ROSEWOOD

Scientific Name:

Machaerium schleroxylon

Other Names and Species:

Morado
Moradillo
Santos Palisander 

Origin:

India, Bolivia and Brazil in South America, and also Central America.

Appearance:

Rosewood is distinctive for its dark brown to violet color with black streaks or striping. Over time, the wood may lighten considerably from darker brown tones to lighter golden tan colors. In addition, the broad color variation exhibited in freshly cut wood can undergo substantial muting over time. It has a uniform and moderately coarse texture.

Properties:

Rosewood is notably hard and dense, with a dimensional stability similar to that of red oak.

Janka Hardness: 1780

Rosewood is nearly ninety-seven percent as hard as pecan or hickory, is roughly twenty-two percent harder than hard maple, about eight percent harder than wenge, almost exactly thirty-eight percent harder than red oak, and is roughly eighty percent as hard as santos mahogany's ranking of 2200.

Workability:

Despite its density, rosewood works well and sands to a fine natural polish. Many oil-based finishes will not dry properly with this wood, so water-based stains are preferred.

Principal Uses:

Rosewood is generally useful for wood flooring, decorative veneers, fine furniture, cabinet work, and specialty items.