Purpleheart is one of the world's most unique woods in that it is truly purple and a bold purple color at that! Very dense and with fine graining, it is used for its purple color. Purpleheart is colorful, durable, stable, and makes for a beautifully unique floor.

BOTANICAL NAME: 

Peltogyne paniculata

ORIGIN: 

Central & South America - prime growing areas are the Amazon region of Brazil as well as British, French and Dutch Guiana.

COMMON NAMES: 

Purpleheart, Amaranth, Violetwood, Sucupira, Palo Morado, Bois Violet, Morado, Nazareno, Tananeo, Koroboreli, Amarante, Pau Roxo, Guarbu, Saka, Sakavalli.

JANKA HARDNESS:

1860

DIMENSIONAL STABILITY:

Excellent - Change Coefficient .00212 - 43% more stable than Northern Red Oak.

RELATIVE ABUNDANCE: 

Purpleheart has been exploited extensively for years because of its high strength and durability as well as its unusual color and beauty. It is increasingly rare, and is nearing extinction in parts of its original range.

INTERESTING FACTS: 

Purpleheart is one of the world's most unique woods in that it is truly purple and a bold purple color at that !

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: 

The off-white or lighter cream color of the sapwood of purpleheart contrasts sharply with the heartwood, which is brown when freshly cut, changing to a deep, vibrant purple or purplish brown over time. The texture of this wood is medium to fine, with a medium-to-high luster and a grain that is usually straight, or sometimes wavy or irregular.

COLOR CHANGE: 

Purpleheart undergoes an extreme degree of color change over time. When freshly milled or sanded, Purpleheart will be a brown color, which will change within a few days to a vivid purple color. Then over time (6 months +) the vivid purple will oxidize back to a brownish color with purplish highlights. Water based finishes tend to inhibit the full color change and hold more of the purple color.

MAIN USES: 

Purpleheart is prized for its uniquely vivid purple color, and so it is used in many specialty items, such as billiard cue butts and decorative carving. As a flooring material, the wood makes for very dramatic edgings, inlays, and accents. It is also used widely in parquet, fine furniture and cabinet work, marquetry, tool handles, diving boards and shipbuilding. Because of its acid-resistance, it is also used in making chemical vats.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:

Very heavy, hard, strong, and stiff with good decay resistance and stability in service. Steam-bends moderately well.

WORKING PROPERTIES:

Sometimes difficult to work with due to hardness and a tendency to tear and split. Pre-drilling required for screws and nails. Glues easily and polishes well with no staining required.