Caloosahatchee Slabs & Lumber
Wood Species Guide
Hardness, workability, finishing and epoxy notes for the woods we sell and the woods people ask us about, written from our slab and lumber shop in Fort Myers. Tap a species for the full guide and the pieces we have in stock right now.
A
- Acacia Acacia spp. (exact species varies; see note) Acacia is a huge family of trees, and the name covers several commercial woods. Our imported acacia rounds are warm brown cross-cut cookies that make striking...
- African Blackwood Dalbergia melanoxylon African blackwood is a jet-black African rosewood and one of the densest woods in the world. It is the classic clarinet and oboe wood and a...
- African Mahogany Khaya spp. (mainly K. ivorensis, K. anthotheca, K. grandifoliola) African mahogany gives you the warm red-brown mahogany look at a friendlier price. It is light, easy to work and great for furniture and trim, as...
- African Padauk Pterocarpus soyauxii African padauk is the wood people pick when they want real red. It's hard, stable and easy to machine, and that bright orange-red slowly deepens into...
- African Walnut Lovoa trichilioides African walnut is a golden brown, ribbon-striped member of the mahogany family that is sold as a walnut look-alike. It is light, easy to work and...
- Afrormosia Pericopsis elata Afrormosia is a durable West African hardwood often sold as African teak, with golden-brown color that matures like teak. It's endangered and CITES listed, so legal...
- Afzelia Afzelia spp. (African species such as A. africana, A. bipindensis, A. pachyloba) Afzelia is a hard, stable, rot-resistant tropical wood with a warm golden-red color. It is excellent for outdoor furniture and floors, and its Asian burls are...
- Alaskan Yellow Cedar Cupressus nootkatensis (syn. Callitropsis nootkatensis, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) Alaskan yellow cedar is a slow-grown Pacific cypress with pale yellow, fine-grained wood that resists rot. Boatbuilders, carvers and outdoor furniture makers prize it for how...
- Ambrosia Maple Acer spp. (usually red or silver maple) Ambrosia maple is soft maple with a story: tiny beetles bored into the tree and their fungus painted gray and tan streaks through the pale wood....
- American Beech Fagus grandifolia American beech is hard, fine grained and almost tasteless, which is why it has been the classic wood for chairs, bent parts and kitchen tools. It...
- American Elm Ulmus americana American elm is tough, interlocked and full of swirling grain. Since Dutch elm disease, most elm comes from salvaged urban trees, and those wide slabs make...
- American Holly Ilex opaca American holly yields one of the whitest woods in the world, a favorite for inlay and contrast work. The trees grow wild in north and central...
- American Hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana American hornbeam, nicknamed musclewood for its rippled gray trunk, is a small native tree with remarkably hard, tough wood. It is a turner's and toolmaker's wood...
- American Sycamore Platanus occidentalis American sycamore is a plain, inexpensive wood until you quartersaw it. Then it is covered in a lace-like ray fleck that rivals much pricier imports, all...
- Andiroba Carapa guianensis Andiroba, also called crabwood, is a reddish-brown tropical American hardwood related to mahogany. It's a workable, budget-friendlier stand-in for mahogany in furniture, trim and cabinetry.
- Anigre Pouteria spp. (formerly Aningeria) Anigre is a pale, pinkish-tan African hardwood best known as a premium veneer with a soft shimmer and wavy figure. It works easily, takes stain evenly...
- Apple Malus domestica and related Malus species Apple is a dense, fine-grained fruitwood with warm pinkish-brown heartwood. It comes in small pieces from orchards and is a favorite for spoons, handles and turnings.
- Aromatic Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana (southern red cedar is often treated as Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola) Aromatic red cedar is the fragrant, purple-red wood that lines closets and hope chests. It's actually a juniper, grows right here in Florida as southern red...
- Aspen Populus tremuloides and Populus grandidentata (sold together as aspen) Aspen is the pale, lightweight poplar of northern forests, plain in looks but easy on tools. It is odorless and stays cool, which makes it the...
- Atlantic White Cedar Chamaecyparis thyoides Atlantic white cedar is a light, aromatic false cypress from East Coast swamps, reaching into the Florida panhandle. Boatbuilders and decoy carvers have valued its rot...
- Australian Blackwood Acacia melanoxylon Australian Blackwood is an acacia from Tasmania and eastern Australia with warm, walnut-brown color and, on the best boards, a deep shimmering curl. It's a favorite...
- Australian Cypress Callitris columellaris (syn. C. glaucophylla) Australian cypress is a hard, termite-resistant softwood with honey-colored wood and small dark knots. It is mostly sold in the US as flooring.
- Australian Pine Casuarina equisetifolia Australian pine is not a pine but a hard, heavy she-oak relative that took over Florida's coastlines. It is a Category I invasive, and its wood...
- Australian Red Cedar Toona ciliata (syn. Cedrela toona) Australian red cedar is a light, pinkish brown mahogany relative, closely related to Spanish cedar. Once a prized colonial furniture wood, it is now best known...
- Avodire Turraeanthus africanus Avodire is a pale golden member of the African mahogany family, valued for a shimmering figure in veneer and fine cabinetry. It works much like mahogany...
B
- Balsam Fir Abies balsamea Balsam fir is the classic fragrant Christmas tree of the Northeast. Its soft, light wood ends up in SPF framing lumber, crates and paper.
- Balsa Ochroma pyramidale Balsa is the lightest commercial wood, so soft you can dent it with a fingernail. It is prized for models, lures, surfboards and composite cores rather...
- Basswood Tilia americana Basswood is the carver's wood: soft, light, pale and so fine-textured that it holds crisp detail with little effort. It is inexpensive and easy to work,...
- Bigleaf Maple Acer macrophyllum Bigleaf maple is the West Coast's soft maple and the main source of quilted maple. Its figured slabs, burls and spalted pieces are favorites for guitar...
- Bishopwood Bischofia javanica Bishopwood is an Asian shade tree that has become a Category I invasive in South Florida. Salvaged trees give hard, reddish-brown slabs with interlocked grain that...
- Bitternut Hickory Carya cordiformis Bitternut hickory is a tall, tough member of the pecan hickory group, named for its bitter nuts. Its contrasty wood is sold as hickory or pecan...
- Black Ash Fraxinus nigra Black ash is the swamp ash of the North, softer and browner than white ash and famous for basket splints. The emerald ash borer has made...
- Black Cherry Prunus serotina Black cherry is the wood that gets better with age: pale pink when cut, deep reddish brown after a few seasons of light. It has a...
- Black Limba Terminalia superba Black limba is a lightweight African hardwood with dramatic dark streaks over a pale olive base. It's easy on tools and on your back, and it's...
- Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia Black locust is the native answer to teak for outdoor work: hard, tough and naturally rot resistant. Its green-gold color mellows to a warm brown and...
- Black Oak Quercus velutina Black oak is a common eastern red oak that is sold as red oak lumber. Its inner bark once gave a yellow dye, and its open-grained...
- Black Olive Bucida buceras (now often placed as Terminalia buceras) Black olive is a heavy, very hard Caribbean tree planted along countless South Florida streets. When storms bring one down, the wood makes tough, tan slabs...
- Black Tupelo Nyssa sylvatica (swamp tupelo is often treated as N. sylvatica var. biflora) Black tupelo, or black gum, is a native tree of Florida and the eastern US with plain, tough, interlocked wood. It is hard to dry flat...
- Black Walnut Juglans nigra Black walnut is America's favorite furniture hardwood: rich chocolate heartwood, creamy sapwood and a calm grain that turns any table into a centerpiece. It is easy...
- Black Willow Salix nigra Black willow is a fast-growing native of Florida's riverbanks and the eastern US. Its light, soft wood is easy to carve and makes a budget utility...
- Bloodwood Brosimum rubescens (syn. B. paraense) Bloodwood is a dense South American hardwood with a bright, even red that stays vivid longer than most red woods. At 2,900 lbf Janka it's one...
- Bocote Cordia spp. Bocote is a Central American Cordia with golden brown wood and bold black stripes and eyes. It turns beautifully and polishes to a warm glow, making...
- Bosse Leplaea cedrata (formerly Guarea cedrata) Bosse is a West African member of the mahogany family with a soft golden brown color and, at its best, striking mottled figure. It works like...
- Box Elder Acer negundo Box elder is a small, scrappy North American maple best known for its bright pink and red flame streaks. It is a turner's favorite and makes...
- Boxwood Buxus sempervirens Boxwood is a pale, extremely dense European wood with an almost grainless texture that holds the finest detail. It is the classic wood for chess pieces,...
- Brazilian Rosewood Dalbergia nigra Brazilian rosewood is the classic rosewood of fine guitars and antique furniture, with dark chocolate color and dramatic black figure. It is now CITES Appendix I,...
- Bubinga Guibourtia demeusei, G. pellegriniana and G. tessmannii Bubinga is a heavy, hard African wood known for its pinkish red color and spectacular figure. It makes stunning tables and instruments, and it's protected under...
- Buckeye Aesculus flava (yellow buckeye) and Aesculus glabra (Ohio buckeye) Buckeye is a soft, pale native hardwood that is plain as lumber but spectacular as burl. Stabilized buckeye burl is one of the most popular woods...
- Bur Oak Quercus macrocarpa Bur oak is the big-acorn white oak of the prairie states, hard, heavy and rot resistant. Most of it is sold as white oak, but salvaged...
- Burmese Rosewood Dalbergia oliveri (incl. D. bariensis) Burmese rosewood is an orange to red-brown true rosewood from Southeast Asia, known there as a furniture wood and xylophone tonewood. It is hard, very durable...
- Butternut Juglans cinerea Butternut is walnut's pale, soft cousin, prized by carvers for how easily it cuts. Disease has made it scarce, so good boards are getting harder to...
C
- Camphor Cinnamomum camphora (syn. Camphora officinarum) Camphor is an aromatic East Asian tree that now grows wild across Florida, and its wood is warm, figured and smells wonderful. Salvaged Florida camphor makes...
- Canarywood Centrolobium spp. Canarywood is a South American hardwood with yellow-orange color and streaks of red, pink and purple. It is easy to work for an import and makes...
- Cashew Anacardium occidentale (cashew) or Anacardium excelsum (wild cashew, espavé); see note Cashew wood comes from the cashew nut tree or its giant forest cousin, wild cashew (espavé). It is a warm golden-brown, medium-weight wood with ribbon grain...
- Catalpa Catalpa speciosa and Catalpa bignonioides Catalpa is a lightweight, open-grained American hardwood that looks like ash but carves like butter. It is surprisingly rot resistant and shows up mostly from urban...
- Cativo Prioria copaifera Cativo is a lightweight Central American wood that comes in huge live-edge slabs. It's easy to work and budget-friendly for big tables, with a natural gum...
- Cedar Elm Ulmus crassifolia Cedar elm is the hardy native elm of Texas and the south-central states. Its tough, reddish wood is a favorite of urban sawyers for rustic slabs...
- Cedar of Lebanon Cedrus libani Cedar of Lebanon is a true cedar, the biblical timber of temples and ships, with warm, fragrant wood. In the US it mostly comes from storm-felled...
- Ceylon Ebony Diospyros ebenum Ceylon ebony is the original jet-black ebony of the old trade, from Sri Lanka and southern India. It is very hard, polishes to a glassy finish...
- Chakte Viga Coulteria platyloba (syn. Caesalpinia platyloba) Chakte viga is a hard, dense Central American wood that starts bright orange and ages to golden brown. It's a small tree, so you'll see it...
- Chechen Metopium brownei Chechen, also called black poisonwood or Caribbean rosewood, delivers rosewood-like color at a fraction of the price. The living tree's sap is notorious, but the dried...
- Cherrybark Oak Quercus pagoda (formerly Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia) Cherrybark oak is the tallest, straightest and strongest of the Southern red oaks, named for bark that looks like black cherry. Its clear lumber is sold...
- Chestnut Oak Quercus montana (syn. Quercus prinus) Chestnut oak is the white oak of rocky Appalachian ridges, named for leaves that look like chestnut leaves. It is hard and rot resistant, and it...
- Chinaberry Melia azedarach Chinaberry is an Asian mahogany relative that has gone wild across Florida and the Southeast. Its wood is easy to work and has a warm, mahogany-like...
- Claro Walnut Juglans hindsii (also Juglans californica and hybrids) Claro walnut is California's native black walnut, prized for marbled purple, gold and black heartwood and wild figure. Slabs from old orchard trees make some of...
- Cocobolo Dalbergia retusa Cocobolo is a dense, oily Central American rosewood with fiery orange and red color and dark streaks. It turns and polishes like few other woods, but...
- Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera Coconut palm wood, sold as red palm, is the dense outer stem of old coconut trees, with dark fibers speckled over a tan background. It is...
- Cucumbertree Magnolia acuminata Cucumbertree is a native magnolia whose lumber is often sold as poplar. It is light, easy to work and a dependable paint-grade hardwood.
- Cumaru Dipteryx odorata Cumaru is a very hard, heavy Brazilian hardwood that holds up outdoors almost as well as ipe. It is a common choice for Florida decks and...
- Curupay Anadenanthera colubrina (also A. peregrina) Curupay is a very hard, heavy South American hardwood used for decks, floors and occasional slabs. It is one of the most rot-resistant woods you can...
- Cypress Taxodium distichum (pond cypress is often treated as T. distichum var. imbricarium) Bald cypress is the classic Florida swamp tree, light and rot-resistant with a warm tan color. Pecky cypress, with its fungus-carved pockets, is one of the...
D
- Dark Red Meranti Shorea spp. (dark red meranti group) Dark red meranti is the deeper-colored grade of the Shorea timbers once sold as Philippine mahogany. It is affordable, easy to work and takes stain well,...
- Desert Ironwood Olneya tesota Desert ironwood is a small, extremely dense tree from the Sonoran Desert. Its dark, glassy wood is a top choice for knife handles and turnings, and...
- Dogwood Cornus florida Flowering dogwood is a small native tree, Florida included, with some of the hardest, densest wood in the East. It once made mill shuttles and golf...
- Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas fir is the strong, warm-toned workhorse of American construction lumber. Clear vertical-grain boards make handsome rustic tables, beams and mantels at a friendly price.
- Dragon Wood Terminalia oblonga Dragon wood is the slab-trade name for surá (Terminalia oblonga), a hard Central American wood with olive-green and brown bands that look almost like reptile skin....
E
- East Indian Rosewood Dalbergia latifolia East Indian rosewood is the dark purple-brown rosewood behind many classic guitars. It is stable, durable and handsome, but it is CITES-listed and usually sold in...
- Eastern Cottonwood Populus deltoides Eastern cottonwood is a fast-growing river poplar that reaches giant size. Its wood is soft, light and prone to warp, best for utility work, while its...
- Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis Eastern hemlock is a coarse, splintery eastern softwood used for framing, timbers and barn siding. An invasive insect is killing many trees, and much of the...
- Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus Eastern white pine is the soft, even-grained pine of New England furniture and trim. It is a joy to carve and plane, and it ages to...
- Ekki Lophira alata Ekki, also called azobe, is a dark, extremely heavy West African hardwood used for bridges, docks and marine work. It is very durable but brutal on...
- Engelmann Spruce Picea engelmannii Engelmann spruce is a light, pale spruce from the high Rockies. Luthiers like it for warm, responsive guitar tops, and the rest goes into framing lumber.
- English Walnut Juglans regia English walnut is the European cousin of our black walnut, with lighter, streakier and often marbled heartwood. It is the traditional wood for fine gunstocks and...
- Eucalyptus Eucalyptus spp. (exact species varies; see note) Eucalyptus is a big group of Australian trees now grown worldwide, Florida included. Our slabs are heavy, reddish-brown pieces with interlocked grain and plenty of character.
- European Ash Fraxinus excelsior European ash is the Old World twin of our white ash: tough, springy, pale and ring-porous. Its olive ash form, with a dark streaky heart, is...
- European Beech Fagus sylvatica European beech is the pale, hard, fine-grained wood behind Europe's bentwood chairs, workbenches and toys. Most US stock is steamed, which gives it an even pinkish...
- European Oak Quercus robur and Quercus petraea European oak is the white oak of Europe's forests and cathedrals, sold as English, French or Slavonian oak. It is warm toned, durable and a little...
- European Yew Taxus baccata European yew is the legendary longbow wood, with orange heartwood, cream sapwood and wild figure. It turns beautifully, but the tree is poisonous and the dust...
F
G
- Gaboon Ebony Diospyros crassiflora Gaboon ebony is the benchmark for true black wood: dense, fine and glossy. It is pricey and comes in small pieces, so it shines as inlay,...
- Garapa Apuleia leiocarpa Garapa is a golden Brazilian hardwood sold mainly as decking and flooring. It is hard and durable above ground but easier to cut than ipe, and...
- Gavilon Limon Probably Pentaclethra macroloba (see note on the name) Gavilon Limon is a Central American slab-trade name, most likely for gavilán (Pentaclethra macroloba), a big lowland tree with mahogany-like reddish-brown heartwood. It comes in huge...
- Goncalo Alves Astronium spp. (mainly A. fraxinifolium and A. graveolens) Goncalo alves, sold as tigerwood, is a hard Central and South American wood with golden brown color and dark tiger-like stripes. It is durable, polishes well,...
- Grand Fir Abies grandis Grand fir is one of the tallest true firs of the Pacific Northwest, sold mostly as Hem-Fir framing lumber. Its wood is light, pale and easy...
- Greenheart Chlorocardium rodiei (syn. Ocotea rodiei) Greenheart is a dense, olive-green South American hardwood famous for marine work. It resists rot and marine borers better than almost any other wood, but its...
- Gumbo Limbo Bursera simaruba Gumbo limbo is the native South Florida tree with peeling red bark. Its pale, soft wood carves easily and once went into carousel horses, but it...
H
- Hackberry Celtis occidentalis and Celtis laevigata (sugarberry) Hackberry, and its Florida cousin sugarberry, is a pale, ash-like hardwood that is easy to work and bends well. It is cheap, under-used and a great...
- Hard Maple Acer saccharum (black maple, Acer nigrum, is sold under the same name) Hard maple is the tough, light-colored workhorse of American hardwoods. It is dense enough for butcher block and flooring, clean enough for modern furniture, and its...
- Heart Pine Pinus palustris (some reclaimed heart pine may be other southern yellow pines) Heart pine is the dense, resin-rich heartwood of old-growth longleaf pine that built the old South. Today it comes mostly from reclaimed beams and floors, with...
- Hickory Carya spp. (mainly Carya ovata, C. glabra, C. laciniosa, C. tomentosa) Hickory is the heavyweight of American hardwoods: very hard, extremely tough and full of light and dark color contrast. It is perfect for floors, butcher block...
- Honduran Rosewood Dalbergia stevensonii Honduran rosewood is a dense, banded pink-to-purple rosewood from Belize, prized for marimba bars and fine instruments. It's rare, CITES listed and best used where its...
- Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos Honey locust is a hard, handsome native with a red-brown heart and bright sapwood. Urban salvage logs make great live-edge benches and tables at a fair...
- Hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Hophornbeam is a small native tree with some of the hardest wood in the eastern forest. It is prized for tool handles, mallets and turnings rather...
I
- Imbuia Ocotea porosa (syn. Phoebe porosa) Imbuia is a Brazilian laurel-family hardwood with walnut-like streaks, a spicy scent and occasional curly figure. It is lighter than it looks and easy to work,...
- Incense Cedar Calocedrus decurrens (syn. Libocedrus decurrens) Incense cedar is the classic pencil wood of the western mountains, soft, aromatic and easy to work. Its pecky grade, full of fungus pockets, has a...
- Ipe Handroanthus spp. (formerly Tabebuia), mainly H. serratifolius Ipe is the go-to tropical hardwood for decks and docks: extremely hard, heavy and naturally resistant to rot and insects. It shrugs off Florida weather but...
- Iroko Milicia excelsa and Milicia regia Iroko is often called African teak because it weathers outdoors much like the real thing. It is tough, rot-resistant and priced well below teak, which makes...
J
- Jarrah Eucalyptus marginata Jarrah is a heavy, deep-red eucalyptus from Western Australia with a long record outdoors and in marine work. It's hard, durable and handsome, a strong pick...
- Jatoba Hymenaea courbaril Jatoba, sold as Brazilian cherry, is a hard, heavy tropical wood that ages from salmon-orange to deep red-brown. It is tough and affordable for its hardness,...
- Java Plum Syzygium cumini Java plum is a fast-growing Asian fruit tree that has become a Category I invasive across central and South Florida. Its wood is little known in...
K
- Karri Eucalyptus diversicolor Karri is a giant Western Australian eucalypt with reddish brown wood that looks a lot like jarrah. Long, clear boards make it good for floors and...
- Katalox Swartzia cubensis Katalox is a near-black Central American hardwood that is extremely hard and heavy. It makes a strong, affordable stand-in for ebony on small parts, but it...
- Kauri Agathis australis Kauri is New Zealand's giant conifer, and ancient swamp kauri is wood buried in bogs for tens of thousands of years. Its golden, shimmering slabs are...
- Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Kentucky coffeetree is a rare Midwestern hardwood with bold, ash-like grain and warm orange-brown heartwood. Its name comes from settlers who roasted the seeds as a...
- Kingwood Dalbergia cearensis Kingwood is a small Brazilian rosewood with deep violet heartwood and black streaks, once a favorite of French kings. It is a premium turning and inlay...
- Knotty Alder Alnus rubra Knotty alder is red alder from the Pacific Northwest sold in a rustic grade full of tight, characterful knots. It is soft, easy to work and...
- Koa Acacia koa Koa is Hawaii's famous native hardwood, glowing gold and red with shimmering curl. It is the classic ukulele and guitar wood and one of the most...
L
- Lacewood Panopsis spp. (mainly P. rubescens and P. sessilifolia) Lacewood is all about the ray fleck: quartersawn boards look like hammered copper or snakeskin. It is light, easy to cut and perfect for accent pieces...
- Laurel Oak Quercus laurifolia (often includes Quercus hemisphaerica) Laurel oak is the fast-growing, short-lived red oak that shades countless Florida yards and streets. Storm-felled trees are a common local salvage, giving affordable slabs with...
- Laurel Probably Cordia alliodora (see note on the name) Laurel is a warm, golden-brown Central American hardwood with dark streaks and a calm, easy-going grain. It works like a dream, stays stable, and comes in...
- Lemon-Scented Gum Corymbia citriodora (syn. Eucalyptus citriodora) Lemon-scented gum is a tall Australian eucalypt known for its smooth pale bark and lemon-scented leaves. The wood is hard, brown and durable, much like spotted...
- Leopardwood Roupala montana (syn. R. brasiliensis) Leopardwood is a hard South American wood covered in light flecks that look like a leopard's coat. It's best on quartersawn faces where the pattern is...
- Leyland Cypress Cupressus × leylandii (Monterey cypress × Alaskan yellow cedar hybrid) Leyland cypress is the fast-growing hedge tree planted all over the Southeast. Its soft, knotty wood is a budget utility softwood when trees come down.
- Lignum Vitae Guaiacum officinale and Guaiacum sanctum Lignum vitae is famously one of the hardest, heaviest woods on earth, so dense and oily that it sinks and lubricates itself. It's a specialty wood...
- Live Oak Quercus virginiana Live oak is the sprawling evergreen oak of Florida yards and old plantation lanes. Its wood is one of the hardest domestic species, heavy and tough,...
- Lodgepole Pine Pinus contorta Lodgepole pine is the slim, straight pine of the Rockies, used for log homes, framing and fence rails. Beetle-killed trees give the blue-streaked boards sold as...
- London Plane Platanus × acerifolia (syn. Platanus × hispanica) London plane is the big street tree of European cities and a close cousin of American sycamore. Quartersawn, it shows the lacy ray fleck sold in...
- Lychee Litchi chinensis Lychee is a South Florida fruit tree whose hard, reddish wood is mostly seen as root and stump pieces. Those twisting roots make striking sculptural bases...
- Lyptus Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla (hybrid, often written E. urograndis) Lyptus is the trade name for a fast-growing plantation eucalyptus hybrid from Brazil. Its reddish brown wood stains evenly and is sold as an affordable alternative...
M
- Macacauba Platymiscium spp. (mainly P. pinnatum, P. trinitatis, P. ulei, P. dimorphandrum) Macacauba is a hard, striped orange-red to purple-brown wood from Central and South America, sold as macawood or hormigo. It looks like a rosewood, works nicely...
- Macassar Ebony Diospyros celebica Macassar ebony trades solid black for bold stripes of black and caramel. It is extremely dense and costly, so it is best used where a small...
- Mahogany Swietenia spp. (mainly S. macrophylla and S. mahagoni) Genuine mahogany is the classic furniture wood: stable, easy to work and warm reddish brown. Our mahogany slabs are salvaged from Florida trees, giving you that...
- Makore Tieghemella heckelii (also T. africana) Makore looks like a big-tree version of cherry, with a fine texture and pinkish-red color that deepens with age. It is durable and finishes beautifully, but...
- Mango Mangifera indica Mango is a South Florida backyard favorite and a surprisingly good hardwood once the fruit is done. It spalts quickly, giving golden boards streaked with black...
- Marblewood Zygia racemosa (syn. Marmaroxylon racemosum) Marblewood is a dense South American hardwood with gold and dark brown stripes that look like marble veining. It is a striking accent wood for turnings,...
- Massaranduba Manilkara bidentata Massaranduba is a heavy, deep red-brown tropical hardwood sold mostly as decking and flooring. It nearly matches ipe in hardness and rot resistance at a friendlier...
- Merbau Intsia spp. (mainly I. bijuga and I. palembanica) Merbau is a hard, reddish brown Southeast Asian hardwood that comes in long, wide boards. It is stable and very durable, so it is popular for...
- Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite); other Prosopis species are also sold as mesquite Mesquite is a hard, rustic Southwestern wood with a warm reddish-brown color and lots of character. It is also one of the most stable woods around,...
- Monkey Pod Albizia saman (syn. Samanea saman) Monkey pod, sold in Asia as suar, is the classic two-tone live edge slab: pale straw sapwood framing a rich chocolate heart. It is medium-hard, works...
- Monterey Cypress Cupressus macrocarpa (syn. Hesperocyparis macrocarpa) Monterey cypress is a wind-sculpted tree from the California coast that is better known overseas as macrocarpa. Its golden, knotty wood makes handsome slabs and furniture.
- Muninga Pterocarpus angolensis Muninga, also called kiaat, is a southern African padauk relative with warm golden to red-brown color. It is famous for staying put once dry, which makes...
N
- Narra Pterocarpus indicus Narra is a Southeast Asian padauk with golden to blood-red heartwood, good rot resistance and the famous amboyna burl. It is the national tree of the...
- Noble Fir Abies procera Noble fir is a tall Cascade Mountain fir known for premium Christmas trees and clear, straight lumber. It is one of the stronger true firs for...
- Norfolk Island Pine Araucaria heterophylla Norfolk Island pine is a tall, symmetrical South Pacific conifer planted along Florida's coasts. Its pale wood and rings of dark knots make it a favorite...
- Northern White Cedar Thuja occidentalis Northern white cedar is the light, aromatic thuja behind northern fence posts, shingles and canoes. It is very soft but shrugs off rot and insects.
- Norway Spruce Picea abies Norway spruce is Europe's most common spruce and the traditional soundboard wood of violins and European guitars. Most of it is everyday construction lumber, but tonewood...
O
- Obeche Triplochiton scleroxylon Obeche, also sold as ayous, is a pale, very light African hardwood that is easy to carve and cheap for an import. Its dust is a...
- Okoume Aucoumea klaineana Okoume is a light, pinkish African hardwood best known as the face of marine plywood. It glues and coats beautifully, which makes it a boat builder's...
- Olivewood Olea europaea Olivewood is hard, heavy and loaded with dark swirling figure on a creamy background. It is the classic wood for heirloom cutting boards, turned pieces and...
- Oregon Myrtle Umbellularia californica Oregon myrtle, sold as myrtlewood, is a West Coast bay laurel with shifting gold, olive and brown color and frequent curly or burl figure. It is...
- Oregon White Oak Quercus garryana Oregon white oak, also called Garry oak, is the hard, heavy white oak of the Pacific Northwest. It is rot resistant and makes characterful slabs, but...
- Osage Orange Maclura pomifera Osage orange is the hardest common North American wood and one of the most rot resistant. Its bright yellow heartwood is unforgettable, then slowly mellows to...
- Ovangkol Guibourtia ehie Ovangkol brings golden brown wood with dark rosewood-like streaks at a fair price. It is a favorite of guitar builders and works well for furniture and...
- Overcup Oak Quercus lyrata Overcup oak is a bottomland white oak of the Southeast, named for an acorn cup that almost covers the nut. Its wood is rot resistant but...
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- Pacific Madrone Arbutus menziesii Pacific madrone is the peeling red-barked tree of the West Coast, and its pinkish wood and dramatic burls are prized by turners. It is tricky to...
- Pacific Yew Taxus brevifolia Pacific yew is a small, slow-growing Northwest tree with dense orange-red wood and cream sapwood. Bowyers and turners prize it, but the plant is poisonous and...
- Pale Moon Ebony Diospyros malabarica (syn. D. embryopteris, D. peregrina) Pale moon ebony is a Southeast Asian ebony with cream and jet-black streaks instead of solid black. It is a favorite of turners and knife makers...
- Panga Panga Millettia stuhlmannii Panga panga is wenge's East African cousin, a dark, coarse-grained hardwood with fine light lines and strong rot resistance. It is a popular wenge alternative for...
- Paper Birch Betula papyrifera Paper birch is the white-barked birch of the North Woods, with pale, fine-grained wood that turns easily. It is a budget-friendly pick for spoons, bowls and...
- Parota Enterolobium cyclocarpum Parota, also called Guanacaste, grows into giant trees that give us some of the widest single-piece slabs you can buy. It is light, warm-toned and dramatic,...
- Pau Ferro Machaerium scleroxylon Pau ferro is a hard South American wood that looks a lot like rosewood, with chocolate-brown color and purple and orange streaks. Instrument makers love it,...
- Paulownia Paulownia tomentosa Paulownia is one of the lightest commercial hardwoods, about half the weight of pine, yet it is stable and resists rot. It is prized in Japan...
- Pear Pyrus communis Pear is a fine, even-grained European fruitwood with a soft rosy tone. Carvers, turners and instrument makers prize it for how crisply it holds detail.
- Pecan Carya illinoinensis Pecan is a hickory in everything but name: very hard, shock resistant and handsome in a rugged way. Its light sapwood and reddish heart give floors...
- Persimmon Diospyros virginiana American persimmon is a very hard, pale wood from the ebony family that grows wild across Florida. It was once the wood of choice for golf...
- Peruvian Walnut Juglans spp. (J. neotropica, J. australis, J. olanchana and others) Peruvian walnut is a true walnut with a deeper, more uniform chocolate color than our domestic black walnut. It is easy to work and a nice...
- Pin Oak Quercus palustris Pin oak is a hard red oak and one of America's most popular street trees. Its wood is full of small pin knots, which give urban...
- Pink Ivory Berchemia zeyheri Pink ivory is a rare southern African hardwood famous for its pink to red color and glassy polish. It comes in small pieces and is a...
- Plum Prunus domestica Plum is a hard, heavy fruitwood with streaks of pink, purple and red that make every turning a little different. It only comes in small pieces,...
- Podocarpus Podocarpus spp. (Florida landscape trees are usually P. macrophyllus; see note) Podocarpus, or yew pine, is the familiar Florida hedge and landscape conifer. Big trees occasionally give us pale, fine-grained slabs, though published wood data for the...
- Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa pine is the big western pine behind most knotty pine paneling, doors and window frames. It is light, soft and easy to work, and it...
- Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera Yellow poplar is the affordable, easy-to-work hardwood that ends up inside most painted cabinets and trim. In slab form it is a light, budget-friendly option, often...
- Port Orford Cedar Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Port Orford cedar is a rare, aromatic false cypress from a small corner of Oregon and California. Its light, straight-grained wood is stable, rot resistant and...
- Post Oak Quercus stellata Post oak is a tough, slow-growing white oak of dry Southern woods, including north and central Florida. Its rot-resistant heartwood built generations of fence posts, and...
- Primavera Roseodendron donnell-smithii (syn. Tabebuia donnell-smithii) Primavera, sometimes called white mahogany, is a pale, lightweight Central American hardwood with a soft luster and easy working. It's now CITES listed, so legal stock...
- Pumpkin Ash Fraxinus profunda Pumpkin ash is a southern swamp ash, native to north Florida, named for the swollen base of trees that grow in standing water. Its light wood...
- Purpleheart Peltogyne spp. Purpleheart turns a vivid purple shortly after cutting, with no stain needed. It's very hard, stable and decay resistant, which makes it a favorite for cutting...
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- Radiata Pine Pinus radiata Radiata pine is the plantation pine of New Zealand and Chile, and it is behind a lot of the primed trim and finger-jointed boards sold in...
- Rainbow Eucalyptus Eucalyptus deglupta Rainbow eucalyptus is famous for its multicolored peeling bark. The wood underneath is a plain, light pinkish brown that is used mostly for pulp, veneer and...
- Red Elm Ulmus rubra Red elm, better known as slippery elm, has warm reddish heartwood and the same bold, interlocked grain as American elm. Salvaged trees can yield wide, characterful...
- Red Mulberry Morus rubra Red mulberry is a hard, golden American wood that grows wild across Florida and darkens to a warm reddish brown with age. It is tough, rot...
- Red Oak Quercus rubra (lumber often includes other red oak group species) Red oak is the familiar, hard-wearing hardwood behind generations of American floors and cabinets. In slab form it brings bold grain, a warm pinkish tone and...
- Red Pine Pinus resinosa Red pine is a straight, sturdy Great Lakes pine used for log homes, poles and framing lumber. Many people know it as Norway pine, though it...
- Red Sandalwood Pterocarpus santalinus Red sandalwood, or zitan, is a dense purple-red Indian padauk relative and one of the most prized furniture woods in China. It is CITES-listed, endangered and...
- Redwood Sequoia sempervirens Coast redwood comes from the tallest trees on Earth, and its warm red heartwood resists rot and barely moves. Today it is prized as decking, reclaimed...
- River Birch Betula nigra River birch is the birch of southern riverbanks, and the only one native to Florida. Its pale, fine-grained wood mostly comes from yard trees and makes...
- River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis River red gum is the deep red eucalypt that lines Australia's rivers. Its wild, interlocked grain and frequent burls make dramatic slabs and turnings.
- Rock Elm Ulmus thomasii Rock elm is the hard, tough, tight-grained elm of the Great Lakes, famous for bending and for hockey sticks. It is much denser than other elms...
- Rose Gum Eucalyptus grandis Rose gum is a fast-growing Australian eucalypt planted on a huge scale for timber. Its pinkish brown wood is easy to work but moves a lot...
- Royal Poinciana Delonix regia Royal poinciana is the flame tree that turns South Florida streets red-orange each summer. The wood itself is light, soft and brittle, better suited to keepsakes...
- Rubberwood Hevea brasiliensis Rubberwood is the timber of retired latex plantation trees, a pale, even hardwood that machines and glues easily. It is the budget wood behind a lot...
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- Sand Pine Pinus clausa Sand pine is a small, scrubby Florida native that grows on dry sand ridges from the Panhandle to central Florida. It is rarely sold on its...
- Santos Mahogany Myroxylon balsamum Santos mahogany is a hard, heavy Latin American legume with deep red-brown heartwood and a spicy scent. It is best known as a durable flooring wood...
- Sapele Entandrophragma cylindricum Sapele is an African hardwood with a mahogany-like reddish brown color and a shimmering ribbon figure on quartersawn faces. It's a little harder than mahogany and...
- Sapodilla Manilkara zapota Sapodilla, sold as lumber under the name chicozapote, is a very hard, heavy, rot-resistant red wood from a tropical fruit tree. In South Florida it is...
- Sapucaia (Sapucacia) Likely Lecythis ampla (Central America); the Brazilian name sapucaia also refers to Lecythis pisonis Sapucaia is a monkey-pot tree in the Lecythis genus; our Central American slabs are most likely Lecythis ampla, known locally as jícaro. It is extremely hard...
- Sassafras Sassafras albidum Sassafras is a golden, open-grained hardwood that fills the shop with a spicy root-beer scent. It is native as far south as central Florida and is...
- Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris Scots pine is Europe's main pine, sold there as redwood or red deal for furniture, flooring and joinery. It is a hard pine with a warm...
- Sea Grape Coccoloba uvifera Sea grape is the round-leaf shrub of Florida's beaches. Its hard, reddish wood is too small and crooked for tables but makes beautiful turnings and keepsakes.
- Sheoak Allocasuarina fraseriana (formerly Casuarina fraseriana) Sheoak is a hard Western Australian wood with warm red-brown color and striking ray flecks on quartersawn faces. It is a cousin of Florida's Australian pine...
- Siamese Rosewood Dalbergia cochinchinensis Siamese rosewood is a deep red, black-streaked true rosewood from mainland Southeast Asia. It is prized in Asian furniture and now scarce because of illegal logging.
- Silk Oak Grevillea robusta Silk oak (Grevillea robusta) is an Australian tree that grows all over Southwest Florida, and its wood is full of silvery lace-like ray fleck. Our slabs...
- Silver Birch Betula pendula Silver birch is Europe's everyday birch and the main source of Baltic birch plywood. Solid boards are pale and fine-grained, and rare Masur figure is a...
- Sissoo Dalbergia sissoo Sissoo is the golden brown Indian rosewood behind a lot of sheesham furniture, and it also grows wild in Florida as an invasive. It is lighter...
- Sitka Spruce Picea sitchensis Sitka spruce is the light, stiff Pacific coast softwood behind most acoustic guitar tops and wooden masts. It has one of the best strength-to-weight ratios of...
- Soft Maple Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum and related species Soft maple gives you the clean, light look of maple at a gentler price and with easier working properties. It is the base wood behind ambrosia...
- Southern Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora Southern magnolia is the big glossy-leaved tree of the Deep South, and its wood is an easy, even-grained hardwood much like poplar. Fallen yard trees can...
- Southern Red Oak Quercus falcata Southern red oak is a big upland red oak of the South that grows wild in north and central Florida. It is a bit softer than...
- Southern Yellow Pine Pinus palustris, P. elliottii, P. taeda, P. echinata (sold as one group) Southern yellow pine is a group of hard, strong pines grown across the Southeast, including right here in Florida. It is affordable and tough, but resin...
- Spanish Cedar Cedrela odorata Spanish cedar is a light, aromatic relative of mahogany. It smells great, resists bugs and rot, and is the classic wood for humidors and cigar boxes.
- Spotted Gum Corymbia maculata (syn. Eucalyptus maculata) Spotted gum is a hard Australian eucalypt named for its spotted bark. Its brown, often wavy wood is a staple for Australian decks and floors.
- Spruce Pine Pinus glabra Spruce pine is a soft, shade-tolerant southern pine of north Florida and the Gulf Coast river bottoms. It is lighter and less resinous than the other...
- Sugar Pine Pinus lambertiana Sugar pine is the tallest pine in the world and one of the softest, steadiest softwoods to carve. Clear boards are prized by pattern makers, carvers...
- Swamp Chestnut Oak Quercus michauxii Swamp chestnut oak is a big white oak of Southern bottomlands, north Florida included. It splits so cleanly it was once the basket maker's wood, and...
- Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor Swamp white oak is one of the hardest white oaks, a bottomland tree that is also planted along city streets. It is sold as white oak,...
- Sweet Birch Betula lenta Sweet birch, or black birch, is the hardest of our common birches, with reddish heartwood that can stand in for cherry. Its twigs smell of wintergreen,...
- Sweet Cherry Prunus avium Sweet cherry is Europe's cherry, a fine-grained fruitwood with a warm pinkish brown color that deepens with time. It is a little harder than American black...
- Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia virginiana Sweetbay is the small native magnolia of Florida's wet woods and creek banks. Its light, easy-working wood is a modest utility hardwood with occasional streaky heartwood.
- Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Sweetgum is a native Southern hardwood, Florida included, that is often overlooked because it warps while drying. Well-dried red gum heartwood has a soft, streaky figure...
- Sycamore Maple Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore maple is the European maple behind fine violin backs and old kitchen ware. It is pale, fine textured and often has rippling fiddleback figure.
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- Tamarack Larix laricina Tamarack is North America's eastern larch, a conifer that turns gold and drops its needles each fall. Its dense, resinous heartwood was a favorite for boat...
- Tamarind Tamarindus indica Tamarind is a tropical fruit tree with a pale sapwood that spalts beautifully and a small, dark heartwood core. It is heavy and stubborn to work...
- Tamo Ash Fraxinus mandshurica Tamo ash is figured ash from northeast Asia, prized for its swirling peanut and blister figure. It shows up mostly as veneer and guitar or drum...
- Tasmanian Myrtle Nothofagus cunninghamii Tasmanian myrtle is a southern beech from Australia's cool rainforests, with fine grain and warm salmon to red-brown color. Figured and burl pieces are a favorite...
- Tasmanian Oak Eucalyptus regnans, E. obliqua and E. delegatensis (sold together) Tasmanian oak is a trade name for three pale Australian eucalypts, not a true oak. It is a light, even, easy-working hardwood used for floors, stairs...
- Teak Tectona grandis Teak is the classic boat and outdoor wood: oily, very stable and naturally resistant to rot. We carry plantation teak lumber and narrow live-edge teak slabs...
- Tulipwood Dalbergia decipularis (also Dalbergia frutescens) Brazilian tulipwood is a small rosewood with candy-striped pink, red and yellow heartwood. It is a premium choice for inlay, turning and small accents.
- Tzalam Lysiloma spp. (mainly Lysiloma latisiliquum and L. bahamense) Tzalam is a walnut-brown hardwood from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, often called Caribbean walnut. One of its source trees, wild tamarind, is a native...
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- Water Hickory Carya aquatica Water hickory is a swamp-loving pecan hickory that grows wild in north and central Florida. Its tough, contrasty wood is sold as hickory or pecan for...
- Water Oak Quercus nigra Water oak is one of Florida's most common oaks, a fast-growing, short-lived yard tree that often falls in storms. Its red oak wood is an affordable...
- Water Tupelo Nyssa aquatica Water tupelo grows in the swamps of the Southeast, including the Florida Panhandle. Its light, even wood is a carver's favorite for decoys and painted pieces.
- Wenge Millettia laurentii Wenge is a heavy, nearly black African hardwood with fine tan stripes. It's the modern-design favorite for dark contrast, but it's splintery and needs care in...
- Western Hemlock Tsuga heterophylla Western hemlock is the fine-grained, pitch-free hemlock of the Pacific Northwest. Clear vertical-grain boards make clean, affordable trim, doors and paneling.
- Western Larch Larix occidentalis Western larch is one of the hardest and strongest North American softwoods, with reddish heartwood and bold growth rings. It is often sold alongside Douglas fir...
- Western Red Cedar Thuja plicata Western red cedar is the lightweight, sweet-smelling softwood behind much of America's outdoor woodwork. It shrugs off rot and barely moves with humidity, but it is...
- Western White Pine Pinus monticola Western white pine, often called Idaho white pine, is a soft, even-grained pine for trim, paneling and carving. It works like eastern white pine and stays...
- White Ash Fraxinus americana (lumber often includes green ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica) White ash is strong, springy and light in color, the wood of choice for baseball bats and tool handles. It works and bends beautifully, but the...
- White Fir Abies concolor White fir is a soft, pale western true fir sold as Hem-Fir framing lumber. It is light, easy to work and paints cleanly.
- White Oak Quercus alba (lumber often includes other white oak group species) White oak is the strong, water-resistant oak behind whiskey barrels, wooden boats and Mission furniture. Its warm golden tone and quartersawn ray fleck make it a...
- White Spruce Picea glauca White spruce is the common spruce of Canada's boreal forest and a big part of SPF framing lumber. It is pale, light and even-grained.
- Wild Tambran (Wild Tamarind) Likely Cojoba arborea (syn. Pithecellobium arboreum) Wild Tambran is a Central American slab name that most likely points to Cojoba arborea, a reddish-brown striped hardwood with a mahogany-like glow and more hardness....
- Willow Oak Quercus phellos Willow oak is a red oak with narrow, willow-like leaves and a favorite street tree across the South. Big urban trees give wide, hard slabs that...
- Winged Elm Ulmus alata Winged elm is a small Southern elm, native to north and central Florida, with corky wings on its twigs. Its wood is harder than American elm...
- Wormy Chestnut Castanea dentata Wormy chestnut is reclaimed American chestnut, salvaged from barns built before a blight wiped out the species. Its warm brown color, worm holes and history make...
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- Yellow Birch Betula alleghaniensis Yellow birch is the workhorse hardwood of northern cabinet shops: hard, fine grained and easy to machine. Its creamy sapwood and warm heartwood finish beautifully, and...
- Yellowheart Euxylophora paraensis Yellowheart is a Brazilian hardwood with a bright, even yellow color that few woods can match. It works well and is a favorite accent in cutting...
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- Zebrawood Microberlinia brazzavillensis Zebrawood is the striped one: light gold wood with bold dark bands that nobody mistakes for anything else. It is fairly hard and heavy, works with...
- Ziricote Cordia dodecandra Ziricote is a dark Central American hardwood known for its black, web-like figure on a brown to greenish background. It is a favorite for guitars and...
No species match that. Call (239) 331-5925 and ask; we can often source it.
Not sure which wood fits your project?
Walk the racks with us in Fort Myers. We'll show you the slabs and boards side by side and talk through hardness, finish and budget.