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African Padauk
Wood Flooring Species
Scientific Name:
Pterocarpus soyauxii
Other Names and Species:
African Coralwood
African Padauk
Barwood
Bosulu
Comwood
Corail
Mbe
Mbil
Mtuti
Ngula
Vermillion
Yomo
Origin:
Central and tropical West Africa, especially in dense equatorial rain forest regions.
Appearance:
Although the sapwood of padauk tends to be a very uniform cream or pale-beige color, the heartwood is prized for its rich reddish-orange tone, which over time seasons nicely to a dark reddish- or purple-brown color, or even black. Padauk has a moderately coarse texture, with large pores and a grain that can be straight or interlocked.
Properties:
Harder and more stable than northern red oak, padauk is heavy and strong and has an average to high durability. It has excellent weathering qualities and is highly resistant to decay.
Janka Hardness: 1725
As a flooring option, padauk is one of the harder wood species. It is over one-third harder than red oak, just over eighteen percent harder than hard maple, about five percent harder than wenge, and approaches seventy-eight percent of santos mahogany’s ranking of 2200.
Workability:
Padauk saws well, but because of its hardness and density it requires a slow saw rate. For best results, carbide tools are recommended. Although it machines easily, there may be some tearing of the interlocked grain. It sands satisfactorily and has good holding ability. Padauk can be finished to an eyecatching sheen without the need for staining. The wood has a tendency to bleed when finished with stains, but it has been found that water-based finishes may hold color better than other types when applied to padauk.
Principal Uses:
This exceptionally vivid and striking wood species is most often used for decorative purposes, as in wood flooring and veneers, inlay, boat building, fine joinery, fancy turnery, tool and knife handles, and carvings.
Learn more about available grades of
Padauk hardwood flooring »
