Borneo Journal of Sciences and Technology, Volume (2), Issue (1), Pages: 41-47 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35370/bjost.2020.2.1-08 e-ISSN: 2672-7439 © 2018, UCTS Publisher. Submitted: 3 rd October 2019 Accepted: 4 th November 2019 Published: 31 th January 2020 Corresponding Author: Razak Wahab, University College of Technology Sarawak, drrazakw5181@ucts.edu.my 41 Rhizophora apiculata: Comparative Properties Between Solid and Engineered Laminated Boards Nasihah Mokhtar, Razak Wahab, Mohamad Saiful Sulaiman, Ros Syazmini Mohd Ghani and Taharah Edin University College of Technology Sarawak, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Abstract: The study investigated the elucidation properties between the solid wood and engineered laminated boards of matured Rhizophora apiculata. Harvested logs segregated into the bottom, middle and top portions and subsequently sawn into wooden planks. The samples for laminated boards were cut into specific thicknesses and bonded with adhesive using pressed clamped. Preparation for testing samples for the solid and laminated boards made following the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Properties such as the moisture content, density, basic density, static bending (MOR and MOE), and compression were determined. The results showed an improvement in properties from the solid to laminated board. The values in density, MOR, and MOE increases in the range of 2-6%, 29-42%, and 13-36%, respectively. However, values in the moisture content, basic density, and compression indicated vice versa trend ranging from 1-2%, 2-6%, and 8-24%, respectively. The bottom portion was more durable and robust compared than other portions. Keywords: Rhizophora apiculata, solid wood, laminated wood, physical and mechanical properties. INTRODUCTION Mangrove forests inhabited the coastal and riverine shores of the tropics and sub-tropics [1];[2];[3] and constituted a dominant coastal vegetation community in tropical Asia where Malaysia-Indonesia is the centre of distribution [4]. Seventy species of mangrove plants distributed worldwide and divided into 20 genera [5]. According to [6], Rhizophora apiculata is a species of plant in the Rhizophoraceae family. The main agroforestry uses from this species are soil stabilization, coastal protection, wildlife/marine habitat for marine fauna and also as timber products which are fuelwood, charcoal, dyes, and traditional medicines [7];[8]. Nowadays, mangrove species can be further enhanced in constructions of dwellings, making furniture, rafts, boats, fences and even as a dying agent from the extracted tannin [9]. Economically the mangroves forests consist of both monetary and non-monetary such as forest industry, fisheries industry, wildlife conservation, tourism and environment protection [3];[10]. The most typical representatives’ species in the mangrove forest are the Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata and Rhizophora mangle [11]. The mangrove trees is a complex combination of roots, trunk, branches and leaves [1], the trees can grow up to 30 metres in height with trunk diameters up to 0.5 metres in width, elliptic- shaped leaves stained dark green with simple green in the middle and reddish-brown at the base of the leaves, bisexual flowers, round-shaped fruit up to pearl-shaped and brown, 18-38 cm long and 1-2 cm wide [12]. On properties perception, wood density is a critical characteristic defining the mechanical properties of the wood and its performance with high wood density has been found to decrease vessel implosion by reducing the mechanical stresses associated with the negative pressure in the water column during drought [13]. Greenwood of the mangrove R. apiculata trunk possesses higher density than water, but dry mangrove wood with a lower density floats in seawater and resistance to the marine deterioration [1]. Wood and modified wood-based materials have long been used in many applications due to their excellent features in aesthetic appearance, reasonable cost, ease of use, low density, high mechanical strength, etc. [14]. Excellent mechanical properties enable them to be utilized in a broad range of products especially after undergoing modification in the production of layered (laminated) wood with better strength or bending properties [15]. Wood laminating materials are obtained by bonding two or more layers with adhesive and joining the fibre directions of the layers parallel or perpendicular to each other [16]. Laminating is a