African mahogany is pink when first cut. Over time, it darkens to a reddish-brown, with streaks of pale, golden brown. The sapwood is yellowish-brown in color, and is not always distinctly demarcated from the heartwood. The grain is usually interlocked, giving the wood a distinctive fine grain. The texture is even, and ranges from medium […]

The sapwood is golden light brown in color and clearly demarcated from the orange-brown heartwood. The heartwood tends to be lightly streaked and turns brownish-yellow with exposure to light and air. Streaks tend to darken with exposure and may become a deep crimson-brown with bands of lighter golden brown. In appearance, Afrormosia can resemble fine-grained […]

Alder, when freshly cut, is very pale, almost white in color. As it begins to oxidize, the color grows deeper and takes on golden and red tones. Heartwood occurs only in trees of advanced age. The boundary between Alder sapwood and heartwood is virtually invisible. The wood has a fine, uniform textured with a straight, […]

Aniegre is a blonde wood with sapwood that is not well demarcated. The heartwood ranges in tone from cream and yellowish-white to tan with a pinkish tinge, and generally presents an even color. Aniegre is about the same weight as African Mahogany with a medium to coarse texture. The texture is fine in higher wood […]

Cedar is known for its attractive red color and sweet smell. The heartwood ranges in color from medium reddish-brown to a deep orange-red. Growth rings are clearly visible with strong contrast between early wood zones and denser, late wood zones. The grain is usually straight, although sometimes marred by knots, and has a coarse texture. […]

Ash is a ring-porous wood with prominent growth ring patterns. The sapwood is light in color and can vary from a creamy color to nearly white. Depending on the species, the heartwood can vary in color from pale yellow to light brown with greyish tones, sometimes tinged with red. A very straight-grained wood, Ash can […]

Avodire is an attractive wood with a golden yellow cast and a clear grain. The sapwood is very similar in color to the heartwood, which is creamy white to pale yellow, darkening with exposure to air and light to a deeper golden color. The moderately fine grain is sometimes straight, but more often wavy or […]

The sapwood of Basswood is very pale and may appear white or cream-colored, or a pale, pinkish-tan. The heartwood is also very pale with occasional brown or reddish streaks. The very light tones of both sapwood and heartwood make it difficult to differentiate between the two. The wood is relatively soft for a hardwood, and […]

Depending on the species, Birch sapwood appears light, with a cream-like or white color. The heartwood may be light reddish-brown or dark brown tinged with red. The close, straight grain is finely textured and uniform in appearance, with the grain more prominent in Yellow Birch than Paper Birch. On occasion, some Birch species will present […]

Black Limba is a close, straight-grained timber that can sometimes have interlocked or wavy grain that produces excellent figure. It has a moderately coarse texture and open pores that require filling for a smooth surface. The color has varying degrees of brown to black, with a tinge of orange streaking. The heartwood may have grey-black […]

The sapwood of bloodwood is clearly demarcated and yellowish in color. The heartwood varies in color from red with a golden luster, to a deep, rich reddish-brown. The grain ranges from straight to slightly interlocked and wavy. It is fine textured and enhanced by a satiny appearance. Formal Name: Brosimum rubescens Other Names: Satine, Satinwood, […]

Brazilian Ebony is a dense, heavy wood that can be found in a wide range of colors and figures, from solid with even color, to streaked and marble-like figure. The heartwood ranges from olive brown to near black and can have lighter or darker markings that are sharply separated from the sapwood, which is lighter […]

Bubinga sapwood is very pale with clear demarcations. A variety of colors can be found in the heartwood, which includes pink, vivid red, or red-brown with purple veining. On exposure, the veining becomes less conspicuous, and the deep colors fade to yellow or medium brown with a reddish tint. Bubinga has a fine, even texture […]

Cherry heartwood offers a beautiful, light reddish-brown color that darkens with age and exposure to sunlight. Some heartwoods take on reddish tones similar to Mahogany and deepen over time to a dark reddish-brown with golden overtones. The sapwood can be very light, ranging in shades from white to pale yellow. The straight, tight, satiny grain […]

Cypress sapwood varies in color from degrees of pale yellow to light brown, gradually darkening into the heartwood, which can range from reddish brown to nearly black. Heartwood from trees in southern swamplands is darker in color than cypress grown further north in drier climates. The wood is coarse with a straight grain and a […]

The heartwood is a pale yellow-brown or “biscuit” color that may range from light tan to deep brown in color. It is usually straight-grained, but cross-grained material can occur in slow growing trees. English Oak displays conspicuous growth rings and has a coarse texture. The sapwood is easily distinguished from the heartwood, though similar in […]

The heartwood of European Beech is pale in color, ranging in shades from pinkish-brown to an orangey-tan color. Generally a blond wood, when cut, tones can be found from a pale, pale blond to tan, to medium tan-brown. When steamed, the color becomes a little more reddish-pink in tone. Colors tend to mute and amber […]

Goncalo Alves ranges in color from light golden-brown to reddish-brown with blackish-brown streaks, which gives it the familiar name of tigerwood. It I is richly mottled and similar in appearance rosewood. A hard, heavy wood, it has a medium to fine texture and tight, irregular, interlocked grain with alternating layers of hard and soft wood. […]

Granadillo varies somewhat in color, and can be found in red, black and brown variations. The black is much like Morado — a dark brown, usually distinctly striped wood with a straight grain. The red is much like Honduras Rosewood, with a reddish-brown cast and a figured grain, with a fine to medium texture. The […]

The creamy white sapwood of the Hard Maple is often tinged with pink or pale reddish-brown tones. The heartwood is more red in color, varying from light to dark reddish-brown. The growth rings produce a very fine brown line throughout the wood. The grain of Hard Maple is tight with a fine texture, and usually […]

Hickory and Pecan are virtually indistinguishable species within the Walnut family of trees. The appearance of Hickory/Pecan sapwood is white, and quite often tinged with brown. The heartwood ranges in color from pale brown, to brown with red tinges. The heartwood occasionally takes on deeper reddish-brown tones, and is referred to as “red” Hickory. Both […]

Honduras Rosewood has a yellow sapwood with an appearance distinctly different from the heartwood. The pinkish-brown to purple-brown tones of the heartwood appear in alternating dark and light streaks with black markings, creating a very attractive figure. The wood ranges from fine to medium in texture and usually presents a straight grain, although it is […]

Ipe is an extremely dense tropical hardwood with excellent durability and performance characteristics, and strength similar to teak (two to three times harder than oak). The sapwood is yellowish-white to whitish in color, becoming light orange when dry. The heartwood is olive-brown in color, with lighter or darker streaks. The grain ranges from straight to […]

Iroko is a medium density wood with white sapwood that is sharply demarcated from the heartwood. The heartwood is golden-orange to brown in color and darkens with age. The wood can at times be colored with yellow bands of soft tissue that form a zigzag pattern on all surfaces, plus darker colored surrounding materials are […]

Jatoba varies from yellowish hues, to pink/reds, to dark reds with black striping and an interlocked grain. Quartered selections yield the most uniform look and color range. The sapwood is white, gray, or pinkish in color, and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood. It is reported to be similar to maple in appearance. Like domestic […]

African mahogany is pink when first cut. Over time, it darkens to a reddish-brown, with streaks of pale, golden brown. The sapwood is yellowish-brown in color, and is not always distinctly demarcated from the heartwood. The grain is usually interlocked, giving the wood a distinctive fine grain. The texture is even, and ranges from medium […]

The sapwood of lacewood is cream colored and well defined. The heartwood varies in color from pinkish-brown to an orange-brown, which darkens on exposure. The highly figured interlocked, lace-like grain pattern is one of the most unusual of all exotic woods. Lacewood grain varies from straight to wavy and has a fine to medium-coarse texture. […]

Leopardwood ranges from a pale pinkish-brown to medium brown with a flaky, speckled figure with dark flecks, varying from a small lace-like pattern to a larger splash-like figure. The sapwood is brownish-red while the heartwood is more chocolate-brown in color. The texture is medium to fine with a straight and slightly irregular tight grain. It […]

The sapwood is yellowish-white to pale brown, with heartwood that varies from medium to deep red-brown, and in some heavier woods, a deep, rich red. It is mostly straight-grained, and ranges from medium to coarse with a uniform texture. Honduras Mahogany occasionally is streaked with ripple marks and may also display gum deposits. Formal Name: […]

The heartwood ranges in color from pale pink to deep red, or red-brown. The sapwood is white to light pink, and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood. The texture is fine to medium with a lustrous surface. The grain is generally straight, but sometimes figured with an appearance similar to decorative moiré or watered silk, […]

Obeche is creamy-white to pale straw color with no demarcation between the sapwood and heartwood. It is a light wood with a moderately fine and even texture. In large logs, wood from the center of the log is inclined to be brittle (brittleheart). The grain is usually interlocked, which provides a faint stripe on quarter-sawn […]

The heartwood is salmon pink to pale pinkish-brown or reddish-brown. It darkens with exposure to light to a mahogany-like color, and is relatively demarcated from the white to pale grey sapwood. The texture is medium to moderately fine with a slightly interlocked grain. Quarter-sawn surfaces may result in a striped or mottled figure. Formal Name: […]

African Padauk has a vividly colored heartwood, that when freshly cut appears deep red. After exposure, it turns to a deep purple-brown with red streaks. The distinct sapwood ranges in color from white to yellowish-brown. It has a lustrous surface and moderately coarse texture. The grain can be straight or interlocked. Formal Name: Pterocarpus Soyauxii […]

Peruvian Walnut presents a rich, dark brown heartwood with a blackish stripe that creates a desirable figure. It has a rather coarse texture, and while usually straight-grained, it is sometimes wavy or curly. Formal Name: Juglans Neotropica Other Names: South American Walnut, Nogal

Poplar sapwood ranges in color from creamy white, to greyish-white, to white with a yellowish cast, and is sometimes striped. The heartwood, which is usually tan, also presents a wide variety of tones, sometimes with a slightly greenish cast, and occasionally with dark purplish streaks. Poplar offers a uniform, fine texture and is light to […]

The heartwood is a dull brown when freshly cut, becoming deep purple on exposure. After extended exposure, the wood deepens in color to a rich brownish-red. The off-white sapwood is sharply demarcated from the heartwood. The texture ranges from medium to fine with a medium to high surface luster. The grain may be straight, but […]

Red grandis is a versatile, fast-growing hardwood. This plantation-grown wood is relatively uniform in color with slight variations from pale to medium pink. The attractive, moderately coarse grain pattern is predominantly straight but in some cases may be slightly interlocked. It is similar in hardness, density and grain texture to mahogany and cherry. The heartwood […]

Red gum comes from the heartwood of the tree and takes on red tones that range from light red to reddish brown with dark streaks. The irregular grain is frequently interlocked and has a fine, consistent texture. The irregular grain often produces an attractive figure. Formal Name: Liquidambar styraciflua Other Names: American red gum, sap […]

Red Oak sapwood ranges from white to light brown in color. Most varieties of Red Oak heartwood will have golden, reddish tones, although some display deeper, reddish-brown tones. The wood has a course texture with a straight grain and shorter rays than White Oak. Formal Name: Quercus Rubra

Santos Mahogany ranges from light orange-brown tones to a dark reddish-brown in color. The white sapwood is sharply demarcated from the heartwood. It has a fine, even texture and tight grain that is quite often interlocked. It is an extremely dense hardwood that is a popular wood for both its durability and beauty, with a […]

Sapele heartwood is medium to dark-reddish brown with a medium texture, high-luster, pale yellow sapwood. Sapele is very similar to African mahogany, with a fine, interlocked grain. It may also yield a wavy grain that produces a distinctive roe figure on quartered surfaces. Formal Name: Entandrophragma Cylindricum

Shedua sapwood is very pale with clear demarcations. A variety of colors can be found in the heartwood that includes pink, vivid red, or red-brown with purple veining. On exposure, the veining becomes less conspicuous, and the deep colors fade to yellow or medium brown with a reddish tint. Shedua has a fine, even texture […]

An African hardwood which resembles plain Sapele in appearance the Sipo sapwood is light brown in color. The heartwood is pinkish-brown when first cut, and darkens to a rich red or purple-brown with exposure. The sapwood is reported to be up to 2 inches (0.50 cm) wide and clearly demarcated from the heartwood. The attractive […]

The sapwood of Soft Maple varies in color from creamy white to greyish-white, and is sometimes marked with darker colored pith flecks. Although not as rich as Hard Maple, the heartwood is similar in color, with reddish-brown tones ranging from light to dark. The growth rings of Soft Maple are not as distinct as those […]

The heartwood of Spanish Cedar ranges in color from pinkish- to reddish-brown, when first cut. The color darkens as it ages to a dark reddish-brown, and sometimes displays a purplish tinge. The sapwood ranges in tones from white to pinkish-white. The grain is prominent and usually straight, but sometimes appears interlocked. The wood texture ranges […]

Most Teak is a rich golden brown in color, but may also vary from rich brown to a deep, chocolate brown with dark, almost black, markings. The grain may be either straight or wavy with conspicuous growth rings. It has a coarse texture and oily feel, as well as a leather-like odor. Formal Name: Tectona […]

The sapwood of Tiama is usually creamy white or pale pink and up to four inches wide, although not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood. The heartwood is a pinkish-brown or a dull, uniform red. When exposed to air and sunlight, the heartwood turns a deep red-brown. The grain is tight and often interlocked, which […]

Walnut sapwood is very creamy white in color, while the heartwood, which ranges in color from light to a rich, dark brown, and matures to an almost purplish-black hue. Walnut often carries characteristically dark brown or purplish streaks. Walnut has a coarse, yet uniform texture, and while usually straight-grained, it is sometimes wavy or curly. […]

Wenge sapwood is pale white to yellow in color, and clearly demarcated from the heartwood. The heartwood is dark, dark brown, bordering on black. Alternating layers of light and dark wood and white bands marked with black veins create a decorative figure. The texture is somewhat coarse with a fairly straight grain. Formal Name: Millettia […]

The wood ranges in color from a pale cream to a yellowish-brown or straw color with the sapwood and heartwood very similar. The heartwood will sometimes have nearly black markings that produced an attractive figure. The texture is moderately coarse with a grain that is usually straight, but on occasion can be irregular or interlocked. […]

The sapwood of White Oak is light in color and can range from a pale yellow-brown to a greyish-white. The heartwood may be either light brown in color, or a darker brown with deep, golden tones. The distinctive coarse texture and straight grain has longer rays than Red Oak. Fasting-growing Oaks, such as those grown […]

Eastern White Pine is a soft Pine known for is light weight and fine, even texture. The sapwood usually appears pale and creamy, sometimes with yellow tones. The heartwood varies from a straw-like color to a deep yellowish-tan color. Resin ducts often appear as fine brown lines. The grain is straight with growth rings that […]

Zebrawood is known for its highly figured heartwood. The heartwood is straw-like in color and distinctively marked with narrow veining or “streaks” of color ranging from dark brown to almost black. These streaks give the heartwood a zebra-stripe appearance. The sapwood is whitish in color, and virtually without feature. The wavy, interlocked grain produces a […]