Wood Species Guide
Coconut Palm
Cocos nucifera
Also called: Red Palm, Coconut Wood, Cocowood, Coconut Palm Wood, Palmwood (shared name)
About the name “Coconut Palm”
Coconut palm is a palm, not a true hardwood: it has no growth rings and no bark-to-pith grain like a tree. The wood is dark fibers set in a softer, lighter tissue. "Palmwood" is also used for other palms such as black palm, which is a different species.
What Coconut Palm looks like
Reddish brown to dark brown fibers dot a lighter tan background. End cuts look speckled, and long cuts show dark streaks, like a fine-pin pattern.
Grain and texture
No true grain pattern; dark fiber bundles run the length of the stem. Texture is coarse and the fibers can be splintery. Density drops sharply from the hard outer stem to the soft, pale core.
Working Coconut Palm: planing, cutting and gluing
The dense outer wood is hard on blades because of silica, and fibers can pull out or splinter on cuts and edges. Sharp carbide tools and light passes help. The soft core is weak and usually discarded. Glues well on clean, dense stock.
Finishing Coconut Palm: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Oil and film finishes work well and deepen the color. The fibers and soft tissue absorb finish unevenly, so a sealer coat first is wise. Under epoxy, seal well, because the porous tissue holds a lot of air.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
The dense outer wood is fairly durable, but softer, lower-density pieces decay quickly and insects attack it readily. In Florida keep it indoors and sealed on all faces. Movement is moderate.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Coconut palm wood comes in narrow boards and spindle stock from the dense outer stem, so it suits flooring, handles, walking sticks, small turnings and accents rather than big slabs. Florida palms that come down in storms can be milled, but most of the trunk is soft core. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Coconut Palm
Flooring, knife and tool handles, walking sticks, carvings, small furniture, turned objects and paneling.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List. In Florida, coconut palm is listed as a Category II invasive by the Florida Invasive Species Council for South Florida. Commercial lumber is mostly cut from old, unproductive plantation palms in the Pacific and Asia.
Safety and toxicity
- Skin irritation
- Splinters prone to infection
Few reports. Palm dust is reported to irritate skin, and the stiff fibers make sharp splinters that are easy to get infected.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + mask when sanding; gloves for splinters
- Food contact
- Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Palm wood dust has been reported to irritate skin, and the sharp fibers can cause splinters. Use dust collection, a mask and gloves.
Coconut Palm in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Coconut Palm listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
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