Red Balau aka Batu

ABSWood carries the Red Balau Brazilian Hardwood.  This striking hardwood is becoming more popular as it is discovered now that Ipe and others have been rising in price.

Red Balau is for the homeowner who wants along-lasting deck in a reddish color. ABSWood this exotic lumber. Use the lumber alone for your deck or compliment it with other hardwoods to give your home an exotic look.

Red Balau aka Batu is ahard dense decking species. The color can range from pale straw to darker red with the majority being in the reddish colors.Red Balau is smooth but still is slip and is scratch resistant for walking outside barefootand around waterfront or pools. Like all hardwoods, Red Balau doesn’t require spraying or other chemicals to resist mold and decay. ABSWood sells Red Balau atreasonable prices for all exterior uses.  Let your imagination run wild.   Red Balau is Asian Hardwood but is as durable and hard as Brazilian or any domestic hardwood species.

Red Balau

Red Balau Decking – Red Balau Deck Specifications:

Red Balau, also known as Batu and not to be confused with Batuu (Star Wars), is a reddish colored  hardwood with a fine grain. Red Balau can vary in color.   Once you have applied finisher color will tend to even out.   If you want or allow the balua to gray, it will gray to a similar silver color.

Red Balau (batu), comes from Asia being sourced from Malaysia, Indonesia or other countries in this region.    Red Balau naturally resists water damage, insects, rot and decay. Decking, siding or other things made from balau have a long lifespan of years or more.  Unlike Pine or Cedar, you do not need to put mold killer or other preservatives on Red Balau

Like all our hardwoods, Red Balau is sustainably harvested and all conform to the US Government Lacey Act.  The Lacey Act is in place to preserve the worlds forests and ecosystems.    Red Balau is comparable to our Brazilian Hardwoods but at a better price point.

Red Balau Decking Characteristics:  Red Balau is primarily reddish brown but can vary from straw colored to dark reddish brown.  The texture is coarse with medium to large pores with somewhat interlocking grain.   Like all woods, if you allow it to be in the sun Red Balau will turn gray.  However, it will be a silverish gray.   To protect the color, apply a UV Inhibitor finish like Ipe Oil or Penofin.

Decking Color:Red Balau decking is primarily reddish brown.   Like many types of hardwood, the color can vary from board to board as they may have come from different trees.   Many people like the variation as it gives the final product character over the manufactured look of composites.

Red Balau Decking Hardness: On the Janka hardness scale for wood, Red Balau has a hardness of 1600 lbf, making it harder than maple (1450 lbf) and oak (1360 lbf).

Red Balau Decking Durability:Red Balau decking is durable.  Like many hardwoods it will resist fungus, termites, pine beetles, and other pests.  It is not totally impervious to these threats but being hardwood, the bugs usually go find some nice pine to sink their teeth into.   It is also scratch resistant.  If you do get a scratch, just a simple sanding will usually remove it.  For exterior decking is it a great option.  

Red BalauDecking Preservation:As mentioned, Red Balaunaturally resists water, insects, rot and decay.   However, Red Balau will gray if you do not protect it with a UV finisher.   The UV Finisher will not make your deck last longer, just maintain the reddish color.

Red Balau, like all our decking is reliably harvested via the US Lacey Act.  This assures you our next generation will also have forests with renewable resources such as Red Balau in their lifetimes.