Wood Species Guide

Mahogany

Swietenia spp. (mainly S. macrophylla and S. mahagoni)

Also called: Genuine mahogany, Honduran mahogany, Big-leaf mahogany, Caoba, Brazilian mahogany, American mahogany, Cuban mahogany, West Indies mahogany

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 look with local character.

ImportFloridaHardwoodMahoganies

Good forTabletops & Slabs River Tables Guitars & Tonewoods CITES-Restricted

About the name “Mahogany”

"Mahogany" covers a few woods. Genuine mahogany means Swietenia: big-leaf (Honduran) mahogany, S. macrophylla, and the West Indies or Cuban mahogany, S. mahagoni, which is native to the Florida Keys and planted across South Florida. Our mahogany slabs come from Florida-grown trees, so they are most likely one of these two (or a hybrid), but we can't confirm which from the slab alone. African mahogany (Khaya) and sapele are related but different woods.

What Mahogany looks like

Pinkish to salmon brown when fresh, darkening to a deep reddish brown over time. West Indies mahogany is usually darker and denser than big-leaf. Some boards show ribbon stripe or crotch figure.

Grain and texture

Straight to interlocked grain with a medium texture, open pores and a warm luster that's sometimes called chatoyance.

Working Mahogany: planing, cutting and gluing

One of the best woods for hand and machine work. It planes, carves and routs cleanly, though interlocked grain can tear out. It glues and screws easily. Florida-grown wood can have more reaction wood and tension than plantation lumber, so cut wide slabs carefully.

Finishing Mahogany: oil, film finishes and epoxy

Takes stain, oil and lacquer beautifully. Fill the pores if you want a mirror finish. Before epoxy, put on a seal coat to stop bubbles from the open pores.

Durability, stability and Florida humidity

Heartwood is durable against decay and is very stable once dried, which is a big plus in Florida's humidity. Keep it out of ground contact and protect it outdoors.

Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop

Our mahogany slabs are salvaged from Florida trees, so they often have wider widths, natural curves and more character than imported boards. They're great for dining and coffee tables, desks and river tables. Urban and yard trees can hide nails or fence wire, so run a metal detector over any Florida slab before it goes under a planer or cutter. Finish both faces and give it a week to acclimate inside before final work.

Common uses for Mahogany

Fine furniture, cabinets, doors and millwork, boat building, musical instruments, carving and veneer.

Sustainability and CITES status

Both Swietenia macrophylla and S. mahagoni are listed in CITES Appendix II, which controls international trade. Big-leaf mahogany is also listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List. Florida-salvaged trees aren't imports, which makes them a nice local option.