Wood Species Guide

Lignum Vitae

Guaiacum officinale and Guaiacum sanctum

Also called: Guayacán, Holywood (G. sanctum), Roughbark Lignum Vitae (G. sanctum), Tree of Life, Ironwood (loosely)

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 for mallets, bearings and turnings, with a native relative growing in the Florida Keys.
ImportFloridaHardwoodColorful Import Hardwoods
Good forOutdoor & Rot-ResistantTurningCITES-Restricted

About the name “Lignum Vitae”

In Central America guayacán is also used for ipe-type trees (Handroanthus), and ironwood is a loose name for many very hard woods. Argentine lignum vitae, or verawood (Bulnesia), is a different wood.

What Lignum Vitae looks like

Heartwood is olive green to deep greenish brown and darkens toward almost black over time. Sapwood is a narrow pale yellow band.

Grain and texture

Tightly interlocked grain with a very fine, even texture. The wood feels waxy to the touch because of its high natural resin content.

Working Lignum Vitae: planing, cutting and gluing

One of the hardest and heaviest woods in the world, and it sinks in water. It turns superbly but is slow going on saws and planers, and it dulls edges quickly. The resin makes gluing unreliable; wipe joints with acetone right before glue-up, or design joinery that does not rely on glue alone.

Finishing Lignum Vitae: oil, film finishes and epoxy

It often needs no finish at all; a buffed surface already has a soft, waxy sheen. If you want more shine, a wax or a light oil works. Epoxy and film finishes struggle to bond to the oily surface, so wipe with acetone and test a seal coat first.

Durability, stability and Florida humidity

Extremely durable and very resistant to rot and insects. The self-lubricating resin is why it was used for ship propeller-shaft bearings and pulley sheaves. Small pieces are quite stable once seasoned.

Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop

Lignum vitae is a specialty wood for small, hard-working parts, not tabletops. Think mallet heads, turned pieces, knife scales and bearings. Florida's own native lignum vitae (Guaiacum sanctum) is a protected, state-endangered tree, so please never harvest one; legal stock comes through permitted importers. We don't stock it, but we can help you find small turning blanks.

Common uses for Lignum Vitae

Bearings and bushings, mallets, pulley sheaves, turned objects, tool handles, knife scales and small specialty items.

Sustainability and CITES status

All Guaiacum species are listed in CITES Appendix II, so international trade needs permits. The IUCN lists Guaiacum officinale as Endangered. In Florida, Guaiacum sanctum is listed as state endangered.

Safety and toxicity

Our toxicity rating ModerateWhat the ratings mean
  • Skin irritation
  • Sensitizer (allergy builds with exposure)

The resin-rich wood has been reported to cause skin rashes, and the resin is a documented skin sensitizer. Florida's native holywood is in the same genus.

In the shop
Dust collection + dust mask; wash up after working it
Food contact
Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils

General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.

Reported to cause skin irritation in some people. Use dust control and wash up after working it.

Wood toxicity and dust safety guide: every species compared

Lignum Vitae in stock now

Ask us. We can often source it.

We don't have Lignum Vitae 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.

Call (239) 331-5925 Book a slab & lumber visit

Similar woods: Colorful Import Hardwoods

See the Colorful Import Hardwoods group guide

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