Southeast Asia (especially Indonesia and Philippines) offers a lot of hardwood species including species of the genera Palaquium and Payena. Their trade name is known as : “Nyatoh”

Nyatoh wood is reddish and most species are easy to work with and takes to stain and polish well. It has a tight straight grain that resembles cherry wood. The surface is dark brown/red in color.

In the Phillipines, Indonesia or India, nyatoh wood is considered a workable and useful hardwood for boats, cabinets and utility construction. Compared to most exotic hardwoods, nyatoh is a relatively soft wood.

If you have nyatoh furniture, you can’t simply leave it outside without a finish, as you can do with teak, and expect it to last. It needs the protection of a sunlight-blocking surface coating or a semi-transparent stain or, at a minimum, a penetrating oil.