Far from a newbie to the decking lumber family, Red Balau is a member of the Shorea genus that is well known for its weather-resistant qualities. In fact, other species in that genus are used primarily for boat building. One of those species is Meranti, most commonly used for decking and marine applications such as marine-grade plywood and boat building. Philippine Mahogany is also used for exterior applications for both boats and homes. Lauan is yet another member of the genus, used in both boat building and for some types of plywood. Red Balau joins them as a superior tropical decking species.
Like other tropical decking species — such as Ipe, Cumaru, and Meranti — Red Balau boasts excellent hardness and durability. Its resistance to rotting and insects allows it to join those other species as a high-end decking species.
One area where Red Balau stands head-and-shoulders above other tropical decking species is with its color consistency. This highly prized characteristic is the result of Red Balau’s tight grain and resulting smaller pores. Despite its interlocking grain, Red Balau avoids the issues of raised grain and striping common in other species of tropical decking. Its reddish brown color combines with defect-free clarity to offer less waste than other options might require. Typically available for between 30% and 50% of the price you’d pay for Ipe or Cumaru, Red Balau is also quite a bargain!
Because J. Gibson McIlvain sources a single species in the Shorea genus for its Red Balau decking, we can provide a much higher degree of color matching than most Meranti decking, which is a conglomeration of several species in the genus.
As an importer of record for this Indonesian species, J. Gibson McIlvain ensures that all the Red Balau decking we import originates in sustainable forests and carries FSC Certification. As per our quality process, we visit the mills from which we purchase Red Balau, evaluating every step along the process from harvesting to shipping, making sure sustainable, responsible practices are used. We can provide documentation necessary for LEED points, upon request.
While Red Balau decking has been available for years, we only started stocking it fairly recently, once we were certain mills could dependably provide us with the quality and color consistency which we know our customers require.
J. Gibson McIlvain currently carries two sizes of Red Balau: 5/4x6 and 1x4. These decking boards come in various lengths, and ready-to-install (S4S, E4E). Boards also come already end sealed and can be grooved for hidden clip fasteners or un-grooved for face-screwing installation, depending on your personal preference. If you would like to include clips, screws, sealant, oil, or other products required for decking installation, we can provide those items as well.
