Podo Wood: Characteristics and Applications

Introduction
Podo wood comes from species such as Dacrycarpus imbricatus, Nageia spp., and Podocarpus spp. It is known by various names across Malaysia and Southeast Asia, such as podo, jati bukit, rempayan, and kayu china. The wood’s heartwood has a light yellow to golden-brown hue with a greenish tinge, making it highly desirable for decorative applications.

Key Characteristics

• Density: Podo is a softwood with density ranging from 380 to 920 kg/m³ (air-dry), depending on the species.

• Durability: It is non-durable when exposed to outdoor conditions.

• Texture: Very fine and even, with straight grain.

• Strength: Falls into Strength Group C, suitable for light structural uses.

• Machining: Easy to work with, producing smooth, lustrous surfaces.

• Drying: Air dries well without significant degradation.

Applications

Podo wood is ideal for:

• Decorative works & interior finishing: Panelling, mouldings, and high-class furniture.
• Joinery: Flooring, staircase components (balusters, handrails), and cabinets.
• Miscellaneous uses: Pencils, disposable chopsticks, and toothpicks.

The Standard Malaysian Name for the timber of Dacrycarpus imbricatus, Nageia spp. and Podocarpus spp. (Podocarpaceae). Vernacular names applied include podo (Peninsular Malaysia) with various epithets, jati bukit (Peninsular Malaysia), jati laut (Peninsular Malaysia), kayu china (Sabah), kebal musang (Peninsular Malaysia), lampias (Sabah), landin (Sarawak), rempayan (Sabah), ru bukit (Peninsular Malaysia) and setada (Peninsular Malaysia). Major species include Dacrycarpus imbricatus; Nageia motleyi, N. wallichiana; Podocarpus neriifolius, P. polystachyus and P. rumphii. The sapwood is not distinct from the heartwood, which is light yellow with a greenish tinge or light golden brown.

Also known as Amunu and Kuasi (Fiji); Thitmin (India); Jamuju and Melur (Indonesia); Ka dong (Laos); Thitmin (Myanmar); Miro, White pine and Yellow pine (New Zealand); Brown podocarp and Low mountain podocarp (Papua New Guinea); Malaalmaciga and Malakauayan (Philippines); and Phayamai (Thailand).

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DENSITY

The timber is a Softwood and varies considerably in hardness and in density, which ranges from 380 to 920 kg/m3 air dry.

NATURAL DURABILITY

The timber is non-durable under exposed conditions.

TEXTURE

Texture is very fine and even, with straight grain.

STRENGTH PROPERTIES

The timber falls into Strength Group C (Burgess, 1958).

MACHINING PROPERTIES

The timber is easy to work and the planed surface is smooth and lustrous.

AIR DRYING

The timber is reported to season well without serious degrade.

Application

The timber is suitable for decorative works, interior finishing, panelling, mouldings, high class furniture and cabinets, joinery, plywood, flooring, staircase (baluster, balustrade, handrail, newel and sprandrel framing), pencil, disposable chopsticks and tooth picks.