Kwila, also known as Merbau, is a tropical timber which naturally grows in various regions throughout the South East Pacific rim, such as Northern Queensland, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Malaysia and Indonesia. 

Kwila has a "Rating 1" from the Australian Department of Primary Industries rating, which is the highest standard of suitability for timber used in wooden flooring.
Kwila is extremely durable. In fact, due to the hardness of the wood, kwila flooring is difficult to manufacture without specialized machinery. The rich, natural oil in Kwila is the main feature of this timber, which makes it more durable than other timbers commonly used for flooring. It has minimal shrinkage and can withstand extremes of climate. 

Intsia bijuga is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, native to the Indo-Pacific. It ranges from Tanzania and Madagascar east through India and Queensland, Australia to the Pacific islands of Fiji and Samoa. It grows to around 50 metres (160 feet) tall with a highly buttressed trunk. It inhabits mangrove forests.

 

The tree has a variety of common names including ipil, merbau and kwila. In the Philippines, it also known in some areas as taal