Yesterday's Philippine Mahogany, Today's Meranti?

SPECIES: Shorea spp

JANKA HARDNESS SCALE: Varies from 700 lbf to 1,600 lbf, depending on species.

Some wood species use trade names and those can change over time. Philippine mahogany is one example of this. This tradename was used in the past, despite the fact the wood is not close to being a mahogany, botanically speaking, and comes from an entirely different part of the world. Today's tradename for that same wood is meranti.

Meranti is an abundant hardwood native to Southeast Asia that is favored by woodworkers, carpenters, and artists due to its ease of use with both hand and power tools. Meranti presents in a range of stunning colors and usually has a coarse texture and straight to interlocked grain. The wood is easy to cut, sand, plane, glue, nail, and stain, and it can be finished or stained to enhance or modify its natural hue. In finished applications, meranti could be mistaken for mahogany.

The five main groupings for Philippine mahogany / meranti / lauan are: light red meranti, dark red meranti, white meranti, yellow meranti, and balau. There is an abundance of variety between the difference species, each with different working properties, appearances, and mechanical strength values.

Meranti wood is a good choice for many indoor applications, as it is relatively stable and not prone to warping or shrinking. The soft fiber structure of the wood can make it vulnerable to water damage unless appropriate finishes are applied. For outdoor applications, factors such as moisture, insect damage, and UV exposure can affect its durability.

In 2019 The Currier Museum of Art, located in Manchester and also owner of the nearby Wright-designed Zimmerman House, acquired the Kalil House. Both homes were built in the 1950s when Wright's approach to architecture was dramatically reshaping American home design. They are the only Wright buildings open to the public in New England.

"Frank Lloyd Wright intended his Usonian designs to be affordable to the broader American public, but each is a distinctive work of art," said Currier Museum Director Alan Chong. "The [Kalil] home, with its interior lined with mahogany, is in exceptionally good shape. All of the original furniture [designed by Wright] is there, which is a great rarity," he added.

Usonian houses reflected Wright's recognition of the transformation of domestic life that occurred during the 20th century. Spatially and in their construction, the Usonian houses represented a new model for independent living and established a novel style for suburban design that influenced countless postwar developers. Wright's philosophy of organic architecture, incorporating buildings into their natural surroundings, continues to influence trends today. Architects continue to find inspiration in his novel combinations of natural material like wood with man-made materials such as concrete. His designs were boldly original and designed in harmony with humanity and the environment.