manufacture of quality furniture, musical instruments, floors, stairs, boats, boxes and plates.

This wood became known during the First World War, in which it was widely used to make aircraft propellers.