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Jelutong

Dyera costulata
Also known as: Jeletong, Jelutung
Exotic / ImportedBeginner-FriendlylowFSC Available
Janka Hardness ⓘ
390 lbf
1.7 kN
Density
450 kg/m³
2.33 lbs/bf
Grain
Straight
Texture: Fine
Figure
Plain, uniform — no figure
Drying
Easy
Movement: Moderate
Origin
Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra
Apocynaceae
Plain-Language Guide

Jelutong is the Asian carver's answer to basswood — featureless, pale, and cooperative in every direction. If you're carving figures, patterns, or architectural details and don't need the wood to do anything visual, jelutong gets out of the way and lets the carving speak. The one quirk is small latex canals that can show as tiny pits on finished surfaces.

Common Mistakes
  • Expecting it to be structural — it's a carving and pattern-making wood, not a furniture wood
  • Finishing without checking for latex pits — the small canals left by latex ducts can show through paint if not filled first
  • Confusing it with balsa — jelutong is significantly denser and holds detail much better than balsa
Color & Appearance
Heartwood
Sapwood

Creamy white to pale straw-yellow with virtually no color variation. Completely neutral in appearance — which is exactly what carvers need.

Workability
Hand Tools
Excellent
Machine Tools
Excellent
Gluing
Easy
Finishing
Easy
Turning
Not typically used
Carving
Suitable

An exceptional carving wood with minimal resistance. Cuts cleanly in all directions and holds fine detail. May contain latex canals that appear as small pits on finished surfaces — fill before painting if needed.

Global Availability
RegionAvailability
North AmericaSpecialty importers only
EuropeSpecialty importers only
South AmericaSpecialty importers only
Southeast AsiaWidely available
Africa / Middle EastSpecialty importers only
Australia / NZSpecialty importers only
Health & Safety
Allergen Risk ⓘ
Low
CITES Status ⓘ
None
Notes
No significant sensitization reported. No significant toxicity reported.
Common Uses
Carving Pattern making Model aircraft Wooden shoes (clogs) Drawing boards Sketch models
Sustainability: Some logging pressure in native range. Prefer FSC-certified sources.