Mindi wood

mindi wood for furniture

The mindi or mende wood  is from the mindi trees (Melia azedarach L) which is widely available in Indonesia. The other place for mindi tree to grow is other tropical countries such as Burma, and India. This wood is recently known in the furniture industry, may be started in 10 years ago. Mindi wood began to be known in the furniture industry in Indonesia when the furniture industry here was growing to export his product to European and America that were much use of oak wood. The oak wood was rather difficult to be obtained and the price was also relatively high. From this reason the wooden industry here looked for local wood that can be used to alternative substitution for the oak wood. And then it was found that the mindi wood is a good choice which can be used with satisfactory results. In subsequent developments it is proved that this wood has lot of advantage for furniture substrate. From that time began there was many mindi wood used as raw materials for furniture industries along with the teak or mahogany that has been widely used first. From this point, mindi veneer was developed and available to make flat and wide boards.

Mindi wood has a nice grain and pore, the grain pattern and pores is similar with teak wood but with different color base. With the proper finishing, mindi wood could generate attractive appearance, unique, lively and interesting. Mindi wood owns a yellowish brown color with light red stripes in the grain color inside. The red lines are thin only and can produce a beautiful and attractive appearance when exploited with a natural or light color finish. But if red is not preferred it can be easy covered by using the equalizer stain. The wood grain and pores are large and deep, the grain pattern and texture is about similar to teak or oak wood. The hardness is medium; it is relatively easy to be handled in the woodworking industry, but considered not strong enough to be used as a material for outdoor furniture. That way this wood is mostly used for indoor furniture. Last time when not many people knew about this wood, it can be relatively easily obtained with low prices, but this time when many people use it, it becomes relatively difficult to be obtained and the price is become expensive. 

Finishing for mindi wood.

Antique mindi furniture

His unique grain and pores is the strong point of this wood, with the appropriate finishing it could yield an attractive furniture product. His grain is a “busy” pattern; make it more widely used for furniture with antique impression. Antique-style furniture, semi-antique or country style is perfect match with his grain pattern that is already crowded. Furniture with a flat, clean model and is rare for this wood, because it contradictory with the grain pattern.
The finishing of course should match with the furniture model. His light base color make this wood can be easy colored to make any color. The open or semi-open pore finished is the most widely used for this wood. To make close pores finished then it requires application of filler to fill and close the pores. Transparent color is the finishing looked choice that is widely used because it can display his beauty and uniqueness of his grain and pores. The transparent finish can create an attractive furniture product. There are wide varying color can be used for this wood, from or natural or light color, to the dark such as dark brown or even black.
Since it is used as a substitute for oak wood, so many finishing chosen for this wood is quite close to the oak finish. Though actually this wood has a lighter color then the oak, make it has more flexible option to the color range then the oak. An antique solid color is also good choice for this wood. The using of toner or a thin base coat is a good choice to produce an antique solid color which is still showing the beauty of his grain and pores pattern. 

A Newbie's Guide To Woodworking