Exotic Woods |
 Email a Friend |
Bloodwood (Brosimum paraense) | back to the top
Bloodwood is sometimes referred to as "Cardinal wood" becasue of its gorgeous rose colour. The color darkens somewhat as it ages but only slightly. Bloodwood is very dense and it has a tight, linear grain. This wood tends to twist and bend so it is important to keep it weighted down after you cut it. It machines fairly well and sands easily but is very directional when being planed. Bloodwood is especially favored by craftsmen for intarsia projects.
Bubinga (Guibourtia Demeusei) | back to the top
Often referred to as "African Rosewood", Bubinga is a wavy-figured exotic wood that is often sought ought by guitar makers becasue of its multi-shaded, interlocking bands of red and purple overtones. It has a fine, linear grain with great colour consistency. The colour of Bubinga also darkens with age. This wood is even harder than maple. It sometimes has little sap pockets that can cause glue or finishing problems if you aren't an experienced finisher. Bubinga is often used in decorative veneers and wood turning.
Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata) | back to the top
Spanish Cedar is very stable and responds well to the changes in humidity. It gives off a "cedar" like smell that is a great asset for humidor manufacturers. In fact, Spanish Cedar is the main wood used in humidor construction. It is reddish to medium brown in colour and straight grained. It is also easy to work with in both planing and routing. Spanish Cedar is also a stable wood that can be used for scroll sawing and many other small woodworking projects.
Black Ebony (Diospyrus crassiflora) | back to the top
Also known as "African Ebony", this wood is mostly black with an occasional grey streak. It's fine texture and straight to wavy grain make it very appealing to craftsmen. African Ebony also comes in a sap wood that is pale yellow and very distinct. Both versions of this wood take a very high finish and turn very nicely but are hard on tools due to their density. It also is too hard to use nails or screws without first pre-boring the pieces first. Black Ebony is most commonly known for its use in fingerboards for various musical instruments but is also the wood of choice for many decorative turners such as the commercial pool cue turner.
Granadillo (Dalbergia retusa) | back to the top
Also known as "Cocobolo", Granadillo is a very hard wood from Southern Mexico. It is also extremely beautiful with a tan-deep brown streaking that can take on a shiny finish just from buffing. This close grained wood is great for all furniture applications. Soaking the wood in soapy water has little effect on it except for a slight darkening in color so it is commonly used as a material for salad bowls. Although Granadillo itself is quite safe, breathing the sawdust has been known to cause a toxic shock reaction.
Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril) | back to the top
Often referred to as Brazilian Cherry, Jatoba is an exotic wood that is very common as both wood flooring and a quality furniture. Its colors vary from a medium brown to a rich orange and red color. There are occasionally some fine black lines that also run through the grain. Jatoba is extremely hard and tough to on your tools but carpenters often feel it is well worth the effort becasue of its fantastic color.
Lacewood (Platanus hybrida) | back to the top
Lacewood is a soft to medium density wood that is medium to light brown in color. When this wood is cut properly it will display many cross sections of cells that give it a spectacular appearance. It is great for carving or for intarsia projects because it is so easy to work with. Laewood works well for cutting, planing and routing. Sanding and finishing, however, are a little tougher because the cells can present a problem.
African Mahogany (Khaya ivorensis) | back to the top
Also known as "Ghana Mahogany", African Mahogany is a traditional mahogany that has a deep red color and is great for furniture applications. It is imported from Ghana and was once the primary wood used for cabinetry in the US. You can often find this as the material used in furniture from the Colonial era. It is quite strong and has a uniform pore structure with vaguely defined rings. It may also have any number of stripe, ribbon, ripple or fiddle back figures. This is an excellent wood for carving and for finishes and is most commonly used in the crafting of Georgian, Empire and Federal furniture.
Purpleheart (Peltogyne paniculata) | back to the top
Purpleheart is one of the least expensive exotic woods on the market. It's greater appeal is in its wonderful colour. It starts out with a typical muddy colour but exposure to light or to a good sanding job will turn it to a fascinating purple color. Purpleheart is easy to work with but there can be some tearout when planing this wood. Sanding and routing is very easy and finishing extremely easy. This is a great wood for multi colour laminations, decorative veneers and furniture. It's strength also makes it great for heavy outdoor construction work.
Zebrawood (Microberlinia brazzavillensis) | back to the top
Zebrawood is an exotic wood from Africa that is mostly black with fine greyish-brown streaks. The look is exotic because the grain pattern can be either linear or like a flame. The wood is of a medium to hard density similar to Hard Maple. Zebrawood also has large, open pores so the use of a pore filler is a necessity if you want to get that glossy finish. The coarse grain also makes the finishing a challenge but it is not extremely hard to work with. Zebrawood is commonly used in veneer, wall paneling, custom furniture, marquetry and many specialty items.
| Email a Friend |