Yellow Rosa (Aspidosperma sp.) is a vibrant yellow hardwood and an excellent alternative to Yellowheart. The Aspidosperma genus grows across Central and South America and includes several well-known timbers, such as Peroba Rosa.It's mostly golden, but some boards show soft patches of pink and orange, reminiscent of Peroba Rosa's classic tones. The grain is mostly straight with a fine, even texture, and those occasional color shifts give each board a bit of individuality.It's fine-textured and durable, with a good balance of beauty, strength and workability, and it takes a finish well. A clear finish brings out its warm golden glow, and like most yellow woods it slowly mellows to a deeper gold over time. Sharp tools help where the grain is irregular, and it sands to a smooth, even surface.Yellow Rosa is well suited to fine furniture, flooring, cabinetry, boxes, crafts and other woodworking where you want a splash of color. It pairs especially well with dark woods like Black Walnut or Wenge for contrast.

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a hard, strong hardwood native to the central and eastern United States, and one of the most durable woods in North America.The heartwood is greenish-yellow to golden brown when fresh, mellowing to a medium brown with age, and the sapwood is a narrow pale band. The grain is usually fairly straight with a medium texture. It's durable, rot-resistant and fairly stable, which makes it one of the best native woods for outdoor use.Its hardness makes it a little more work to machine, so keep tools sharp and pre-drill for fasteners. It finishes well and weathers to an attractive silver grey if left outdoors.Black Locust fence posts are famous for lasting decades in the ground, and the wood has a long history in shipbuilding, where it was used for wooden pegs called trunnels. It's a great choice for fencing, outdoor furniture, decking, flooring, raised garden beds and handles. We stock it in 4/4 and 8/4, and quality varies, so choose your pieces carefully. For another durable outdoor wood, see Osage Orange.

Roasted Curly Soft Maple is Curly Soft Maple that has been thermally modified. The wood is heated gradually to over 160°C in oxygen-free chambers, a natural, chemical-free process that darkens it to a rich caramel or chocolate brown while keeping the curl.The heat changes the wood's cell structure, so it absorbs less moisture. That makes it more dimensionally stable, which guitar makers value for necks. It also becomes a little more brittle, so it chips more easily than unmodified maple, and it's best for tops, panels, flooring and instrument parts rather than intricate joinery. Expect a pleasant, toasty smell when you cut it.The very dry wood soaks up finish, so plan on a generous coat. Our in-house woodworker has had excellent results with Osmo Polyx-Oil, and he suggests a thicker finish works best. Use sharp tools and light passes to avoid chipping in the figure.It's popular with guitar makers for necks and bodies, and for fine furniture, paneling and specialty pieces, where it offers the look of a dark exotic with the reliability of maple. See also Roasted Birdseye Maple.

Roasted Birdseye Maple is Birdseye Maple that has been thermally modified. The wood is heated gradually to over 160°C in oxygen-free chambers, a natural, chemical-free process that darkens it to a rich caramel or chocolate brown while keeping the birdseye figure.The heat changes the wood's cell structure, so it absorbs less moisture. That makes it more dimensionally stable, which guitar makers value for necks and fretboards. It also becomes a little more brittle, so it chips more easily than unmodified maple, and it's best for tops, panels, flooring and instrument parts rather than intricate joinery. It also smells pleasantly toasty when cut.The very dry wood soaks up finish, so plan on a generous coat. Our in-house woodworker has had excellent results with Osmo Polyx-Oil, and he suggests a thicker finish works best. Use sharp tools and light passes to avoid chipping around the eyes.Roasted Birdseye Maple is popular for guitar necks and fretboards, fine furniture, knife handles, bandings and specialty pieces, where it gives the look of a dark exotic with the familiarity of maple.

Longhi (Gambeya spp.) is a well-priced, light-colored African hardwood from the tropical forests of West and Central Africa. It has working properties similar to its better-known cousin, Anegre.Its color ranges from greyish-white to beige and pinkish-brown, darkening slightly with age and light exposure. The sapwood is hard to tell apart. The grain is usually straight, sometimes interlocked, and the texture fine to medium-fine, with occasional mottled or subtle tiger-stripe figure that can be very attractive.It needs careful drying to avoid fungal staining. Once dry, it's moderately durable and stable. It machines, glues and finishes well, and its light color takes stain evenly if you want a different look.Longhi has a good strength-to-weight ratio, which makes it a popular choice for flooring and decking, as well as cabinetry, furniture, interior joinery and veneer. It's a practical, affordable option when you want a light-colored hardwood that's easy to work.

Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) is one of the most useful North American hardwoods, and ours is sourced locally in Maine. It's a well-priced alternative to Maple.The heartwood ranges from pale yellow to a light reddish-brown, with grayish-white sapwood. The grain is generally straight and the texture fine and even. Figured boards with wide curl, similar to Cherry, are especially prized and sold as Flame Birch.It works easily, and it turns, glues and finishes well, though most boards have little natural luster until finished. It's strong and hard-wearing, but it isn't durable outdoors, so keep it protected.Yellow Birch is used for cabinetry, furniture, flooring, boxes and crafts, and it's one of the most popular woods for veneer and plywood.

Roasted Flame Birch is flamed Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) that has been thermally modified. The wood is heated gradually to over 160°C in oxygen-free chambers, a natural, chemical-free process that changes the wood's structure and darkens it to a rich chocolate brown while keeping the flamed figure.Roasting makes the wood more dimensionally stable, but also a little more brittle, so it chips more easily than unmodified birch. That makes it a better fit for floors, tabletops, panels and cladding than for intricate joinery.Thermally modified wood is very dry and soaks up finish, so plan on a generous coat. Our in-house woodworker has had excellent results with Osmo Polyx-Oil.It's also available in wholesale quantities. See also unroasted Flame Birch.

Morado (Machaerium spp.) goes by many names, most commonly Pau Ferro and Bolivian Rosewood. It grows in Bolivia and Brazil, and earned the rosewood nickname for its similar color and density, though it isn't a true rosewood.It has a medium brown base with black streaks, sometimes with purple, tan and golden hues or an overall purplish tint. The grain is usually straight to slightly interlocked with a fine to medium texture and good luster.Straight-grained pieces are very easy to work, and it turns smoothly and finishes well. It's durable, though it can be attacked by insects, and its dust can irritate sensitive skin, so use dust extraction. It's tighter-grained than a typical rosewood and a little lighter.Morado is one of the closest non-rosewood alternatives to Brazilian Rosewood. Guitar makers value it for fretboards, backs and sides, with tight lows, present mids and clear highs, and it's been used on many production electric guitars. It's also used for furniture, cabinetry, flooring, knife handles and turnings. See also Santos Rosewood.

Spalted Maple isn't a species. It's maple with black lines and streaks caused by fungi in the early stages of decay, often in logs that have lain on the forest floor for a while before being sawn.The spalting creates random, dramatic patterns of black zone lines, sometimes with patches of pink, grey or cream, so every board is unique. Spalting can't be planned, so every piece is a one-off. The process is stopped once the wood is kiln-dried.Some pieces may have softer areas where the spalting is heavier, so check your stock, use sharp tools, and consider a sanding sealer or stabilizing before finishing. Sand with fine grits to avoid smearing the dark lines. Wear a dust mask, as fungal spores add to the dust.Spalted Maple is a favorite for turnings, bowls, boxes, guitar tops, furniture accents, carving and specialty pieces. For another spalted wood, see Spalted Tamarind, and for maple with beetle-trail streaks, see Ambrosia Maple.

Swamp Ash isn't a single species. It's the name for ash (Fraxinus) from trees growing with their roots in or near water, which produces the lightest, softest ash available.The wood is pale with an open grain. It's light and resonant yet stable, easy to work by hand or machine, and it steam-bends, sands, glues and stains well. Because ash gets denser further up the tree, the most sought-after boards come from the midsection down to the trunk.Swamp Ash is best known as an electric guitar body wood. Players and builders value its crisp highs, tight lows and scooped mids, and steady worldwide demand makes it the most expensive of the ashes.It's also used for boxes, turnings and flooring. For a harder, more general-purpose ash, see White Ash.

Ziricote (Cordia dodecandra) is one of the most striking exotic woods in the world, famous for its “landscape” or “spiderweb” grain. It grows in southern Mexico and parts of Central America.The color ranges from medium to dark brown, sometimes with a green or purple tint, with irregular black growth rings weaving through it. The sapwood is a dull off-white to pale yellow, and boards with sapwood left on can make for dramatic contrast.Although fairly dense, its mostly straight grain and fine texture make it cooperative to work. It cuts, turns, glues and finishes smoothly. It can be prone to end checking and surface cracks as it dries, so seal ends and store it carefully.Ziricote is a close relative of Bocote, and its dramatic figure has given it something of an elite status among exotic wood enthusiasts. It's prized by guitar makers as a visually stunning tonewood, with a bright, rosewood-like voice. Supply is limited and prices are high. It's also used for fine furniture, cabinetry, gun stocks, turnings, boxes and veneer.

Shedua (Guibourtia ehie), also called Ovangkol, is a West African hardwood and a cousin of Bubinga, though it looks quite different. It's a popular African tonewood.The heartwood ranges from light to medium yellow to light orange or reddish-brown, usually with darker brown or black stripes, and the sapwood is pale yellow. Tiger stripe, fiddleback and mottled figure turn up on occasion, and boards can vary so much they look like different species.The grain can be straight, wavy or interlocked, with a medium texture and nice luster. It's tough and durable and generally works well, though its silica can gum up blades, and interlocked boards can tear out. It turns, glues and finishes well.Guitar makers use it as a rosewood alternative for backs and sides, with a similar warm tone, and some denser pieces are used for fretboards. It's also used for electric guitar bodies, furniture, cabinetry, flooring, trim, turnings and veneer.

European Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), also called French Sycamore, is a true maple, not the American sycamore or plane tree. As with other maples, the pale sapwood is the part that's prized.The sapwood ranges from almost pure white to light cream, sometimes tinted golden or muted red, while the heartwood is a medium to dark reddish-brown. The grain is usually straight, sometimes wavy, and figured boards with strong curl or flame can be truly dramatic.Its fine, even texture makes it easy to work by hand or machine, though like other maples it can burn with dull cutters or slow feed rates. It turns, glues and finishes well, with a good natural luster, and its pale color takes stains and dyes evenly.European Sycamore has been the traditional wood for the backs, sides and necks of violins, violas, cellos and basses for centuries, valued for its resonance at a moderate weight, which is why it's usually sold quartersawn. It's also used for furniture, cabinetry, flooring, turnings and veneer. For a North American cousin, see Curly Hard Maple.

Tamboti (Spirostachys africana), also called African Sandalwood, is a beautiful southern African hardwood with a pleasant, sandalwood-like scent that lingers in finished pieces.The heartwood is brown to dark brown with darker markings and streaks, clearly set apart from the whitish to pale yellow sapwood. The grain is straight to slightly wavy and the texture fine and even, with a lovely banded figure and a satin luster that feels slightly oily to the touch.It's hard, heavy, very stable and exceptionally resistant to rot and insects. Its natural oils and latex tend to gum up saw blades, so clean blades often, but it turns, carves and finishes beautifully. The tree's sap is toxic and the sawdust can irritate eyes and skin, so wear eye protection and a mask, and never burn offcuts, as the smoke is harmful.Tamboti has long been a favorite of carvers and furniture makers in its home range. It's used for carving, turnings, furniture, cabinetry, flooring and specialty pieces such as boxes, pens and knife handles. See also Kiaat.

Burmese Teak (Tectona grandis), often called Genuine Teak, is one of the world's best-known woods. Teak from Myanmar has long been regarded as the benchmark, and it's prized less for its looks than for its toughness, rot resistance and durability.The heartwood is light to medium brown, with a tint from muted gold to pale red, and it darkens to a warm, rich brown with age. The sapwood is pale white to yellowish-brown. The grain is usually straight, sometimes wavy or interlocked, with a coarse, slightly oily feel.Its high natural oil content makes it very resistant to weather, water and insects, and it's exceptionally stable. It generally works well, but its silica content dulls blades quickly, so carbide tooling helps. The oils can affect glue joints and some finishes, so wipe surfaces with a solvent first.Teak has always done well around water, in boats, ships and docks, and steady demand keeps its price high. It's the classic wood for boatbuilding, decking and outdoor furniture, and it's also used for flooring, carving, turnings and veneer. See also Zambezi Teak.

Zambezi Teak (Baikiaea plurijuga), also called Rhodesian Teak or Mukusi, grows on the Kalahari sands of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. It isn't a true teak, but it shares Teak's stability, durability and rot resistance.The heartwood is reddish-brown with prominent, irregular black lines and flecks, and the sapwood is a pale muted pink that's clearly set apart. Unlike true Teak, it's extremely dense and hard, with low shrinkage and excellent stability once dry.The grain is generally straight or slightly interlocked with a fine texture, but its density makes it very difficult to work. Its silica content can quickly dull and gum up blades, so sharp carbide tooling is a must, and pre-drilling is needed for screws and nails. When moist, it can stain in contact with iron.Zambezi Teak is famous for hard-wearing flooring, and it was used for railway sleepers across southern Africa for many years. It's also used for turnings, carving, instrument parts and veneer. For genuine teak, see Burmese Teak.

African Walnut (Lovoa trichilioides), also called Dibetou or Congowood, grows in the tropical forests of West and Central Africa. It isn't a true walnut but a member of the mahogany family, though it shares many of walnut's qualities.The heartwood ranges from golden brown to reddish-brown, often with darker streaks, and it deepens to richer brown tones with age. The narrow sapwood is grey to beige. Quartersawn boards can show a ribbon stripe much like Sapele, and figured pieces turn up fairly often.The grain is straight or slightly interlocked, with a fine to medium, consistent texture and a fine natural luster. It works, turns, glues and finishes well, though sharp tools help avoid tear-out on interlocked boards. It's lighter in weight than American walnut, reasonably stable and moderately durable.African Walnut makes a handsome, more affordable alternative to true walnut for many projects. It's used for furniture, cabinetry, paneling, flooring, gun stocks, carving, boatbuilding and veneer. See also American Black Walnut.

Wenge (Millettia laurentii) is a tough Central African hardwood whose deep chocolate color is so distinctive that “wenge” has become the name of a color used by paint and furniture makers.The dark brown base sometimes carries muted gold, orange, red or burgundy tints, with overlapping black lines across the surface. The grain is generally straight, sometimes wavy or irregular, and quartersawn boards show a striking, even stripe.It's strong, durable, rot- and insect-resistant and very stable, and it glues well, though its coarse texture can make it hard to work. It's often described as dull, but in our experience fine-grit sanding of flat-sawn boards can bring out a surprisingly deep, glossy luster. It's very splintery, and its splinters are sharp and can easily become infected, so wear gloves, remove any splinters promptly and use good dust collection.Its combination of moderate weight, strength and durability makes it well suited to high-traffic flooring, as well as furniture, cabinetry, paneling, handles, bows and walking sticks. See also Panga Panga, its close cousin.

Yellowheart (Euxylophora paraensis), also called Pau Amarelo or Brazilian Satinwood, was once one of the most popular yellow woods around. True Yellowheart has now become almost impossible to find.The tree grows only in a small part of the Brazilian Amazon, mostly in Pará and Maranhão, where it occurs naturally at low densities. Decades of selective logging, along with forest clearing for cattle pasture and farming, are thought to have cut its wild population by half or more over the past 60 years. In 2014 Brazil added it to its official list of threatened species, which bans cutting, transporting and selling wild trees, and supply to the US has all but dried up. Much of the “Yellowheart” sold today is actually a different species.The color ranges from pale yellow to bright yellow and gold, and premium boards show a satiny, shimmering figure. It's fine-textured, durable and easy to work, and it finishes beautifully.We still have a small amount of legacy stock, bought before the ban, and once it's gone we won't be able to replace it. For the same golden look in a wood that's readily available, see Yellow Rosa or East Indian Satinwood.

African Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii) is a strong, very stable hardwood from Central and West Africa known for its bold color, and it's a reasonably priced exotic.Freshly cut, it's a vivid orange-red, deepening over time to a robust reddish-brown. Colors can range from bright orange to muted burgundy, with grain lines in brick red or purple. The best boards have long, straight grain with ribbon figure and deep chatoyance. A finish with UV protection helps keep the color bright.The grain is mostly straight, sometimes interlocked, with large pores and a texture similar to African Mahogany. It works and finishes very well, though its fine red dust gets everywhere and can irritate, so use good extraction. The trees grow over 100 feet tall, so long, wide boards are available.Padauk is durable and resistant to insects and termites, and it's been used outdoors in Africa for centuries. It's used for furniture, flooring, trim, handles, turnings, marimba and xylophone bars, and accents. For a related wood, see Kiaat.

Panga Panga (Millettia stuhlmannii) is an East African hardwood from Mozambique and neighboring countries, and a close cousin of Wenge. The two share a large-pored, coarse texture and some of the same working challenges.It's usually a little lighter than Wenge, with heartwood from medium to dark brown and dark brown to black streaks. Darker boards are easily mistaken for Wenge and can turn almost black with age. Quartersawn boards show a striking, even striped look.It's hard, heavy, durable and stable, and it machines well with sharp tools, though the coarse grain benefits from a filler for a smooth finish. Like Wenge, it splinters easily, and the splinters can become inflamed, so wear gloves and take care when handling it.Panga Panga is better known internationally than in the US, and it's a popular, premium choice for parquet flooring in the UK and Europe. It's also used for fine furniture, paneling, stair treads, trim, turnings and veneer. It offers Wenge's dramatic look with a little more warmth.

“Pau Ferro” means ironwood in Portuguese, and the name is used for several different woods. Ours is the East African Pau Ferro (Bobgunnia sp.), also known as Pau Rosa or Snake Bean, formerly classified in the Swartzia genus.It has a glorious color palette: a dark brown base with reds, oranges and yellows, sometimes with deep red-purple tones. It reminds us of an African sunset. The grain is often interlocked with a moderately coarse texture and good luster.It's hard and heavy to work, so sharp tools and patience help, but it turns and finishes well, and the color makes it worth the effort. It's very durable and stable once dry.It's used for turnings, furniture, cabinetry, flooring, knife handles and veneer. It's different from the South American Pau Ferro used for guitar fretboards, which we sell as Morado and Santos Rosewood. See also Pau Rosa.

Pau Marfim (Balfourodendron riedelianum), also called Ivorywood or Guatambu, is a dense, fine-textured South American hardwood from Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. “Marfim” means ivory in Portuguese, after its creamy white color.Its color can range from lemon to a pale yellowish-brown, with little contrast between heartwood and sapwood, though darker streaks sometimes appear. The grain is mostly straight with a very fine, even texture, and density can vary with growing conditions.It's extremely tough and very stable, and it turns excellently. It nails, screws and glues easily and polishes to a smooth, fine finish. It's harder to work than Maple or Birch, and it isn't decay-resistant, so finish it well for outdoor use.Pau Marfim looks a lot like Maple or Birch but is more wear-resistant, which makes it an excellent light-colored flooring. It's also used for tool handles, furniture, cabinetry, carving, turnings, guitar parts and even oars and canoes. For a similar pale wood, see Hard Maple.

African Rosewood (Guibourtia coleosperma), also called False Mopane or Rhodesian Copalwood, grows in the dry woodlands of southern Africa. It's in the same genus as Bubinga, which is why Bubinga is often mistakenly called African Rosewood. It isn't a true rosewood, but it often has a similar look.The heartwood ranges from pink to reddish-brown with purple or red streaks. The grain is generally straight, sometimes interlocked, with a moderately fine texture and a good luster.It works well, though it can blunt tools, and it glues and finishes well. It needs slow, careful drying to avoid warping and cracking, but it's durable and stable once dry, which makes it suitable for outdoor as well as indoor use.The tree has many traditional uses in Africa: its seeds are eaten and pressed for oil, and its bark yields a red dye used to stain furniture. As lumber, it's used for flooring, furniture, decking, millwork, turnings and veneer.

Santos Rosewood (Machaerium spp.) is more often called Pau Ferro, Bolivian Rosewood or Morado. It grows in Bolivia and Brazil, and it isn't a true rosewood, but its color and density are close, which earned it the name.It has a medium brown base with black streaks, sometimes with purple, tan and golden hues or an overall purplish tint. The grain is mostly straight with a fine to medium texture.Straight-grained boards are very easy to work, and it turns smoothly and finishes well. It's quite durable, though it can be attacked by insects, and its dust can irritate sensitive skin. A much denser wood, Brazilian Ironwood, is also sometimes sold as Pau Ferro, but most of what's available in the US is the lighter Bolivian type.Santos Rosewood is a popular Brazilian Rosewood substitute, especially for guitar fretboards, with a tight grain and a clear, focused tone that's a little brighter than rosewood. It's also used for furniture, cabinetry, flooring, knife handles, turnings and veneer.We separate Santos Rosewood from Morado, because we have two different sources of material that differ somewhat. The same genus, but this material is far more rustic than our Morado which is the quality, grain pattern and color you will likely be more familiar with.

Santos Mahogany (Myroxylon balsamum), also called Cabreuva or Balsamo, grows across Central and South America. It isn't a true mahogany, but it shares much of the look. The tree is also the source of Balsam of Tolu and Balsam of Peru, aromatic resins used in medicine and perfumery.The heartwood ranges from muted yellow-orange to, more commonly, a deep red, and it darkens with age. Figured, chatoyant boards are common. That's where the similarities with mahogany end. It's much heavier and roughly twice as hard as typical mahogany, with a medium texture.The grain is usually interlocked, which makes it harder to work, and it can blunt blades. Its natural oils can complicate gluing but give it a beautiful luster and finish, along with a faint, pleasant scent.Santos Mahogany's toughness and durability make it a popular choice for flooring in the US, as well as furniture, stair treads, construction and veneer. For a lighter, true mahogany, see Genuine Mahogany.

Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) is an important African hardwood from the mahogany family, grown across tropical West and Central Africa. It's one of the most popular substitutes for Genuine Mahogany, at a significantly lower price.Its color ranges from light golden brown to darker reddish or pinkish-brown, darkening with age. It's moderately durable and stable, with a beautiful natural luster and a faint cedar-like scent when cut.Sapele is famous for its figure, especially the ribbon stripe on quartersawn boards, and you'll also find pommele, quilted, mottled, waterfall, beeswing and fiddleback. Highly figured boards can command high prices. It works, turns and finishes beautifully, though interlocked grain can tear out when planed, so take light final passes.The trees grow very large, so wide, long boards are readily available. Sapele is used for furniture, cabinetry, doors, windows, guitar backs, sides and necks, boatbuilding, flooring, turnings and veneer. For a close cousin, see Sipo.

Makore (Tieghemella heckelii), sometimes called African Cherry or Cherry Mahogany, is a beautiful hardwood from the rainforests of West Africa. It's strong and durable for its moderate density, it's often used as a mahogany substitute, and it has served many roles in its native Africa for centuries.The heartwood ranges from pink to light and medium reddish-brown, with clearly paler yellow sapwood. Quartersawn boards often show striped, mottled or even beeswing figure, with a fine, even texture and a lovely luster.It's usually straight-grained and easy to work, though some boards are wavy or interlocked, and it turns well. Its silica content can dull blades, so carbide tools help, but it gives the wood a fine luster and causes no trouble with gluing or finishing. The fine dust can irritate, so use good extraction.The trees grow very tall, so long, wide and thick boards are available. Makore is used for fine furniture, cabinetry, boatbuilding, flooring, turnings and veneer, and its color makes it a handsome alternative to Cherry.

Marblewood (Zygia racemosa) is a South American hardwood that gets its name from its marble-like look: pale yellow wood streaked with dark brown, purple or black.Only the heartwood carries the striping, which is random and irregular, so no two pieces are alike. It looks a little like Zebrawood, but it's coarser and unrelated. Premium boards have bold, high-contrast stripes with few defects.It's heavy, dense and strong, which can make it hard to work, especially where the grain is interlocked, but it's very stable and can be sliced thin and hold its shape. It's also resinous, so thorough kiln-drying is essential if you plan to finish it. Small surface checks that won't sand out are common, so pick boards carefully. Sharp blades and a bit of patience deliver stunning results.Marblewood is popular with turners, and its strength and durability also suit flooring, furniture, cabinetry, carving, knife handles and veneer. For another striped wood, see Goncalo Alves.

Mopane (Colophospermum mopane) is one of the densest, most stable and durable woods in the world, and still one of southern Africa's best-kept secrets. The tree is known for its butterfly-shaped leaves and is an important food source for the mopane worm, a local delicacy. We stock the roots, and the details here describe the wood.The heartwood is medium to dark brown with a golden to reddish tint, often with black streaks. It's very resistant to insects and has long been used outdoors in its native region. Root pieces offer some of the most interesting figure, with swirling grain and natural shapes.The interlocked grain and great density make it hard to work, but it turns smoothly, polishes to a deep luster and holds fine detail. The trees grow wide and irregular, so large boards are rare.Mopane has been used for centuries for carved woodwind instruments and is valued for its tone, similar to African Blackwood, and it's used today for bagpipe chanters and clarinets. It's a favorite with turners and carvers, and root pieces make striking bowls, bases and natural-edge art.

Nogal (Juglans spp.), also known as Peruvian Walnut or Tropical Walnut, is a true walnut that grows in the Andean regions of Central and South America.It's typically darker than American Black Walnut, a deep chocolate brown, often with black lines and occasionally a purple tint. Like Black Walnut, it's usually straight-grained with a medium to coarse texture and good luster, though figure is less common.It's very easy to work, stain, glue and finish, though irregular grain can tear out when planed. It's slow to dry, so it's usually cut into 4/4 boards and carefully air-dried before kilning. It's moderately durable but best kept indoors, as it can attract insects.Nogal has a density and working properties very similar to Black Walnut, making it a great alternative when you want an even darker tone. It's used for furniture, cabinetry, flooring, interior paneling, gun stocks and veneer.

Red Oak (Quercus rubra), also called Northern Red Oak, grows across the eastern US and Canada. It's one of America's most popular hardwoods thanks to its strength, hardness and moderate price.The heartwood is light brown with a reddish tint, and the sapwood can be hard to tell apart. The grain is usually straight, with a coarse texture and large, open pores, and quartersawn boards show the ray fleck oaks are known for.It works, glues and finishes well, and it takes stain evenly, which makes it easy to match existing furniture. It shrinks a fair amount as it dries, so quartersawn stock is the most stable choice. Its open pores let water through, so it isn't durable outdoors and isn't suitable for boats.Red Oak is a favorite with furniture builders and cabinetmakers and has long been a staple of American interiors, from floors and trim to kitchen cabinets. It's also used for handles, stair parts and veneer. For a more durable, water-resistant oak, see White Oak.

Slavonian Oak (Quercus robur) is European Oak from Slavonia, a region of eastern Croatia whose slow-grown forests produce some of Europe's finest oak. It's rarely seen in the US.It's best known for wine barrels, where its tight grain is said to mellow the taste and texture of the wine, and it's a long-time favorite of Italian winemakers. The heartwood is light to medium brown, sometimes with a greenish hue. The grain is mostly straight, sometimes interlocked or irregular, and the texture coarse.Quartersawn boards show dramatic ray fleck and are the most stable. It's tough and durable, steam-bends well, and is easy to work, gluing, staining and finishing well. Like all oaks, it can stain dark when in contact with iron.Besides barrels, it's used for fine furniture, cabinetry, flooring, boatbuilding and veneer, and its renown in the wine trade dates back centuries. See also White Oak and Bog Oak, the same species preserved in a peat bog.

White Oak (Quercus alba) has long been one of America's preeminent hardwoods. It grows across the central and eastern US, and the trees can live for hundreds of years. One in New Jersey is estimated to be over 600 years old.The heartwood ranges from light golden tan to light and medium brown. The grain is straight, and quartersawn boards show the ray fleck oak is famous for. Its pores are plugged with growths called tyloses, which make it watertight, so it's the classic wood for whiskey and wine barrels.It's the most durable of the oaks and steam-bends well, which is why it has been used in boatbuilding for centuries. Despite its coarse texture, it works, glues, stains and finishes very well. It shrinks a lot, so quartersawn stock gives the most stable results. Like all oaks, it can stain when in contact with iron.White Oak is used for furniture, Mission and Arts and Crafts pieces, cabinetry, flooring, boats, barrels and veneer. For a more affordable oak, see Red Oak.

Imbuia (Ocotea porosa) is a Brazilian hardwood often called Brazilian Walnut, though apart from its brown color it doesn't look much like true walnut. It grows in the cool highland forests of southern Brazil.The heartwood ranges from olive to chocolate brown, sometimes with yellowish or reddish streaks, and its grain is wild and unpredictable. Premium boards show figure that adds to its “delightfully irregular” character. Lighter sapwood can create a striking contrast with the pale to medium golden-brown heartwood. Freshly cut, it has a pleasant, spicy scent.It works well with hand and machine tools, turns nicely and finishes to a soft luster. Density varies with growing conditions, and some boards are noticeably heavier than walnut. Mature trees grow large, so big boards are possible when the wood can be sourced.Imbuia has never been widely available in the US, and supply has become scarcer, but it's a truly distinctive wood for fine furniture, cabinetry, gun stocks, turnings and veneer. If you like the look of walnut, see also Nogal.

Ipe (Handroanthus spp.) is known across Central and South America as an extremely dense, durable wood. It covers several species, so its color and grain vary quite a bit. In flooring it's sometimes sold as “Brazilian Walnut,” though it isn't related to walnut.It can be a deep chocolate brown with a reddish tint, or more olive-toned with hints of yellow, orange or red, often with darker striping and occasional mottled figure. Left outdoors unfinished, it weathers to a silver grey.The grain can be straight, irregular or interlocked, and the texture fine to medium with good luster. It's famously hard on saw blades, so carbide tooling is a must, and you should pre-drill for fasteners. Straight-grained pieces plane and turn well, but always use your sharpest tools, and note that some boards contain a powdery yellow deposit called lapachol. Wear a dust mask, as the dust can irritate.Ipe is virtually impossible to wear out and resists insects, rot and fire, which makes it a favorite for decking, boardwalks and flooring. It's also used for outdoor furniture, handles, turnings and veneer. For a similar alternative, see Cumaru.

Iroko (Milicia spp.) is a tough, durable hardwood from tropical West and Central Africa that's often used in place of Teak. It's one of Africa's most important timbers.Its golden to medium brown color, coarse texture and interlocked grain give it a very Teak-like look. Freshly cut, it can be quite yellow, but it darkens to a richer brown with age and light exposure.It's lighter than Teak but resistant to rot and insects and strong for its weight, with good stability once dry. Despite the interlocked grain, it isn't difficult to work, and it glues and finishes well. Occasional hard mineral deposits can dull blades, and the dust can irritate, so wear a mask when machining.Iroko has long been used across Africa in many of the same roles Teak fills elsewhere. It's a great choice for boatbuilding, outdoor furniture, decking, flooring, cabinetry, countertops and general construction, and it offers Teak-like performance at a friendlier price.