Colorful Import Hardwoods

Some woods earn their place on color alone. Purpleheart turns a deep violet after a few weeks in the light, padauk starts out a loud orange-red, bloodwood stays a true red, and yellowheart is about as yellow as wood gets. Zebrawood, bocote, ziricote and goncalo alves bring bold stripes and swirling figure, while wenge and black limba add dark, dramatic contrast. Most of these are dense tropical hardwoods, so they are best used as accents: inlays, cutting-board strips, pen and turning blanks, box lids, guitar parts and contrasting edges on a live edge table. Many of them change color over time and some are oily or carry dust that can irritate skin, so sharp tools, good dust collection and a UV-resistant finish all matter. Ask us which ones we have on the rack and which hold their color best in Florida light.