Kempas

Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis) is a Southeast Asian hardwood with an orangish-brown, mahogany-adjacent look, widely used in flooring where hardness at a relatively low cost makes it a real competitor to pricier tropical species.

Working Properties

Kempas stacks high density on top of interlocked grain, which adds up to genuinely difficult machining. Some sections carry stone-like streaks of brittle mineral deposits that take a real toll on cutting edges. It's even slightly acidic, enough to corrode metal tools over prolonged contact — though it takes stain and finish without complaint once you're done fighting it.

Typical Uses

Flooring (its dominant use), heavy construction, railroad crossties, plywood, and pallets.