Merbau is a fairly hard, heavy kind of wood, with high density and high natural lifetime duration and resistance to destruction; therefore, it is considered the most suitable wood for flooring for both indoors and outdoors.  Merbau is one of the tropical wood species with high bending and compressive strength and moderate to good impact resistance. It resists vigorously to termites, but is vulnerable to insect attacks.

Engraving, planing and woodturning processes are done easily without troubles, while it responds well to painting and finishing.  Its colour is almost white, but it is defined by the heartwood, which is yellowish-orange with tendencies to brown when cut, but after exposure to the sun its colouration turns into dark brown-red.

Other commercial names include Malacca, Teak, Ipil, Kwila, Tattakun.