What wood

[Exluthier]

Was Luan not a Shorea species; perhaps Acuminata? Used to use it for lightweight internal lute moulds / formers.

 

[SamG340]

Sam how wide is the door in the picture only looks about 27" or is it an optical illusion

It is 6'6 by 2'6

 

[SamG340]

Apparently they are very heavy but we will see, I'm collecting them today

 

[JimB]

I am sure it will be Meranti, fitted loads on the 70s. They will be quite light unlike Sapele which is much heavier. We used to call it pink Balsa.

Some you could have sworn was balsa whereas the heavier stuff sometimes appeared purplish and looked quite good.

 

[tonywatkins]

Meranti get used for many species within the Shorea genus, which also includes 'Philippine Mahogany' (luan). See meranti

I'm not sure that the top-right panel is two pieces joined – it looks to me more like heartwood and sapwood, which I think makes it more likely to be sapele. If this is a meranti, it's probably a dark red meranti. I very much doubt that it's Honduran mahogany (real mahogany).

Ask the Wood Identification Group on Facebook – some of the people there have astonishing knowledge of woods. They will want to see close-up photos of end grain sanded to 400 grit.

 

[KimG]

Sapele often has a somewhat striped appearance, vertical bands of alternating light and dark wood, used to be a common wood on flat non panel doors. A lot of red timber is called mahogany by people who think anything reddish is just that.

 

[SamG340]

Picked them up today, weigh smack on 30kg

 

[thetyreman]

that's meranti in my opinion, you can tell from the open grain, end gain, and also the natural colour is much lighter than the natural colour of sapele.

 

[Orraloon]

Looks like meranti to me also. Its very common for doors and windows here in Australia while sepele is less common and a bit more expensive. Both tend to be substitutes for mahogany.
Regards
John

 

[rafezetter]

Seller has told me they're mahogany

My experience is that most non woodworker sellers of wood items tend to follow the rules of : if it's red it's mahogany, if it's yellow it's pine - and everything else is labeled "solid oak" .

 

[Thingybob]

If its all hardwood no soft pieces i would think too heavy for modern internal door frames certainly too heavy for mdf frames . Victorian frames will take it altho style is georgian

 

[SamG340]

If its all hardwood no soft pieces i would think too heavy for modern internal door frames certainly too heavy for mdf frames . Victorian frames will take it altho style is georgian

They were up on rubbish 3 inch pin through hinges . The frames in our house are cheap pine/cls. I was planning on fitting good quality big ball bearing hinges & putting nice long screws right through the door frame into the timber framework underneath. Hopefully won't rip the frames off the wall

 

[Thingybob]

Take care with long screws the nearer two screws to the crank if they go through frame they could crack plasterboard/plaster behind architrave ,it wont show unless it causes a crack to travel outwards and with those doors defo 3 hinges

 

[SamG340]

Take care with long screws the nearer two screws to the crank if they go through frame they could crack plasterboard/plaster behind architrave ,it wont show unless it causes a crack to travel outwards and with those doors defo 3 hinges

Yes I see what you mean thank you , 3 hinges it is

 

[Tony Works Wood]

I'll throw a spanner in the works. It could be African Mahogany or Luan, these are lighter in their natural colour.
Both have been used to imitate/substitute the quality South American Mahogany's in the past but are a lot less expensive to buy.
They are not as durable outside as the former. I'd go for African Mahogany.

 

[thetyreman]

https://www.wood-database.com/light-red-meranti/

 

[SamG340]

https://www.wood-database.com/light-red-meranti/

Colour looks a good match