Latin name:Koompassia spp. Koompassia malaccensis
English name:Kempas
Family name: Leguminosae
Trade English name:Kempas Empas Impas Mengeris
Trees and distribution
Kempas trees are megaphanerophyte with prominently buttressed,33-35 meters tall,300-
400 cm at breast height, and normally produced in Malaysia,Indonesia,Brunei. We often see
Koompasia and Malaysia Kempas in wood market.
Characteristics of the wood
Kempas timber is one kind of diffuse-porous wood, not obvious distinction between sapwood and heartwood. Its heart wood is light pink
or brick-red and turns into jacinth and yellowish-brown
stripes as long-term storage in the air.Sapwood would become whitish to yellow.Its thickness is 50cm with gloss,
interlocked grain ,coarse texture and no special smell.
The property of the wood
1.Small dry shrinkage
Full shrinkage ratio: String to 7.4%; Radial 6.0%
Air shrinkage rate:String to 3.0%; Radial 2.0%
2.Heavy,basic density 0.71g/cm3,air-dry density 0.85-0.93g/cm3)
3.High hardness,compressive strength parallel to grain:66-72MPa,bending strength:122-
133 MPa,bending modulus:18.6-20.9 GPa.
4.Good nailability,but drilling before nails down
5.Resistance to corrosion,termite and moth.
6.Good performance of sanding,waxing and painting.
Utility of the wood
Kempas timber can be used as girder,pillar,rafter,joist and wood flooring for its high hardness and density.