Featured Wood
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Mesquite
Prosopis glandulosa
APPEARANCE
Mesquite is light brown to dark reddish brown in color. High character grain with ingrown bark and mineral streaks. Moderate variations in color.
PROPERTIES
Mesquite is significantly harder than average with a Janka rating of 2345. Excellent dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00129. Dense and very strong.
WORKABILITY
Very good machining qualities. Sands very well. Good nail holding ability, however, splits easily. Finishes well.
Other Mesquite Samples:
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Domestic Wood
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American Black Walnut
Juglans nigra
APPEARANCE
Heartwood ranges from a deep, rich dark brown to a purplish black and sapwood is nearly white to tan. Mostly straight and open grain with some burling or curling.
PROPERTIES
American Black Walnut is softer than average with a Janka rating of 1010. Excellent dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00274. Moderately dense, very strong wood with good shock resistance.
WORKABILITY
Easily worked with hand tools and has excellent machining qualities. Sands well. Good nail holding qualities and fair resistance to splitting. Finishes nicely with a handsome grain pattern.
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American Cherry
Prunus serotina
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is light to dark reddish brown and lustrous. Sapwood is light brown to pale with a light pinkish tone. Fine, frequently wavy grain with uniform texture. Significant color variation between boards.
PROPERTIES
American Cherry is softer than average with a Janka rating of 950. Above average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00248. Strong, moderately hard with excellent shock resistance.
WORKABILITY
Good machining and sanding qualities. Good nail holding ability. Finishes well.
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Antique Oak
Re-milled White Oak
Quercus alba
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is light brown and may contain some pinkish tint or a slight grayish cast. Sapwood is white to cream. Open grain with occasional crotches, swirls and burls. Considerable variation among boards in color and grain texture.
PROPERTIES
Average hardness with a Janka rating of 1360. Average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00365. Excellent durability.
WORKABILITY
Excellent machining qualities with satisfactory sanding attributes. Good resistance to splitting and excellent nail holding ability. Absorbs finishes well.
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Antique Pine
Pinus spp.
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is yellow after cutting and turns deep pinkish tan to warm reddish brown within weeks due to high resin content. Sapwood remains yellow, with occasional blue-black sap stain. Grain is dense with high figuring. Plainsawn grain is swirled and quartersawn grain is predominantly pinstriped.
PROPERTIES
Slightly softer than average hardness with Janka Rating of 1225. Above average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00263. Dense wood.
WORKABILITY
Good machining and hand-tooling qualities. High resin content requires initial coarse sanding. Holds nails well. Accepts both surface and penetrating finishes but care must be taken with some finishes due to surface resins.
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Ash
APPEARANCE
Fraxinus spp.
Heartwood color is light tan to dark brown with sapwood color creamy white. Color similar to white oak but typically more yellow. Bold, straight, moderately open grain with occasional wavy figuring.
PROPERTIES
Average hardness with Janka Rating of 1320. Above average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00274. Elastic, hard, excellent shock resistance. Remains smooth under friction.
WORKABILITY
Good machining qualities with satisfactory sanding qualities. Good nail holding ability and good resistance to splitting. Stains well.
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Texas Pecan
Carya spp.
APPEARANCE
Pecan heartwood is reddish brown with dark brown stripes and sapwood is white or creamy white with pinkish tones. Pecan grain is open and occasionally wavy or irregular. Hickory grain is closed with moderate definition and somewhat rough-textured.
PROPERTIES
Texas Pecan is significantly harder than average with a Janka Rating of 1820. Average dimensional stability with change coefficients of 0.00315 and 0.00411 respectively. Exceedingly high resistance to shock.
WORKABILITY
Density of species makes it difficult to season, machine and work with hand tools. Also difficult to sand due to density. Good holding ability but prone to split. Finishes well.
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Hickory / Pecan
Carya spp.
APPEARANCE
Pecan heartwood is reddish brown with dark brown stripes and sapwood is white or creamy white with pinkish tones. Hickory heartwood is tan or reddish and sapwood is white to cream with fine brown lines. Pecan grain is open and occasionally wavy or irregular. Hickory grain is closed with moderate definition and somewhat rough-textured.
PROPERTIES
Hickory / Pecan is significantly harder than average with a Janka Rating of 1820. Average dimensional stability with change coefficients of 0.00315 and 0.00411 respectively. Exceedingly high resistance to shock.
WORKABILITY
Density of species makes it difficult to season, machine and work with hand tools. Also difficult to sand due to density. Good holding ability but prone to split. Finishes well.
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Maple
Sugar/Hard
Acer saccharum
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is creamy white to light reddish brown and sapwood is pale to creamy white. Closed, subdued grain with moderate figuring and uniform texture. Occasionally shows quilted, fiddle back, curly or bird's-eye figuring.
PROPERTIES
Maple is slightly harder than average with a Janka rating of 1450. Average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00353. Dense, strong, tough and stiff with excellent resistance to shock.
WORKABILITY
Density makes machining difficult. Sands satisfactorily. Good nail holding ability with fair resistance to splitting. Maple takes neutral finish well, however, it does not stain uniformly.
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Myrtle
California laurel
Umbellularia californica
APPEARANCE
The heartwood is rich golden brown to yellowish-green, ranging in hue from light to dark with a large proportion of paler sapwood. Primarily straight grained but often shows irregular or wavy grain which is smooth, close and compact, with a firm texture and distinct rays.
PROPERTIES
Myrtle is heavy, very hard wearing and resilient.
WORKABILITY
Myrtle is fairly difficult to work with tools. The wood takes an exquisitely high polish.
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Red Alder
Alnus rubra
APPEARANCE
Red Alder's heartwood and sapwood are not clearly distinguished. Freshly cut, the wood is almost white, turning light reddish-brown upon exposure to air. Typically straight grain with close and even texture.
PROPERTIES
Red Alder is a relatively soft hardwood with below average hardness and good dimensional stability. Below average shock resistance.
WORKABILITY
Excellent machining qualities with good sanding attributes. Fair nail holding ability. Finishes easily and takes stain well.
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Red Oak
Quercus spp.
APPEARANCE
Heartwood and sapwood are similar, with sapwood lighter in color. Most wood has reddish tone. Open, slightly coarse grain. Color and grain varies between the abundance of Oak subspecies.
PROPERTIES
Red Oak is the benchmark (average) for hardness ratings with a Janka rating of 1290. Average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00369. Stiff, dense and resistant to wear with excellent resistance to shock.
WORKABILITY
Red Oak is above average in virtually all machining operations. Sands well with excellent nail holding ability and good resistance to splitting. Stains contrast strongly due to the wood's large pores.
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White Oak
Quercus alba
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is light brown and may contain some pinkish tint or a slight grayish cast. Sapwood is white to cream. Open grain with occasional crotches, swirls and burls. Considerable variation among boards in color and grain texture.
PROPERTIES
Average hardness with a Janka rating of 1360. Average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00365. Excellent durability.
WORKABILITY
Excellent machining qualities with satisfactory sanding attributes. Good resistance to splitting and excellent nail holding ability. Absorbs finishes well.
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Exotic Wood
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African Padauk
Pterocarpus soyauxii
APPEARANCE
The heartwood is vivid reddish orange when freshly cut, darkening to reddish- or purple-brown or black over time. Sapwood is cream-colored. Straight to interlocked grain with a coarse texture.
PROPERTIES
African Padauk is significantly harder than average with a Janka rating of 1725. Excellent dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00180. Very good durability.
WORKABILITY
African Padauk machines easily and saws well. Sands and finishes well. Good nail holding ability.
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Australian Cypress
Callitris glauca
APPEARANCE
Sapwood is cream-colored and heartwood is honey-gold to brown with darker knots throughout. Closed grain with high degree of color variability.
PROPERTIES
Australian Cypress is slightly harder than average with a Janka rating of 1375. Excellent dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00162, however, actual installations have demonstrated above average movement in practical use. Excellent durability.
WORKABILITY
Good machining qualities with satisfactory sanding attributes. Somewhat brittle and splits easily. Finishes well.
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Bamboo
Phyllostachys edulis
APPEARANCE
Bamboo is straw colored with delicate linear lines of brighter and darker hues. On Bamboo that has been carbonized by controlled heating, the wood takes on a mellow brown oak-like color and the vascular strands are pronounced. A unique figure is developed, similar to a knot, for each growth.
PROPERTIES
Bamboo is hard, strong and elastic. Dense.
WORKABILITY
Bamboo can be machined easily. Care must be taken when sanding. Finishes well.
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Brazilian Cherry
Jatoba
Hymenaea courbaril
APPEARANCE
Sapwood is gray-white. Heartwood is salmon red to orange-brown when fresh, becomes russet or reddish brown when seasoned and is often marked with dark streaks. Mostly interlocked grain with medium to coarse to texture.
PROPERTIES
Brazilian Cherry is significantly harder than average with a Janka rating of 2350. Average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00300, however, actual installations have demonstrated above average movement in practical use. Dense and very strong wood.
WORKABILITY
Sawing Brazilian Cherry is difficult due to its high density and planing is difficult due to its interlocked grain. Can be machined to a smooth surface. Sands well with good nail holding ability. Finishes well.
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Bubinga
Guibourtia tessmannii
APPEARANCE
Bubinga heartwood is light reddish-brown and veined with pink or red stripes. Bubinga sapwood is paler in color. The grain is wavy and texture is fine.
PROPERTIES
Bubinga is very hard and heavy. Moderately durable.
WORKABILITY
Even though Bubinga is very hard and heavy, it can be sawn easily. Bubinga stains easily and takes a fine finish.
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Cork
Quercus suber
APPEARANCE
Cork can be manufactured to many different appearances.
PROPERTIES
Cork is a tough, durable substance with remarkable capacity for retaining its initial properties. It maintains a high degree of stability.
WORKABILITY
Cork is highly workable.
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Ebony
Gabon ebony
APPEARANCE
Ebony heartwood is uniform jet black and sometimes streaked with greenish-black markings. Its sapwood is light yellowish-white. The grain is typically undistinguished and its texture is very fine.
PROPERTIES
Ebony is strong and hard.
WORKABILITY
Working with Ebony requires very sharp tools due to its hardness. Ebony finishes to a high polish.
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Ipe
Tabebuia spp.
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is grayish and darkens to grayish-green or brownish-olive. Sapwood is yellowish-white. The grain is straight or irregular with a low to medium luster. Wood is fine textured with some fine rippling.
PROPERTIES
Ipe is a very strong, hard and heavy wood. Tough and resilient.
WORKABILITY
Ipe is difficult to work due to its toughness. Stains and polishes well. Good nail holding ability.
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Jarrah
Eucalyptus marginata
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is uniformly pinkish to dark red, often a rich, dark red mahogany hue, turning a deep brownish red with age and exposure. Sapwood is pale. Frequently interlocked or wavy grain with even and moderately coarse texture.
PROPERTIES
Jarrah is significantly harder than average with a Janka rating of 1910. Below average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00396. Dense and very strong wood with high resistance to wear.
WORKABILITY
Jarrah is difficult to work due to high density and irregular grain. Sands well but care must be taken with finishing. Good nail holding ability.
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Merbau
Intsia spp.
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is yellowish to orange-brown when freshly cut, turning brown or dark red-brown upon exposure. Straight to interlocked or wavy grain with a coarse texture.
PROPERTIES
Merbau is significantly harder than average with a Janka rating of 1925. Excellent dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00158., however, actual installations have demonstrated above average movement in practical use.
WORKABILITY
Sawing Merbau is difficult. Sands well but care must taken with finishing. Good nail holding ability.
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Purple Heart
Peltogyne spp.
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is brown when freshly cut, turning deep purple to purplish brown over time. Sapwood is lighter cream color. Typically straight grain with medium to fine texture.
PROPERTIES
Purpleheart is significantly harder than average with a Janka rating of 1860. Excellent dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00212. Very strong and dense.
WORKABILITY
Purpleheart is somewhat difficult to machine due to hardness. Sands and finishes well. Good nail holding ability.
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Santos Mahogany
Myroxylon balsamum
APPEARANCE
The heartwood is reddish-brown becoming deep red to purplish-red upon exposure. The wood varies from uniform to striped. The luster is medium to high, and the texture is fine to medium. The grain is typically interlocked and rippled.
PROPERTIES
Santos Mahogany is significantly harder than average with a Janka rating of 2200. Above average dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00238. Excellent durability.
WORKABILITY
Moderately difficult to machine due to wood hardness. Sands and finishes well. Good nail holding ability.
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Teak
Tectona grandis
APPEARANCE
Heartwood varies from yellow-brown to dark golden brown and turns rich brown under exposure to sunlight. Sapwood is a lighter cream color. Straight coarse grain with uneven texture.
PROPERTIES
Teak is softer than average with a Janka rating of 1000. Excellent dimensional stability with a 0.00186 change coefficient. Excellent durability.
WORKABILITY
Teak is moderately easy to machine and saw. Sanding is moderately difficult and care must be taken when finishing. Good nail holding ability.
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Tigerwood
Astronium Lecointei
APPEARANCE
Tigerwood offers large variation in striping, darkening with time, featuring light golden browns to reddish brown color with blackish brown streaks, giving it a striking appearance.
PROPERTIES
Janka Hardness Rating: 1850 lbs. (839.14 kg.) By comparison, Northern Red Oak's is 1,290 lbs. (585 kg.)
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Wenge
Millettia spp.
APPEARANCE
Heartwood is yellow-brown when freshly cut, turning dark brown to almost black with alternate layers of light and dark. Sapwood is yellowish-white. Straight grain when quartersawn with coarse texture.
PROPERTIES
Wenge is harder than average with a Janka rating of 1630. Excellent dimensional stability with a change coefficient of 0.00201, however, actual installations have demonstrated above average movement in practical use. Average durability.
WORKABILITY
Sawing and machining Wenge is difficult due to its hardness. Sands well and care must be taken when finishing. Good nail holding ability.
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Engineered Flooring - Unfinished
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Cherry
THICKNESS
�" in total thickness, 3 or 5 plies
APPLICATIONS
Over radiant heat system, over concrete slab, over wooden sub floor and below grade (basements)
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(Northern) Hickory
THICKNESS
�" in total thickness, 3 ply only
APPLICATIONS
Over radiant heat system, over concrete slab, over wooden sub floor and below grade (basements)
APPEARANCE / PROPERTIES
Some color variation from board to board, slightly harder than Oak
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Maple
THICKNESS
�" in total thickness, 3 ply only
APPLICATIONS
Over radiant heat system, over concrete slab, over wooden sub floor and below grade (basements)
APPEARANCE / PROPERTIES
Very uniform in color, slightly harder than Oak
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Northern Red Oak
THICKNESS
�" in total thickness, 3 ply only
APPLICATIONS
Over radiant heat system, over concrete slab, over wooden sub floor and below grade (basements)
APPEARANCE / PROPERTIES
More grain per square inch than Southern Red Oak
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Walnut
THICKNESS
�" in total thickness, 3 ply only
APPLICATIONS
Over radiant heat system, over concrete slab, over wooden sub floor and below grade (basements)
APPEARANCE / PROPERTIES
Elegant, dark wood
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White Oak
THICKNESS
�" in total thickness, 3 ply only
APPLICATIONS
Over radiant heat system, over concrete slab, over wooden sub floor and below grade (basements)
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Wild Pecan
THICKNESS
�" in total thickness, 3 or 5 plies
APPLICATIONS
Over radiant heat system, over concrete slab and over wooden sub floor
APPEARANCE / PROPERTIES
Can produce an old floor look with a dark stain, wonderful character marks in lighter finishes, harder than Oak
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