What is purple heartwood?
Purple heartwood is the most popular purple-colored wood. This plant commonly known as purpleheart, Amendoim, violet wood, Amaranth, and other local names is a genus of 23 species of flowering plants in the Fabaceae family. Native to tropical rainforests of Central and South America.
Where do Purplewood trees come from?
But even with that hassle calculated in, the amazing visual appeal and strength of Purplewood make it one of the most exotic trees originating from the Central and South America . The most popular type of Peltogyne genus is Peltogyne purpurea, commonly known as purpleheart or nazareno, famous for its bright purple heartwood with dark stripes.
What does Purple Heart wood look like under UV light?
Purpleheart. Upon exposure the wood becomes a deeper eggplant purple. With further age and exposure to UV light, the wood becomes a dark brown with a hint of purple. This color-shift can be slowed and minimized by using a UV inhibiting finish on the wood. For more information, see the article Preventing Color Changes in Exotic Woods.
What are the different colors of natural wood?
Natural Wood Colors Chart – A Few Samples. Common woods are medium density (hardwoods or softwoods) that features a color range of light brown to reddish or peach hues. Some woods also have different colored grains. But it’s interesting to know that some woods have exotic colors.
Is purple wood rare?
It is increasingly rare, and is nearing extinction in parts of its original range. Because purpleheart is exotic and originates in Central and South America, we discourage its use in the US. The environmental toll of harvesting and transporting this beautiful wood is high.
What tree is purple heart wood from?
Purpleheart trees range from Southeastern Brazil to Costa Rica and even to Trinidad, but most species grow in the Amazon basin. Hence, these trees are colloquially known by quite a few names, depending on the language. These include: amaranth, violetwood, tananeo, saka, koroboreli, pau roxo, and morado.
What is violet wood?
Definition of violet wood 1 : any of several hard purplish or reddish woods especially : kingwood. 2 : a tree that yields violet wood. 3 : purpleheart.
What exotic wood is purple?
PurpleheartPurpleheart is a common exotic wood that is known for its purple color. Purpleheart is oftentimes mixed with other woods when color contrast is needed. A very popular choice to use with hard maple (for cutting boards, as an example), Purpleheart is dense and heavy.
Is purpleheart wood toxic?
Questions often asked about purple wood include its toxicity and whether it is safe to use in some applications. However, it is not known to be dangerous, and although it might cause some reaction in a small percentage of people and animals, it is not poisonous.
Can cedar be purple?
What Color is Cedar Wood? Most types of cedar wood are a pinkish-red color, though it can have some purple tones as well.
Why is purple heart wood so expensive?
Purple Heart wood, otherwise known as Amaranth, extensively grows in some parts of Central America. It is somehow rare, very durable, and resists both decay and most insect attacks, which is partly the reason why it is expensive. It is also water-resistant which is why it is often used on boat deckings and flooring.
Does purpleheart wood stay purple?
After just a few short days of exposure to air and light, the color change is abrupt. A Purple Heart project exposed to air and light will darken to a dark brown over time if kept indoors. An exterior Purple Heart project will age to a silver color, just like most other woods exposed to the outdoor elements.
Is purple Heart wood a hardwood?
More Info: Purpleheart is one of the most durable and stable species of hardwood available. Although striking in color, Purpleheart can be stained to appear more red-brown and less purple-pink. Fantastic for interior flooring, exterior decking and industrial uses.
What is purple Heart timber?
Purpleheart is an extremely dense and very strong South American hardwood. It has been used in New Zealand for many years and along with Pacific Jarrah (Massa). Purpleheart is one of the most durable exterior decking species available.
What is padauk wood?
Padauk is a moderately hard wood with a striking, bright orange color. It is extremely durable and rot resistant. Common Names: Padauk, African Padauk, Vermillion, Pterocarpus soyauxii. General Workability: Padauk is generally easy to work with and cut.
Is blood wood a hardwood?
Bloodwood is exceptionally hard, durable, and possesses a rich blood-red color. It is a superbly beautiful wood in person.
Why is purple heart wood so expensive?
Purple Heart wood, otherwise known as Amaranth, extensively grows in some parts of Central America. It is somehow rare, very durable, and resists both decay and most insect attacks, which is partly the reason why it is expensive. It is also water-resistant which is why it is often used on boat deckings and flooring.
Is purple Heart a hardwood or softwood?
More Info: Purpleheart is one of the most durable and stable species of hardwood available. Although striking in color, Purpleheart can be stained to appear more red-brown and less purple-pink. Fantastic for interior flooring, exterior decking and industrial uses.
Where do you find purple heart trees?
Purple Heart trees grow from 100′ to 170′ tall, with trunk diameters up to 4′. It is not a threatened wood. It is found throughout Central and South America, ranging from southeastern Brazil to Costa Rica. Most species grow in the Amazon basin.
Does purple Heart wood stay purple?
Months or years after that, especially when exposed to sunlight, purpleheart turns a deep brown with purple overtones, as you can see on the jewelry rack shown above. A film finish with UV inhibitors can slow the purple-to-brown color change, but not stop it completely.
What is purple heart wood?
The internal structure of purpleheart wood consists of greyish-purple hardwood that slowly over time changes its color to violet purple and eventually to deep purple . This change is closely connected with the presence of ultraviolet rays which change the top layer of the wood. This color change can be reduced by coating purpleheart wood with an anti-UV coating or by sanding. Natural luster is high, with straight grain that looks visually great but it can cause some issues during cutting and drilling.
Where does purplewood come from?
This exotic wood originates from central and South America, and can be most easily found in countries such as Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Columbia, French Guiana, Guyana, Mexico, and Venezuela, where it is known under more than 50 types of local names, including Purpleheart, Amaranth, Amarante, Guarabu, Koroboreli, Morado, Palo Morado, Pau Roxo, Purperhart, Tananeo, Violetwood, Sacka, Sackaballi, Sacka, Violet wood, Violetwood, and Dabam .
What happens when you cut purple heart wood?
During plane cutting, wood has a high chance of exhibiting a tearout effect that will ruin the cut . Even more troubling, since the purpleheart is very strong and dense, it will cause heating up of the cutting tools, which will in turn cause melting of the internal resin that will contaminate tools and cause various types of issues such as clogging. Regular cleaning of tools is needed for prolonged cutting of purpleheart .
What is purple heart lumber used for?
Purpleheart lumber is prized all around the world for its visual appeal, strength, and durability, which makes it a perfect choice for use in paneling, flooring, durable furniture (tables or tabletops) or even art pieces and the wide variety of specialty wood items. In addition to the home or common outdoor uses, purpleheart is highly praised for industrial use where it can easily be found as structural elements for columns, arches, boats, various heavy constructions or industrial flooring .
What is lumber used for?
Since the qualities of this lumber have caused increased levels of lumber exploitation, several countries have imposed strong laws for cutting and processing this incredibly useful type of lumber that is so strong that it can be easily used for strenuous industrial construction work such as scaffolding, paneling, and flooring in areas that are regularly placed under a lot of physical stress (such as floors of heavy cargo trucks) .
Where do purple heart trees grow?
Purpleheart trees are part of the Peltogyne, a genus consisting of currently 23 known species of flowering medium to very large plants in the Fabaceae family. Originating from the territories of Central and South America, these tropical rainforest trees can most commonly be found in the rainforests of Brazil, Suriname and Guyana (and also in countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Mexican state of Guerrero) where they can grow to the impressive size of up to 30 to 50 meters (100–170 ft) with trunk diameter of up to 1.5 meters (5 ft). Purpleheart trees are famous for having small flowers with five petals , and a pod-shaped fruit that contains a single seed . Majority of all Purpleheart trees currently in existence are located in the Amazon Basin.
Is purple heart wood expensive?
The incredible strength, durability and visual appeal of purpleheart has made it one of the most exotic and highly praised wood types on the current commercial lumber market. Even though it remains expensive, and with rising costs introduced due to the heightened government oversight of commercial exploitation, purpleheart remains in great demand.
What color is purple heartwood?
When freshly cut, the heartwood of Purpleheart is a dull grayish/purplish brown. Upon exposure, the wood in the sunlight becomes a deeper eggplant purple.
Where is purple heartwood native to?
Native to tropical rainforests of Central and South America. When freshly cut, the heartwood of Purpleheart is a dull grayish/purplish brown.
What wood is orange?
But the most famous orange-colored wood is osage orange wood. The heartwood of osage orange is golden to bright yellow, which inevitably ages to a darker color with time. Some woods like yellow poplar heartwood tends to be green when fresh-cut but turns to a nice brown/orange when exposed to UV and normal oxidation.
What is the most famous red wood?
Bloodwood is the most famous red-colored wood. The woods of the red color spectrum are:
What woods are green?
Greenheart wood and lignum vitae wood are the most popular green colored wood. In fact, these woods have olive green grain. Most green woods turn brown after a time. Poplar wood can get very green and holds the color.
What woods have reddish brown?
Bubinga Wood: It ranges from a pinkish red to a darker reddish-brown with darker purple or black streaks. African Padauk: The color of this wood can be variable, ranging from a pale pinkish-orange to a deep brownish-red. Redwood: Its color can range from a light pinkish brown to a deep reddish-brown.
Why is wood brown?
See what is wood made of. Most woods are brown because they do not absorb photons that appear brown. In general, hardwoods such as maple wood, walnut wood, and oakwood all have dark brown color and softwoods have lighter colors. Natural wood colors can also be based on the degree of saturation ...
What color is purple heartwood?
Color/Appearance: When freshly cut the heartwood of Purpleheart is a dull grayish/purplish brown. Upon exposure the wood becomes a deeper eggplant purple. With further age and exposure to UV light, the wood becomes a dark brown with a hint of purple.
Does purple heart cause nausea?
Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. Purpleheart has also been reported to cause nausea. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information. Pricing/Availability: Widely available as lumber in good widths and thicknesses.
Is purple heart wood strong?
In addition to its coloration, Purpleheart has excellent strength properties, and can be used in applications where strength is important—a wood for both form and function. Scans/Pictures: You can see from the scans below that the wood starts a dull purple, and becomes more rich and full within a few days/weeks.
Does purple heart hurt cutters?
Purpleheart also has a moderate dulling effect on cutters. Odor: Varies depending upon the species: most species have no characteristic odor, though some species can have a pungent scent. Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Purpleheart has been reported as a sensitizer.
What Color is Purpleheart Wood?
However, in its most common form, purpleheart wood starts off as a medium brown, often with purple undertones, and then darkens to an eggplant shade within a matter of weeks.
Where Does Purpleheart Wood Come From?
Purpleheart wood comes from trees within the peltogyne genus, which encompasses more than 20 different species of trees that are native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. The trees tend to be large, growing as high as 160 feet tall and developing diameters of up to five feet.
How Dense/ Hard is Purpleheart Wood?
During the test, a small steel ball is pressed into the wood until it’s embedded half way and the amount of force required to accomplish the task is recorded either as pounds of force (lbf) or Janka.
Can Purpleheart Wood Be Left Outside?
The extractives in purpleheart wood make it very resistant to rot and insects, but any natural wood left outdoors will eventually succumb to the elements and require regular maintenance. In the case of a species that’s typically harvested from endangered rainforests, it’s virtually unfathomable to think about leaving it outside.
Is Purpleheart Wood Sustainable?
Unfortunately, purpleheart wood is often harvested from endangered tropical rainforests and overharvesting, as well as illegal harvesting, is a major problem. At present, just 20% of the earth’s forests remain intact enough to serve their vital biological functions.
Is Purpleheart Wood Eco-Friendly? Are Purple Heart Trees Endangered?
At present, there are no peltogyne trees on the endangered list. However, the harvest of woods like Purpleheart, Teak, and Mahogany contributes to the destruction of rainforests, devastates the homes of indigenous peoples, threatens wildlife, and feeds international crime rings. Moreover, purpleheart wood must travel a considerable distance to reach consumers in the United States, which means the carbon footprint is amplified considerably compared to domestic options.
Why is Purpleheart Wood So Expensive?
Any wood that comes from the rainforests is usually going to be expensive, in part because of the restrictions on logging and export and due to the transportation costs. Purpleheart wood is also challenging to work with. It’s a very hearty wood designed by nature to withstand the weather and pests. The extractives that give purpleheart wood these properties are so thick and gummy that they often wreak havoc on woodworking tools.
How thick is 4/4 lumber?
When lumber is cut at a lumber mill, the thickness is traditionally measured in quarters of an inch. For example, 4/4 equates to 1 inch and 8/4 equates to 2 inches thick.
Is purple heart wood kiln dried?
Our Purpleheart wood is kiln dried. Kiln drying is an effective way of drying green (freshly cut) lumber in a controlled environment to a specific moisture content. The resulting dried wood is stronger and more stable.
How old is Kauri wood?
Why people love it: Pulled up from bogs in New Zealand, Kauri is thousands of years old, making it the oldest wood on the market.
Why is bloodwood so overrated?
Why it’s overrated: Much like other colorful woods, Bloodwood’s color doesn’t last, and turns a dark brown over time. It’s also horrific in workability, being extremely dense, blunting sharp cutters, and splintering easily.
What is the world woods poster?
The poster, Worldwide Woods, Ranked by Hardness, should be required reading for anyone enrolled in the school of wood nerdery. I have amassed over 500 wood species on a single poster, arranged into eight major geographic regions, with each wood sorted and ranked according to its Janka hardness. Each wood has been meticulously documented and photographed, listed with its Janka hardness value (in lbf) and geographic and global hardness rankings. Consider this: the venerable Red Oak (Quercus rubra) sits at only #33 in North America and #278 worldwide for hardness! Aspiring wood nerds be advised: your syllabus may be calling for Worldwide Woods as part of your next assignment!
Why do people love reddish orange?
Why people love it: Rich reddish orange color and good workability.
Why is Bois de Rose so overrated?
Why it’s overrated: Like a flower, Bois de Rose’s beauty fades, and the wood turns very dark purple, to nearly black. And the fact that it’s also an endangered species, and the flashpoint for illegal logging in Madagascar is only icing on the cake.
Is ebony wood black?
Why it’s overrated: The highest grades of ebony are totally black, with no discernible grain patterns, ironically resembling black plastic. (And most laypeople/customers unfamiliar with ebony have no appreciation for this expensive and endangered wood .)
Can you dye wood purple?
Try this instead: Purple colors in wood simply don’t last. Use dyes instead, and you’ll never be sorry.
Purpleheart Hand-Pick
Hand-Pick Exotic Wood Boards: What you see is what you get! Browse our ever-changing selection of Purpleheart exotic wood boards and hand-pick the one that suits your needs!
Purpleheart Wood Blanks
Exotic Wood Blanks: Below you will find stock sizes of Purpleheart exotic wood blanks. To view all of the available sizes of Purpleheart please click the "All" link below.
Purpleheart Lumber
Exotic Wood "Project Packs": Each Purpleheart exotic wood project pack contains a specific amount of lumber. A variety of sizes are available and are highly popular among woodworkers. If you would like to see our current lumber prices, please click the "All" link below.
What tree produces purple fruit?
Cherry Tree Roots. A cherry tree is one of many plants in the Prunus family and produces a fleshy stone fruit. Cherries can be red, maroon or even yellow. But it is the roots of the cherry tree that will produce a purple dye. Whether the tree is a cultivated or wild variety, boil the roots with water to release the dye.
Where do purple berries come from?
One of the strongest purple dyes comes from blackberries. Blackberries can be found in temperate regions of North and South America growing in sunny areas and often forming thickets. You can also find varieties cultivated for the home garden that have no thorns.
How to get a purple berry juice?
To extract the juice, use the entire ripened fruit including the skin with a bit of water. Crush the berries slightly to release the most juice. Huckleberries are typically lighter in color and will produce a lovely lavender dye. Blueberries will give you a deeper purple color.
How to dye daylilies purple?
As with iris, you will need the darker red blooms of daylily varieties to extract a purple dye. Gather the day-old blooms after they have wilted. Boil with water to extract the dye.
What color grapes are used for dye?
Want purple dye? Use purple grapes-the darker the better! Use the entire fruit with the skins, boiled with water, to create the dye bath.
What color is the most popular in the garden?
One of the most popular colors in the garden and one that is loved by nearly every little girl is purple. Learn how to create natural purple dyes from plants for home, clothing, and craft projects. Other plants and natural materials will create a rainbow of dyes including black, blue, green, orange, peach or salmon, pink, brown, red, and yellow .
Where does pokeweed grow?
Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana, is a perennial plant native to North America, South America, East Asia, and New Zealand. There are around 25 varieties that all produce a berry that, when ripe, produces a deep reddish-purple dye. The Constitution of the United States was written with pokeberry ink.
