Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera), also called Horse Apple or Bodark, is a dense, durable hardwood from the south-central United States, named after the Osage Nation, who prized it for bows. It has striking color.The heartwood starts out bright golden yellow and darkens over time to a deeper golden brown, sometimes with reddish streaks. A finish with UV protection slows the change. The grain is usually straight with a fine to medium texture, and the wood fluoresces under black light.It's hard and dense, which makes it tough to work, but it turns and finishes well. It's one of the most rot-resistant woods in North America, and fence posts made from it are famous for lasting generations. Trees are often short and knotty, so long, clear boards are scarce.It's the classic wood for archery bows, and it's also used for fence posts, tool handles, turnings, pens and specialty pieces. Its South American relative, Argentine Osage Orange, comes in larger sizes with fewer knots.

Genuine Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), also called Honduran, Brazilian or Big-leaf Mahogany, is the species most people mean when they say “mahogany.” It grows from Mexico to the Amazon and has long been an important wood throughout Latin America.The color ranges from pale pink to light and medium reddish-brown, deepening to a rich, warm red-brown with age, and it's renowned for its chatoyance. The grain is usually straight but can be interlocked, irregular or wavy, with a fine, even texture and a rich luster. Ribbon and fiddleback figure appear in some boards.It's famously easy to work: it cuts, planes, carves, glues and finishes beautifully, and it's very stable once dry. Wood from natural forests is generally considered more durable and stable than plantation-grown stock, which now makes up much of the supply.Genuine Mahogany is a classic for fine furniture, cabinetry, boats, guitars, carving and turnings. Tighter supply has given rise to substitutes such as Sapele and African Mahogany, but demand for the real thing remains strong.

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.

Ambrosia Maple isn't a species. It's maple, most often Red or Sugar Maple, marked with colorful streaks and small holes left by the ambrosia beetle. It's sometimes called Wormy Maple.The beetle burrows into the tree and carries a fungus with it, which feeds its young. As the fungus spreads through the sap, it stains the wood with streaks, mostly blue-grey and sometimes greenish or brown, around the small tunnels. The beetles prefer freshly cut, drying wood and don't return once it's been kiln-dried, so the holes are no cause for concern.The result is a darker, more characterful surface than plain maple, with the same high luster and often other maple figure too, so every board is unique. It works as easily as any maple. Fill the beetle holes with epoxy or leave them as they are, and go slowly with high-speed tools, as maple can burn.Ambrosia Maple isn't durable outdoors, but it's stable enough for furniture, tabletops, guitars, cutting boards, turnings, crafts and veneer. For another naturally marked maple, see Spalted Maple.

Soft Maple isn't a single species. It's the name for the lighter maples, and ours is Red Maple (Acer rubrum), the heaviest and most common of them, found across the eastern US and Canada. Like all our maples, it's a Maine local.As with all maples, the pale white to golden sapwood is valued more than the darker heartwood. The grain is usually straight with a fine, even texture, and it's only slightly softer than Hard Maple, so it's hard enough for most furniture.It's a little easier to work than Hard Maple, and it machines, turns, glues and finishes well. Go slowly with high-speed tools, as maple can burn, and test stains first, as it can blotch. Figure can be dramatic, from tiger stripe and fiddleback to the occasional quilt.Its extra weight makes Red Maple the most useful of the soft maples for furniture and utility work. Soft Maple is a versatile, affordable choice for cabinetry, painted furniture, boxes, turnings, millwork and veneer. For figured stock, see Curly Soft Maple.

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.

Silky Oak (Cardwellia sublimis) is an Australian hardwood from the rainforests of northern Queensland. It isn't a true oak but a member of the protea family, though it shares the look, with large rays and flecked figure that can be very dramatic on quartersawn faces.It's light to medium reddish-brown, with slightly darker rays ranging from muted brown to grey, and a silky sheen that gives it its name. It's easily mistaken for Lacewood, which looks and weighs much the same.Its coarse texture and flecks can make planing tricky, but otherwise it's easy to work, and it glues and finishes well. It's more durable than American oaks, and a clear finish makes the flecks shimmer.Supply to the US is sporadic, so it isn't widely known here. In Australia it has a long history in fine furniture and cabinetry. It's used for furniture, cabinetry, boxes, turnings, guitar backs and veneer. For a similar flecked look, see Leopardwood.

Leopardwood (Roupala brasiliensis), also called Brazilian Lacewood, is a South American hardwood named for the tightly grouped flecks that cover its surface.It's almost always quartersawn to show off this leopard-spot figure, which comes from the wood's large rays. It's medium to dark reddish-brown, and before sanding, the raised flecks give the surface a real three-dimensional look. Its color deepens with age, and a clear finish makes the flecks stand out.It's fairly hard to work, and its uneven texture can tear out when planed, so take light passes with sharp blades or use a drum sander for final surfacing. It glues and finishes well once surfaced, and it turns nicely.Leopardwood is often confused with Lacewood, which has a similar pattern but is much lighter and less dense. Its striking figure makes it a favorite for fine furniture, cabinetry, boxes, guitar backs, turnings and veneer, where a little goes a long way as an accent. For a similar flecked look, see Silky Oak.

Louro Preto (Cordia spp.), also called Laurel Negro, is a South American hardwood and a close relative of Bocote and Ziricote, though it's often overshadowed by them.The heartwood is typically medium brown with red and green tints, sometimes with bold dark brown lines and streaks, and it darkens considerably with exposure to light. The sapwood is pale and easy to spot. The grain is calmer than its cousins', usually straight or somewhat irregular, with a fine to medium texture and the impressive natural luster typical of the genus.Despite its natural oils, it usually glues well, and it's easy to work, though some boards contain silica, which can dull blades. It turns smoothly and finishes to a lovely sheen.Supply in the US has always been limited, partly because demand has gone to its flashier cousins, but Louro Preto is a handsome, understated choice for furniture, cabinetry, boxes, guitar backs and sides, turnings and veneer.

African Mahogany (Khaya spp.) covers four closely related species and is one of Africa's most commercially important woods. It grows across tropical West and Central Africa and is a strong, tough, durable wood with many of the same qualities as Genuine Mahogany.Depending on origin and species, it ranges from pale pink or muted orange to darker reddish or golden brown, sometimes with darker stripes, and it deepens in color over time. Ribbon, wavy and mottled figure and varying chatoyance can make it very attractive.The grain is straight or interlocked, with a medium to coarse texture. It works, turns and finishes easily, though interlocked boards can tear out when planed, so take light passes. It glues well and takes stain evenly.Its popularity as a mahogany substitute has led to plantations in Latin America as well as Africa. It's used for fine furniture, cabinetry, boatbuilding, guitar necks and bodies, turnings, millwork and veneer. For a close alternative, see Sapele.

Granadillo (Platymiscium spp.), also known as Hormigo or Macacauba, is known throughout Central America as “the wood that sings.” It's been a popular rosewood alternative with guitar builders ever since Brazilian Rosewood was placed under the strictest CITES protection in 1992.It's slightly less dense than a typical rosewood and much less oily. The base is brown, highlighted with muted purples, reds, oranges and golds, and the color deepens toward a richer reddish-brown with age. The grain is mostly straight, sometimes interlocked, with a medium texture.It works and finishes very well, with a natural luster, and strong chatoyance often appears after finish sanding. Because it's less oily than true rosewoods, it glues more easily, which makes it a practical choice for instrument building.Granadillo is a beautiful, slightly more affordable rosewood substitute with more than 50 years of use as a tonewood, especially for guitar backs, sides and fretboards, and for marimba bars. It's also popular for furniture, handles, inlay and turnings. See also its relative, Red Canarywood.

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.

Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis), also called Brazilian Kingwood or Violetwood, is one of the densest rosewoods and one of the most colorful. It grows in northeastern Brazil and has been prized by European furniture makers since the 17th century, when it was a favorite for royal cabinetry and marquetry.The reddish-brown heartwood is streaked with dark violet to black, and the pale yellow sapwood often adds dramatic contrast. The grain is usually straight, sometimes wavy or interlocked, with a fine, even texture and natural luster.Logs tend to check and crack, so clean, defect-free boards are rare, especially in larger sizes. It's very rot- and insect-resistant, and its oils can make gluing tricky, so wipe joints with a solvent first. It's also hard on tools, but it turns beautifully and polishes to a glassy finish.Kingwood is a favorite for fine inlay, banding, custom knife handles, pens and turnings, and it's also used for gun stocks, small boxes and veneer. For a softer-colored rosewood, see Tulipwood.

Koa (Acacia koa) is one of Hawaii's most beautiful native hardwoods and grows only on the Hawaiian Islands. It's sometimes compared to mahogany in appearance, and it holds a special place in Hawaiian culture, traditionally used for canoes and surfboards.It's generally medium to reddish brown, though color varies a lot, from golden to deep chocolate. Figured boards with strong curl and chatoyance are highly prized and can seem to glow under finish.It's quite stable and fairly easy to work, except where the grain is highly figured or interlocked, where sharp tools and light passes help. It glues and finishes well, and a clear finish brings out its depth.Koa is a very popular instrument wood with a rich, warm tone, used widely for guitar backs and sides, tops and ukuleles. It's also used for fine furniture, gun stocks, turnings, boxes, veneer and specialty pieces. Supply is limited, and highly figured boards command a premium. For a similar look at a friendlier price, see Australian Blackwood.

Amara Ebony (Diospyros celebica) is generally regarded as the same species as Macassar Ebony, with Amara coming only from Indonesia. Its different look is put down to local soil conditions, and it's a wood rarely seen in the US.It's typically deep chocolate brown with pink striping, but we've also seen boards with greens and reds, more like Malaysian Blackwood, and others with gold and orange hues. Some show “landscape” grain patterns that make them look like a cross between the two. The sapwood is tan.The grain is more often wavy or irregular than straight, with a fine texture and a nice natural luster. We've found it slightly less dense than Macassar Ebony, and despite its density it works well, turning and polishing to a beautiful finish. Sharp tools help, and the fine dust is best handled with good extraction.Amara is a distinctive choice for carving, inlay, turnings, boxes, furniture accents, veneer and specialty pieces, anywhere you want an ebony that's a little out of the ordinary.

Indian Ebony (Diospyros ebenum), also called Ceylon Ebony, is a true ebony from southern India and Sri Lanka that has long been used in place of Gabon Ebony. At first glance the two can be almost impossible to tell apart.It's jet black, often with subtle brown or muted orange streaks and occasional pale sapwood. The grain is straight or slightly irregular and the texture very fine, and its natural oils give it excellent polish and a deep luster.It's a little less hard than Gabon Ebony but still very hard and durable, and turners love how smoothly it works. It cuts cleanly with sharp tools and holds fine detail, though its oils mean gluing benefits from a solvent wipe first.Indian Ebony is used for high-end guitar fretboards, especially by players who want the look of ebony with a slightly softer feel, as well as for turnings, inlay, chess pieces and carving. Exports from South Asia are tightly restricted, so supply in the US is scarce, and it offers the look of Gabon Ebony at a somewhat more accessible price when you can find it.

Macassar Ebony (Diospyros celebica) comes from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and is one of Southeast Asia's best-known exotics. It's one of our favorites, with a classic striped look that has been prized for luxury furniture since the Art Deco era.Deep brown dominates, with stripes that can include green, yellow, burgundy, red, orange and even peach in the best pieces. Stripes are usually broad and bold, often twisting and overlapping, and boards with fine, tight, even striping are rarer and more desirable. The sapwood ranges from dull tan to light golden brown.Like other dense woods, it can be hard to work and hard on blades, and it's prone to checking, so store it carefully. It rewards the effort with a superb finish, polishing to a deep, glassy luster.Macassar Ebony is in constant demand for veneer and is prized by guitar makers for backs, sides and fretboards, where its density gives a bright, clear tone. It's also used for cabinetry, pool cues, turnings, boxes and inlay. See also Amara Ebony.

Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), known in Japan as Sugi, is the country's national tree. It's planted at temples and sacred sites across Japan, and some ancient trees are famous landmarks in their own right. It's prized for its scented, strong but lightweight timber, and it's been planted well beyond Japan, including in South Africa.The wood is reddish-pink to light brown, straight-grained and medium-textured, often with a pleasant, clean fragrance. It's strong for its weight and resists water well, which is why it has been used in Japanese boat and ship building for centuries.Knots are fairly common, as you'd expect from a cedar, but otherwise it works very easily with hand and power tools, and it glues, stains and finishes well. It's soft, so it dents more easily than hardwoods.Japanese Cedar is used for construction, interior paneling, furniture, boatbuilding, carving and turnings, and it's a traditional choice for Japanese architecture and woodwork. Our Japanese Cedar was grown in South Africa, where the species was introduced and does well. If you like light, fragrant softwoods, see also Western Red Cedar.

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) is one of America's most important hardwoods and a long-time favorite for fine furniture. It grows across the eastern United States, with some of the finest timber coming from Pennsylvania and New York.Freshly cut, it's tan to light brown with a pink or red tint, and it ages to the rich reddish-brown (russet) that stains on other woods try to imitate. That color change happens quickly with light exposure. The sapwood is pale yellow, and small dark gum flecks and pith marks are part of its natural character.The grain is straight to irregular, the texture fine and even, and the density moderate. It's one of the most cooperative, user-friendly hardwoods around: easy to work, strong for its weight, stable and durable. It can blotch when stained, but with color like this there's rarely a reason to stain it. Go slowly with high-speed tools, as it can burn.Cherry is used for fine furniture, cabinetry, millwork, flooring, turnings and veneer, and occasionally for guitar necks and bodies. For figured stock, see Curly Cherry.

Curly Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) is the figured version of American Cherry, with bold, shimmering curl running across the grain. The best boards are quite dramatic, with the stripes appearing to move as you tilt the piece in the light.Freshly cut, it's tan to light brown with a pink or red tint, and it ages to a rich reddish-brown that deepens over the years. The grain is straight to irregular, the texture fine, and the density moderate.It's one of the most cooperative hardwoods to work, and it's strong for its weight, stable and durable. Take light passes with a sharp blade to avoid tear-out in the figure, and finish with an oil or clear finish to make the curl glow. It can blotch if stained, but the natural color and figure are the reason to buy it.Curly Cherry is the most sought-after form of this classic American wood, ideal for fine furniture, cabinetry, boxes, drawer fronts and instrument parts where the figure can show. Its stability has also earned it a place in guitar necks and bodies. See also plain Black Cherry.

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) is a common, reasonably priced hardwood with a pale cream color, often tinted pink or light reddish-brown.The grain is usually straight, sometimes wavy, and the texture medium. It cuts, turns, glues and finishes very well, with a moderate natural luster, and it steam-bends nicely. It's similar to Maple in hardness and density, so it's sometimes used in its place. It can move with changes in humidity, and it isn't durable outdoors.Flat-sawn boards are fairly plain and mostly go to utility work, while quartersawn pieces show an attractive silvery fleck that suits furniture and instruments. Steamed beech veneer takes on a pleasant golden brown.Beech is used for furniture, flooring, turnings and specialty items. See also European Beech.

European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) is one of the most popular and commercially important hardwoods in Europe, thanks to its large supply and modest price. It's slightly harder than its American cousin.The wood is pale cream, often with a pink or light reddish-brown tint. The grain is straight and the texture medium, and it machines, turns, glues and finishes easily. Large trees yield long, wide boards.It's strong, tough and steam-bends very well, which is why it has been used in European boatbuilding for centuries. Like all beech it isn't durable outdoors and can move in service, so well-dried, quartersawn stock is the best choice where stability matters.European Beech is used for furniture, cabinetry, flooring, turnings, instruments and veneer. See also American Beech.

Berlinia (Berlinia spp.) is a West African hardwood sold in the US as Ebiara or Red Zebrawood. It's a fairly new arrival on the US market, and a moderately priced one.The heartwood ranges from pale yellow to, more typically, a muted reddish-brown, with darker stripes that can be regular or irregular. That's where the comparison with Zebrawood comes from, and the two are in fact related.The grain is straight or interlocked and the texture medium to coarse, with good natural luster and occasional figure and chatoyance. It cuts, turns, glues and finishes smoothly, though interlocked boards can tear out, so take light final passes.Berlinia suits furniture, cabinetry, turnings, veneer and specialty items, and luthiers and turners are starting to take an interest in it.

Flame Birch isn't a separate species. It's Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) with a bold, wavy flamed figure running across the grain.The heartwood ranges from pale yellow to a light reddish-brown, with grayish-white sapwood. The best boards show wide, dramatic curl, similar to figured Cherry, that shimmers under a clear finish.It works easily and turns, glues and finishes well, though most boards have little natural luster until finished. It isn't durable outdoors, so keep it protected.Flame Birch is a favorite for boxes, turnings, crafts and specialty pieces where the figure can take center stage, and the best logs go to veneer. For a darker, more stable version, see Roasted Flame Birch.

Australian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon), also called Acacia Blackwood, is a close cousin of Hawaiian Koa, and it's growing in popularity with guitar makers and furniture builders. Despite the name, it isn't black.The tree is native to Australia, but our stock is grown in South Africa, where it was introduced in the 1800s and is now grown commercially. That shorter, more direct supply line makes it a far more cost-effective choice than imported Australian or Hawaiian woods, with the same good looks.The heartwood ranges from light golden brown to darker browns, often with streaks of other colors, and it's clearly set apart from the tan to light grey sapwood. The grain runs from straight to wavy or interlocked, with a fine texture and an impressive luster. Figured boards with Koa-like shimmer turn up only occasionally, so they're worth snapping up when they do. Apart from occasional tear-out, it works easily, and it turns, glues and finishes well.Tough, durable and good for bending, it's used for guitar backs and sides, furniture, cabinetry, boatbuilding, gun stocks and turnings.