This page is devoted to an alphabetical listing of all the species that Arroyo Hardwoods carries in addition to their origins, uses and descriptions.
(Click on the woodchips to pop-up a larger view)
Alder
Alnus Glutinosa (or Alnus Rubra), Black Alder, Grey Alder, Japanese Alder, Aune, Eis, Erle, Hannoki (Betulaceae)
United Kingdom, Scandanavia, Northern Russia, North Asia, North Africa & Japan		 Light reddish brown with darker lines or stresaks formed by broad rays. Straight grained with fine texture but without lustre. Dries rapidly with little degradation. Stable in service. Weight 33lbs pcf / sg .56
Low bend & shock resistance. Low stiffness w/medium crush strength. Easy to work with; slight blunting effect on tools. Nails, screws & glues well. Stains & polishes to a good finish. Susceptible to commom furniture beetle.
Turning, handles, clog soles, laminating.
Ash
Fraxinus Americana, American Ash, Biltmore Ash, Fresno Ash, White Ash, Green Ash, Red Ash, Black Ash, Brown Ash (Oleaceae)
U.S. & Canada		 A medium/large tree, reacheing a height of 75-100 ft., w/a diameter of 2-4 ft. Color is pale yellow streaked with light brown. The grain is bold, straight and moderately open, and is normally coarse-textured and lustrous. Weight varies between 35 & 40lbs pcf / sg .60
Bending properties variable but usually very good. Good strength, toughness, stiffness & hardness for it's light weight. Can be worked fairly well with hand or power tools. Pre-drilling sometimes required for nailing. Stains, glues and polishes well. Ash is non-durable and perishable. The sapwood is susceptible to common furniture & powder post beetles.
Baseball bats, cabinets, furniture, knife & tool handles and gun stocks, pool ques & sporting goods
Balsa*
Ochroma Pyramidale, Guano, Lanero, Polak, Topa, Tami (Bombacaceae)
Ecuador, Central America, Carribean		 Balsa is the softest & lightest hardwood used commercially. It ahs excellent buoyancy & efficient insulation against heat, sound & vibration.White to oatmeal in lolor with a pink-yellow tinge, often with a silken lustre. Texture is fine & even & grain ins straight & open. It can't be bent w/o buckling, but strong for its weight. When green, balsa contains 200 - 400% moisture (and can absorb up to 790%.) Weight varies widely from 2.5lbs all the way to 21lbs pcf sg .16
Must be dried very rapidly with heavy degradation. It is usally treated with water repellent to prevent absorption. Once dry, it is stable w/little movement. Very easy to work with hand or power tools. Nails & screws easily, but will not hold; so gluing is the best method of assembly. Can be stained or polished, but absorbs much material in the process. Perishable with susceptibility to beetles.
Used widely in items requiring heat, sound or vibration insulation and /or buoyancy. Protective packaging, Model making and core material in lightweight sandwich constructions. 
Basswood
Tilia Americana, American Lime, American Whitewood, American Linden, Whitewood, Lime (Tiliaceae)
 U.S. & Canada		 Basswood is creamy-white to a pale pinkish-brown. It has straight grain and a fine, even texture. Dries rapidly with little degradation. Weight is about 25lbs pcf / sg .41
Light and soft, and as such this species is weak with poor steam bending characteristics & low strength. Works very easily with hand and power tools. It has a low resistance to cutting. Nails, screws, and glues well. Can be stained and polished easily.
Food containers, carving, drawing boards, pattern making, mallet heads, turning, picture framing, toys, boxes, & crates.
Beech
Fagus Grandifolia, (Fagaceae)
 U.S. & Canada		 Primarily reddish-brown in color & slightly coarse with obvious rays and pores. The grain is straight with a fine, even texture. Weight is approx. 46lbs pcf / sg .74
High crush, medium stiffness & shock resistance. Excellent bending properties. Works easily with hand & power tools. Good nailing and gluing properties. Stains and polishes to a good finish. Dries rapidly w/tendency to warp, split & surface check.Susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle and longhorn beetle. Perishable, but permeable.
Cabinetmaking, furniture, solid & laminated flooring, brush handles, wooden cooking impliments & food containers, handrails.
Birch
Betula Lutea, Betula Wood, Grey Birch, Silver Birch, Hard Birch, American Birch (Betulaceae)
Europe & Scandinavia		 Birch has light yellow sapwood and reddish brown heartwood. It has straight, close grain and a fine, even texture. Dries slowly with little degradation. Weight is approx. 43lbs pcf / sg .66
High bend & crush. Very good for steam bending. High resistance to shock. Works easily with hand & power tools. Curly or disturbed grain wood requires reduced cutting angles. Glues well. Takes stain and polish very well. Perishable and susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle. Sapwood is permeable.
Furniture, high-grade joinery and flooring, panelling  
Bubinga
Guibourtia Demeusei, Akume, Ebana, Essingang, Kevazingo, Okweni, Ovang, Waka, African Rosewood, Buvenga
Gabon, Cameroon, Zaire, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Liberia and Nigeria		 Medium red-brown, with lighter red to purple veins. The grain is typically straight. Fine pores are diffused throughout the wood, which often contain a reddish gum. Texture is usually medium, and surface is highly lustrous. Weight between 50 & 60lbs pcf / sg .88
Works well w/hand or power tools. Use reduced cutting angle due to interlocked grain. Moderate to severe blunting of blades. Pre-drilling required for nailing. Gluing can be difficult due to gum extrusion. Stains easily and can be brought to an excellent finish.
Moderately durable. Susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle. Sapwood is permeable. Low steam bending properties. Excellent polishing qualities
Fine furniture, tool handles, figured veneer, flooring.
Canarywood
Liriodendron Tulipifera, American tulipwood, Tulip Poplar, Popple, American whitewood, Canary whitewood, Canoe wood, Saddletree, Yellow Poplar, Canary Whitewood, Tulip Tree
 U.S. & Canada		 Pale green to yellow in color, it has darker streaks of red, purple, dark green, blue and black. It is straight grained, occasionally with an attractive blister figure. Texture is typically fine and even. Weight is about 31lb pcf
Low bending and shock resistance, low stiffness & medium crush strength. Medium steam bending classification. Easy to work with hand and power tools and can be planed to a very smooth finish. Nailed, screwed and glued joints hold perfectly, and it can be stained, polished or painted. Kiln dries easily and well with no risk of checking or warping, and air dries with little degradation.
Cabinetmaking, veneer, carving, interior fittings, light construction, interior trim for boats, toys, doors, marquetry, mouldings, musical instruments, fine furniture. 
Aromatic Cedar
Juniperus Virginiana Linnaeus, Aromatic Eastern Redcedar, Juniper, Red juniper, Savin, Virginia Pencil Cedar, Red Cedar, Tennessee Cedar (Cupresssaceae)
South Central U.S.		 This species has a very distinctive forest-fresh aroma. It has the property - unique among American woods - of repelling clothes moths. Therefore, the capability of protecting clothing and other household goods from moth damage belongs only to the Eastern Redcedar. The color is light reddish brown, purplish or rose red, usually with streaks of lighter colored sapwood. Grain is fine and even and texture is usually fine.
Easily workable with hand & power tools. Usually kept unfinished to take advantage of its unique fragrance, but can take a high polish.One of the important characteristics of Eastern Redcedar is its oil content, ranging from 3 to 4%.
Chests, interior trim, novelties, pencils, posts, wardrobes, woodenware, fine furniture, turnings, moldings and wainscoting
Cherry
Prunus Serotina, Black Cherry, Capulin, Choke Cherry, New England mahogany, Plum, Rum Cherry, Cabinet Cherry
United States		 Narrow sapwood is whitish to reddish brown or creamy pink. The heartwood varies in color from reddish brown to deep red. Very sensitive to UV light, and changes to its characteristic reddish-brown, mahogany shade upon exposure. The grain and texture are fine and fairly uniform. Luster is rich and satiny. Weight is around 35lbs pcf / sg .58
Medium strength. Good bend. Low stiffness. Medium resistance. Works easily with hand and power tools. Nails, glues, and stains well. Polishes to an excellent finish. Moderately durable. Sapwood is susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle.
Cabinetmaking, caskets, fine furniture, musical instruments, scientific instruments, sculpture, interior construction, handles and wainscoting.
Cocobolo
Dalbergia Retusa, Nicaraguan rosewood, Granadillo, Caviuna, Uruana, Funera, Pallisander
Mexico, Nicaragua, & Panama 		A medium sized tree attaining a height of 75ft to 100ft and a diameter of 1.5ft. Color varies from orange to deep red with irregular patterns of purple or black. Grain is usually straight and fine textured. Drying is slow and care must be taken to avoid splits and surface cracking. Very stable once dry. Weight about 60-75 lbs pcf / sg 1.10 (Cocobolo dust can be a mild irritant to many.)
Works well with both hand and power tools. Cutting edges must be kept very sharp. A reduced cutting angle is required for planing or moulding The surface can be rendered very smooth to the touch. Contains a high oil content, which acts as a barrier to water absorption and imparts a waxy appearance when rubbed. Nails and screws easily, but it is difficult to glue. Use Epoxy or Gorilla Glue for best results.  It takes stain and can be brought to an excellent polish.
Small cabinets, game pieces, wooden jewelry, furniture, knife handles, & ornamental work, turning & inlay.
Desert Ironwood

Olneya Tesota, Palo-de-Fierro, palo-de-hierro,tesota,palofierro, (Fabaceae)*

*a member of the Pea Family
Southwestern Desert U.S.		 There are 14 different species of ironwood in the United States, but there is only one Desert Ironwood (which takes centuries to grow.) Most ironwood has brilliant golden flame & dark brown to black grain colors which when sanded & finished become very beautiful. Solid workable burl cuts are extremely rare, Lack of consistent watering &/or reoccurring droughts cause the tree to shrink, crack and wither.  Most ironwood trees are hollow in the center and checker throughout as they increase in diameter. Weight about 66lbs pcf
Desert Ironwood is so dense that it will not float, and so hard that it has been used for bearings. It is highly durable, stable and fairly easy to work with considering its hardness. When selected and milled properly, defect free ironwood can be produced. Ironwood is so stable that stabilization has no affect on the wood. In spite of its hardness, with patience a smooth, glass-like sheen can be obtained
Suitable for any exhibition grade or high-end woodcraft handle, sculpture or project. Native Americans used it for tool handles and arrowheads.
Gabon Ebony

Diospyrus Crassiflora, Cameroon Ebony, Nigerian Ebony, etc., according to country of origin. (Ebenaceae)
Cameroon, Nigeria, West Africa		 Very dense, very hard, with straight to slightly interlocked grain. Very fine textured. Gaboon ebony is perhaps the blackest wood on earth. Billets dry fairly rapidly and well with little degradation. Small movement. Weight is about 64 lbs. pcf / sg 1.03
A very dense wood w/good steam bending classification & high bend/crush strength, w/high stiffness and shock resistance. This is a very hard wood to work w/hand or power tools, with severe blunting of cutters. In planing, a reduced angle is required in the presence of irregular grain. Pre- is necessary for nailing and screwing. Takes glue well, and it can be polished to an excellent finish. Very durable. Highly resistant to termites.
Tool & knife handles, door knobs, butt ends of billiard cues, piano & organ keys, violin and guitar finger boards, other musical instrument pieces, turning, fancy items & inlay
Macassar Ebony*

Diospyrus celebica, Indian Ebony, Coromandel, Tendu, Temru, Timbruni, Tunki (Ebenaceae)
India & South Asia		 Dark brown to black, streaked throughout with bands of greyish or yellow-brown. The grain is usually straight, but may be irregular or wavy. The texture is fine and even. Weight about 68lbs pcf / sg 1.09
An exceptionally heavy, dense, hard wood. The black heartwood tends to be brittle. The material is hard to work with hand or power tools with severe blunting of cutting edges. Pre-boring is necessary for nailing and it is difficult to glue. It takes an excellent finish. Very hard to dry, the trees are usually girdled for two years before felling, and a further six months air drying in plank and stored under cover. It neeeds to be well protected against rapid drying to avoid checking & degradation. There is very small movement. Very durable with moderate resistance to termites but liable to attack by forest longhorn beetle.
Cabinet work, brush backs, walking sticks. Also used for inlay, musical instruments, billiard cues & turning.  
Goncolo Alves

Astronium Fraxinifolium, Tigerwood, Urunday-Para, Mura, Chibatao, Guarita, Aderno, Ciruelillo, Frijolillo, Gateado, Guasango, Gusanero, Jobillo, Palo de cera, Palo de culebra, Ron-ron
Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Guyana and Peru 		A large tree attaining 150 ft in height, with a diameter 3 to 4 ft. Color is initially golden-orange to red, usually richly mottled with dark brown streaks & spots (similar to Rosewood) with nearly black stripes after prolonged exposure. Grain is irregular, straight to interlocked. Irregular dark longitudinal bands. Texture is fine to medium. Can be polished and finished very easily. Small movement. Weight is 59lbs pcf / sg .95
Difficult to work. Moderate to severe blunting effect. Requires reduced angle cutting due to hard and soft layers & irregular grain. Pre-drilling is required for nailing, but holds screws well. Glues easily and finishes with a high natural polish. Difficult to dry with strong tendency to warp and check. Should be air dried slowly. Highly durable. Not subject to beetle attack. Extremely resistant to preservative treatment.
Billiard-cues, knife & tool handles, veneer, fine furniture, sporting goods.  
Hickory/ Pecan

Carya Glabra, Red Hickory, White Hickory, Mockernut Hickory, Pignut Hickory (Juglandaceae)
Southeastern Canada & Eastern U.S.		 Pecan lumber is almost always sold as hickory -- this is legal & is traditional practice. There are four pecans & four true hickories that are sold as hickory. Heartwood is brown or reddish brown in color and is sold as "Red Hickory". The sapwood is light in color and sold as "White Hickory". Hickory is typically straight grained, but can be wavy or irregular. Texture is somewhat coarse. Weight averages about 50lbs pcf / sg .82
Difficult to work with hand or power tools. Pre-drilling required for nailing. Gluing may be difficult. Stains and polishes to a good finish. Dries rapidly with little warping or twist, but will possisbly shrink. Trees and logs susceptible to attack by forest longhorn beetle. Sapwood is susceptible to powder post beetles.
Sporting goods, golf clubs, tennis racquets, bats, skis, drum sticks, tool handles, hammers, axes, etc.
Jarrah

Eucalyptus Marginata, (Myrtaceae)

West & Southwest Australia		 Heartwood is a rich dark brownish-red, sometimes marked by short, dark brown radial flecks on the end grain and boat shaped flecks on flat sawn surfaces which enhance its decorative value. These marks are caused by the fungus Fistulina Hepatica. Gum veins or pockets may also be present. The grain is usually straight but often interlocked or wavy. The texture is even but moderately coarse. Weight averages 50lbs pcf / sg .80
Difficult to work by hand and hard on machine tools. Pre-boring necessary for nailing & screwing. Good gluing properties and finishes well. Durable & highly resistant to insects. Partial air drying is recommended before kilning / especially in thick stock to avoid distortion. Medium movement.
Marine work of all kinds, vats, flooring, furniture, handles.
Jatoba* (Courbaril)

Hymenaea Courbaril, Brazilian Cherry, Jutaby, West Indian Locust, Copal, Guapinal (Leguminosae)
Brazil		 Heartwood is salmon red to orange-brown marked with dark brown streaks. It has a golden luster. Grain is usually interlocked with a medium to coarse texture. Slow drying is recommended. Tendency for moderate surface checking, warping and case hardening. Small movement. Weight is about 55lbs pcf / sg .91
Strong, hard and tough with very good bending characteristics. High shock resistance. Moderately difficult to work due to to high density. Moderate blunting of cutters. Nails poorly, but holds screws well. Glues and stains well, but won't take a high polish. Moderately durable, but not with a high proportion of sapwood. Very resistant to termites.
Furniture, cabinetmaking, joinery & turning, tool handles, stair treads, flooring, sporting goods, wheel rims, cogs 
Koa

Acacia Koa, (Leguminosae)
Hawaiian Islands		 Color varies ranging from pale yellow or golden brown to deep chocolate, but usually reddish brown with light & dark bands & attractive patterns, such as fiddleback and rainbow. The wavy grain is moderate to severely interlocked. The texture is medium coarse. Weighs 41lbs pcf / sg .67
Dries easily w/o unusual degradation. Small movement. Works well with both hand & power tools. Takes nails & screws well; gluing is variable. The surface is lustrous & will take a high polish. Durable & resistant to insects & fungus.
Ideal for musical instruments (ukuleles) because of its highly resonant properties, other uses include veneer, gun stocks, joinery. Very difficult to obtain; most of our stock comes from stashes of legacy wood.
Lacewood

Cardwellia Sublimis, Silky-oak, Australian Silky-oak, Northern Silky-oak, Queensland Silky-oak, selena, louro faia (Grevillea Robusta)
Australia (Queensland) 		Pink to reddish brown; is highly figured with a distinct small lacelike pattern. The wood is lustrous. Weight 39lbs pcf / sg .62 Sawdust may cause skin irritation or respiratory problems in some people.
Medum strength & low stiffness make for good bending. Works well w/machine or hand tools. Glues, screws & nails well & has good polishing properties. Perishable & subject to the common furniture beetle.
Cabinetmaking, moldings, parquet flooring, musical instruments, fine furniture  
Lignum Vitae

Guaiacum Officinale, Guayacan, Bois de Gaiac, Guayacan Negro, Palo Santo, Ironwood (Zygophyllaceae)
Carribean and Tropical Western Hemisphere		 One of the hardest & heaviest commercial woods. Heartwood is dark greenish-brown to almost black. The grain is heavily interlocked & irregualar. Texture is fine & unform. Exceptionally dense with high crush strength & shock resistance. Splitting usually not a problem. Refractory in drying; logs are liable to check and become ring shaken at the ends in strong sun. End coating is recommended. Medium movement. Very durable but susceptible to forest longhorn beetle. Weight averages 77lbs pcf / sg 1.23
It has and oily feel due to resin content constituting 25% of dry weight. Difficult to work with hand tools and very hard to saw or machine. Oily nature makes gluing difficult. Takes an excellent finish.
Due to its self-lubricating nature, it is used for any purpose where lubrication is impractical or unreliable: bearings, rollers, wheels, pullies, etc. In addition to novelty furnishings, jewelry, turnings and handles.
Mahogany, African*

Khaya Ivorensis, Sepelle, Mbaua, Nyasaland Mahogany, Red Mahogany, Umbaua, Mangona, Krala, Munyama, Mkangazi (Meliaceae)

Malawi, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe 		Light to deep reddish-brown. Grain is usually interlocked and fairly straight. Texture is usually medium and uniform. The wood has good polishing properties and takes a high polish. Weight 35lbs pcf / sg .56
Low bend, stiffness & shock resistance; moderate crush. Moderate blunting. Nailing, screwing & gluing characteristics are good. It may stained and/or polished to and excellant finish. Dries rapidly w/little degradation. Small movement. Liable to insect attack.
Fine furniture, mouldings, windows, boat building, cabinetmaking
Mahogany, Honduras

Swietenia Macrophylla, South American Mahogany, Zopilote Gateado, Araputanga, Aguano, Acajou, Mogno (Meliaceae)
Honduras, Central America, Northern South America		 Heartwood ranges from light to dark reddish-brown in color. Grain is straight to interlocked. It's texture is medium to coarse and uniform. Dries rapidly and well, but kiln drying can result in a high rate of shrinkage. Small movement. Weight is about 35 to 40lbs pcf / sg .54 - .64
Low stiffness and resistance to shock. Moderately good steam bending characteristics. Works easily with hand and power tools. Takes glue, nails and screws well. Stains and polishes to an excellent finish. Sapwood is susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle. Heartwood is durable.
High-class furniture & cabinetmaking, boat interiors, musical instruments, pattern making, carving, turning, veneers.
Mahogany, Santos

Myroxylon Balsamum, Cabreuva, Balsamo
Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Guatemala, & Mexico 		It exhibits a medium range of color variation between a light orangey/brown with yellowish overtones to a dark reddish/purplish brown.  Most of the specie falls into the medium to dark orange/brown mahogany tone. It undergoes a slight degree of color change with a slight muting of the color range over time.
Santos Mahogany is rich dark mahogany colored wood, which is a superior choice to genuine mahogany, (which it resembles in color), given Santos Mahogany’s hardness and color fastness. Janka Hardness Rating: 2,200 lbs. (997.90 kgs.) By comparison, Northern Red Oak is rated @ 1,290 lbs. (585 kgs.)
Flooring, furniture, cabinetry & general woodworking


Maple

Acer Saccharum, Black Maple, Black Sugar Maple, Hard Maple, Hard Rock Maple, Rock Maple, Sugar Maple (Aceraceae)
United States and Canada 		Sapwood is white with a reddish tinge. The heartwood color is uniformly light reddish brown. Texture is fine and even and usually has a straight grain, sometimes curly or wavy. Dries slowly with little degradation. Medium movement. Weight averages about 45lbs pcf / sg .72
High bend & crush strength. Medium stiff. Excellent for steam bending. Difficult to work. Moderate dulling effect on blades. Wavy or curly grains require a reduced cutting angle. Pre-drilling required for nailing and screwing. Takes stain, glue and polish well. High resistance to abrasion. Sapwood is susceptible to attack by furniture beetle. Defects caused by insects are sometimes found.
Bowling pins, decorative veneer, flooring, handles, windows, casks, drum sticks, fine furniture, cabinets, cutting boards & blocks, turning
Myrtle*

Umbellularia Californica, Acacia, Californian Laurel, Californian Olive, Mountain Laurel, Baytree, Pepperwood, Spice-Tree, Pacific Myrtle, (Myrtaceae)

U.S. (Oregon & California) 		Heartwood is rich golden brown to yellowish-green, ranging from light to dark w/a large proportion of paler sapwood. It is straight grained, but often w/irregular or wavy grain which is smooth, close & compact with a firm texturef & distinct rays. Weight is 53lbs pcf / sg .85
The wood is heavy, hard wearing & resiliant. Has a marked tendency to check & warp while seasoning. It is rather difficult to work & has a moderate blunting effect on tools. Moderately durable & resistant to insects. Takes an excellent polish. Produces an excellent swirling burl.
Excellent for turning & superior joinery & marquetry; cabinets, furniture & flooring.
Red Oak

Quercus Rubra, Northern Red Oak, Gray Oak, American Red Oak, Canadian Red Oak, Spanish Oak, Swamp Red Oak, Cherrybark Oak, Shumard Red Oak (Fagaceae)
Eastern Canada & U.S.		 Pinkish to light reddish brown or light brown. The grain is usually straight and open. Red oaks grown in the north are less coarse textured than the faster-grown red oak from the southern states. Large pores tend to produce strong contrast in staining. Weight is around 48lbs pcf / sg .77
High crush, medium bend and stiffness. Very good steam bending wood. Moderate blunting on cutters. Density varies. Gluing results vary and nailing may require pre-drilling. Takes stain well and polishes to a good finish. Dries slowly with checking, splitting and honeycombing. Needs care in air or kiln drying. Medium movement. Susceptible to insect attack. Sapwood is permeable.
Flooring, heavy construction, shipbuilding, cabinets, musical instruments, drum sticks and fine furniture. Not suitable for exterior work.  

Quartersawn:
 White Oak

Quercus Alba, Appalachian Oak, Arizona Oak, Swamp Chestnut Oak, Overcup Oak, Chestnut Oak, Cucharillo, Encino, Mamecillo, Roble, Stave Oak (Fagaceae)
Eastern U.S. & Southeastern Canada		 Light tan to pale yellow brown, and may have a pinkish tinge. It is similar to European oak. White Oak is somewhat more figured than Red Oak. The grain is open and the texture is medium to coarse. Weight averages 46lbs pcf / sg .76
Medium bend & crush strength. Makes it an excellent steam bending wood. Pre-boring is a good idea, but it takes nails & screws well. Gluing results vary. Stains well and polishes to a good finish. Dries slowly with tendency for checking, splitting and honeycombing. Requires careful air or kiln drying. Medium movement. Logs are subject to severe insect attack.
Flooring, exterior trim & siding, furniture components, interior construction and trim, paneling, and cabinets
African Padauk

Pterocarpus Soyauxii, Mbe, Mbil, Mututi, Ngula, Bosulu, Camwood, Barwood, Corail (Leguminosae)
Cameroon, Zaire, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Nigeria 		Medium to fairly large tree attaining a height of 100 ft with a diameter of 3 ft. Color is vivid reddish-orange initially, but changes over time to bright red or coral pink with dark streaks . The grain is generally straight to somewhat interlocked. Texture is as fine to medium. Weight between 40 & 50lbs pcf / sg .72
Excellent strength characteristics. Machines very easily. Nails, screws, and glues very well. Polishes easily to a excellent finish. Heartwood is very durable and moderately resistant to preservative treatment. Dries quickly & well with minimal degradation. Exceptionally small movement. High scuffing resistance make it an excellent flooring timber. Due to its excellent dimensional stability, it is suitable with under-floor heating systems.
Cabinetmaking, carvings, handles, high quality furniture, flooring, paddles & oars.
Burmese Padauk

Pterocarpus Macrocarpus, Pradoo, Mai Pradoo (Leguminosae)
Burma & Thailand		 Heartwood varies from orange-red to dark brick-red streaked w/darker lines, but matures to a golden red-brown. The grain is interlocked in narrow bands producing a ribbon striped figure on quartered surfaces. Texture is rather coarse . weight: 53lbs pcf / sg .85
40% stronger than Andaman Padauk re: bend & shock resistance; 20% stiffer. Valued for strength & durability. Difficult to saw when dry; it turns very well. Screws hold well, but pre-boring advised for nailing. Glues well and produces an excellent finish when grain is filled. Air dries well w/o much distortion or splitting. Stored logs should have end protection. Small movement. Heartwood is durable; sapwood is susceptibe to powder post beetle.
Billiard tables, joinery, counters, flooring and other items where strength is a necessity. 
Pau Ferro, Brazilwood

Caesalppinia (or Guilandina) Echinata , Bahia Wood, Para Wood, Pernumbuco Wood, Brazil Ironwood, Pau Ferro Hypernic, Brasilette, Brasilete, Brasiletto (Leguminosae)

Brazil		 Bright, vivid reddish-orange when cut, maturing to reddish-brown upon exposure. Variegated stripey to marble-like figure, sometimes with knots; straight to interlocked grain w/fine smooth texture. Weight 75-80lbs pcf / sg 1.2
Difficult to work w/severe blunting effect. Needs pre-boring for nailing. Holds screws well & can be glued. Can be stained &/or polished to a high lustre. Lacquer finishes can preserve natural color. Needs to be dried slowly & carefully to avoid checking & degradation. Very durable & resistant to insects & decay.
Flooring, violin bows, gun stocks, joinery, turning, inlay, furniture, cabinetry & general woodworking.
Pink Ivory

Rhamnus Zeyheri (Rhamnus - the old Greek name; zeyheri - after Zeyheri) Red Ivorywood, Mnai, Umgoloti, Umninim, M'Beza,Mulatchine, Pau Preto, Mucarane, Sungangona (Rhamnaceae)
Mozambique, South Africa, Souteast Africa, Zimbabwe		 A small to medium sized tree rarely exceeding 40ft in height or 1ft in diameter. It is very rare since the cutting of this species has been stopped. This wood is often said to be rarer than diamonds and is almost impossible to obtain. It is the royal wood of the Zulus and may be cut only by the chief of the tribe or his sons. When a chief's son is able to fell a tree and fashion a spear from the wood, he is considered to have reached manhood. The tree produces small black berries, in appearance resembling those on the buckthorn tree. The wood is extremely heavy and of very fine texture and rich color, though with little figure. Heartwood varies from light pink to dark pink and red, with lighter and darker shades of yellow and red, sometime gray. Sapwood is cream to off-white and wide in comparison to the tree. Straight to irregular grain. Weight: 56lbs pcf / sg .90 Commercially one of the rarest woods in the world.
Exceptionally strong in most areas, but with a low steam bend classification, Pink Ivory works well but with some difficulty. It has a severe blunting effect on blades. Needs pre-boring for nailing, but glues & screws well and takes a fine polish. Difficult to dry w/o degradation. Kiln driying should be carried out very slowly to prevent serious distortion caused by high differential shrinkage. Large movement. It is non-durable and subject to attack by insects.
An excellent wood for special turnings, ornaments, pens, knife handles, chessmen, inlays & carving. Very attractive pieces of jewelry can be fashioned by those few who have been fortunate enough to obtain a piece of this wood. Since it is so scarce, it is more a museum piece than an article of commerce. (The Pink Ivory in our store is reclaimed from a lake bed that was filled in by the construction of a dam approximately 20 years ago. No new trees have been felled to provide our stock.)
Poplar

Populus Serotina, Robusta, Finnish Aspen, Swedish Aspen, French Aspen, European Black Poplar, Black Italian Poplar, Cucumber (Salicaceae)

Europe		 Heartwood is usually creamy-white to gray in color, sometimes pale brown or pinkish-brown. Grain is typically straight. Texture is fine and even. Weight varies from 23 to 33lbs pcf / sg .45
Low stiffness & shock resistance. Low bend & medium crush. Poor steam bending properties. Sharp, thin cutters are required to overcome the texture and produce a good finish. Nailing and screwing are okay. Takes stain poorly. Takes paint, varnish and polish well. Dries rapidly, but knots will split. Perishable and susceptible to insect attack. Sapwood is permeable.
Suitable for rough usage such as the bottoms of wagons and carts. Also used in furniture framing, drawers, toys, flooring, boxes and crates
Purpleheart

Peltogyn Pubescens, Amarante, Violetwood, Koroboreli, Saka, Sakavalli, Pau roxo, Nazareno, Morado, Tananeo, Palo morado, Guarabu (Leguminosae)
Central & Latin America 		A deep purple-violet when freshly cut, maturing to a dark brown. The original color returns when re-cut. The grain is typically straight and the texture is rather coarse . Weight between 50 to 60lbs per cu. ft. / sg .86
High bending strength. Medium resistance to shock loads. Moderate steam bending properties. Difficult to work. Moderate to severe blunting of cutters. Run material slowly through machines equipped with HSS knives. Pre-drilling needed for nailing. Takes glue well. Stains and wax polishes easily. Very durable. Takes a high polish. (Spirit based finishes remove the purple color. Lacquer based finishes preserve the color.)
Billiard-cues, cabinetmaking, carvings, fine furniture, handles, marine construction, marquetry, flooring, countertops and stair rails
E. Indian Rosewood

Dalbergia Latifolia, Bombay Blackwood, Bombay Rosewood, Shisham, Sissoo, Biti, Eravadi, Kalaruk (Leguminosae)
Southern India & Java		 Rose to dark purple-brown w/darker purple-black edging the growth zones. Grain is interlocked producing a ribbon figure. Texture univorm & moderately coarse w/dull but fragrant surface. Weight about 53lbs pcf / sg .85
High bend & crush w/low stiffness & medium shock resistance. Severe blunting of knives & fairly hard to saw & machine because of calcareous deposits in some of the vessels. Not suitable for nailing. Glues satisfactory & requires filling for excellent finish. Very durable and somewhat resistant to termites. Sapwood susceptible to powder post beetle. Dries fairly rapidly w/little degradation, but too rapid drying can cause surface checking & end splitting. Kiln dries well but slowly (color improve w/kilning.) Small movement & remarkable stability.
High quality furniture & cabinet making, flooring, musical instruments, joinery, turning.
Honduras Rosewood

Dalbergia Stevensonii, Nogaed

Belize		 Fairly scarce. Pink to purple brown with darker & lighter bands in attractive combinations. The grain is typically straight and the texture is medium to fine with a low to medium luster. Weight between 56 to 70lbs pcf / sg .96
Denser and tougher than Brazilian Rosewood. This wood is too heavy for bending. Difficult to work. Reduced cutting angle recommended for planing with interlocked or wavy grain. Pre-drilling necessary for nailing. Gluing or finishing problems in very oily pieces. Does not take a high polish naturally, although a good finish can be obtained w/care. Dries slowly w/tendency to split. With care can be kiln dried with little degradation. Small movement.Very durable. Moderately resistant to termites.
Cabinetmaking, marquetry, tool handles, fine furniture, handles & turning.
Sasafras*

Sassafras Officinale*, Cinnamon Wood, Red Sassafras, Black Ash (Lauraceae)

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