Timber Products - Sin Joo Lee Timber Pte Ltd

Indoor Timber

Finger Joint
Solid Meranti
Kapur
Jelutong
Mahagony
Nyatoh
Keruing
Clear Pine

Finger Joint

As its name suggests, small pieces of wood are joined together through its finger wedges.

Finger-joint timbers are very straight and are a pocket-friendly option for joinery projects, door manufacturing, event standees, and other structural indoor usages.

It gained huge popularity through recycling off-cuts from expensive tropical hardwood species. In addition, with the introduction of sustainable forestry over the years, finger-joint timbers are specially made from Pinewood (clear pine without knots), providing the same density and substrate as tropical species, and at a lower price to combat global warming.

Solid Meranti

Solid timber refers to wood in a single specie and is not jointed. It is commonly referred to as ‘pinkish to pale red-colored wood in our tropical forests and usually refers to the ‘Meranti’ specie.

Smaller sizes of solid timber are a favorite for events companies to use as structural support for outdoor signages while big slabs of meranti are used in the construction industry as major components.

Kapur

Kapur had positioned itself as an affordable tropical hardwood, good in strength, and durable for use from door frames to roof trusses.

Kapur attributes its pocket-friendly nature to its lowland growing conditions which makes harvesting easier as opposed to its highland counterparts.

Its porous nature and density make it suitable for chemical treatment hence prolonging its life-span, especially in structural usage.

Jelutong

One of the fastest growing hardwoods in the peninsula and it bears fruits for medicinal effects too.

Because of its fast-growing properties, its density is low and hence makes it suitable for carving and sculpturing. Jelutong gives off a natural luster, finishing it with a polished look. Although softer as compared to other hardwood, it is sturdy enough not to compress under the force of a chisel or knife.

Mahagony

An imported species mainly from Canada and North America. It is notorious for its prominent wood grains and reddish-brown tone which portrays more with a coat of clear varnishing.

Mahagony is a stable wood that withstands torments of weather while minimizing shrinkage and warping. Hence, it is suitable for furnishings used for homes near the sea, and even on boats and yachts.

Nyatoh

Classified as light hardwood, is suitable for most indoor usage and more commonly for doors and furniture.

Light yet possesses excellent screw and nailing strength making it an excellent choice for joinery works.

Nyatoh had earned a good reputation over the years with solid furniture and doors lasting more than 50 years of usage. It supports revarnishing to rejuvenate its aesthetic look. A piece of nyatoh furniture may be a heirloom for the next generation.

Keruing

Keruing is one of the lesser known wood specie but what unfolds behind is a plethora of usage for both indoor and outdoor.

It is moderately resistant to fungi and hence makes it suitable for indoor flooring, staircase board to ship-building, poles, joinery, sleepers as well as being manufactured into plywood for heavy-duty container flooring.

The density of Keruing is high and hence makes it hardwearing and suitable for outdoor furniture too.

Clear Pine

Since the big blue and yellow furniture giant introduce pine wood to the Asian market in the 90s, this coniferous wood had gained recognition in this traditional hardwood market- Singapore.

Pinewood is classified into two broad categories of knotty pine and clear pine. As its name suggests, clear pine is free from unsound knots thus making it suitable for indoor decorative purposes most commonly as wall panelling.

Its stability and heat-bearing properties are the first choices for use in the construction of sauna rooms throughout the world. It won its other spruce, fir, and cedar families hands down attributing to its consistent colour, beautiful sound knots, and fewest sap.

Outdoor Timber

Chengal
Balau
Kapur
Knotty Pine
Mixed Hardwood

Chengal

In the wood industry, we call Chengal ‘A not so beautiful piece of gem’.

Takes many years to be fully grown hence its stability is unrivaled. It is considered the best wood for use outdoors in Southeast Asia.

Grains of chengal are plain and monotonous, come with natural pinholes, are naturally susceptible to termites, and are sappy but with proper pre-use preparation, it is a gem.

Most commonly used as outdoor decking, fencing, trellis, post and poles, benches, or any structural and decorative purpose.

Balau

A younger sibling to ‘Chengal’ and a pocket friendlier option.

While there are many families of Balau, only Yellow Balau, may be used for the construction of outdoor decking, fencing, benches, and aesthetical purpose.

Red balau on the contrary is mainly used for the construction industry where aesthetics are not its priority. It supports reuse if stored in proper condition on any job site.

Consider DIY to re-plane used balau wood to mimic that old-school rustic feel. Due to its seasoned nature, it had added stability too!

Kapur

Its versatility stretches beyond its indoor usage and it is suitable for structural uses outdoors.

Kapur is a popular choice for underlying decking structures, and temporary outdoor features such as fences, flooring, and furniture. When used under sheltered conditions outdoors, kapur lasts long in shaded and well-ventilated conditions.

It can be chemically treated to prevent pests infestation and hence a popular choice for outdoor roof trusses.

Knotty Pine

Pinewood is derived from sustainable forestry in the sub-tropical regions of North & South America, Eastern Europe, and Oceania.

It grows fast and straight but comes with more than usual branches as opposed to other tropical species. When branches are felled, knots are found on the surface of the main tree trunk.

It gives a rustic feel to designs dating back to country homes and it has excellent screwing and nailing properties making it ideal for the packaging industry. Its sustainable nature makes it budget friendly for commercial usage.

Mixed Hardwood

As its name suggests, Mixed Hardwood is tropical species of hardwood most suited for the packaging industry, components for the shipping industry, machinery movers, and any form of use requiring heavy-duty support.

Most commonly used for pallet making, supporting marine valves, transporting and holding heavy machinery, its purpose goes to great lengths.

Depending on the sizes of tree trunks, it comes in a myriad of sizes to suit every need of users.