As an exotic wood material with unique grain color and high durability, Purpleheart wood has become popular among many craftsmen. The only problem is it’s sold in wood types, and not all of them suit the same tools and projects.
Read along as our resident woodworkers discuss Purpleheart lumber’s origin, attributes, and uses to help you avoid wasting money on the wrong material.
Purple Heart Timber Characteristics Summary
- Common name/s: Purpleheart lumber, Amaranth, Violet Wood, Pau Roxo, and Roxinho
- Scientific name: Peltogyn Pubescens / Peltogyne spp.
- Color, source: Brownish-Purple to Eggplant, Purpleheart Tree (Peltogyne Genus)
- Hardness/Janka rating: 2520 lbf (11,190 N)
- Common uses: Commonly used in Interior Furniture, Cabinets, Ornaments/Jewelry, Outdoor Furniture, or Musical Instruments.
- Estimated price: Around $14 to $45 per bf (board foot)
- Tree size: 30 to 50 mm (length), 1 to 1.5 mm (tree trunk diameter/thickness)
- Dried weight (average): Around 905 kg/m3
- Gravity specifics: 0.76, 0.9 (Basic, 12% Moisture Content)
- Rupture modulus: 22000 lbf/in2
- Elastic modulus: 20.26 GPa
- Crushing strength: 83.7 MPa
- Shrinkage: 1.7 t/R Ratios, 3.8% Radial, 6.4% Tangential, and 10.6% Volumetric
What is Purple Heart?
Purpleheart lumber is a material you can derive from an exotic wood tree that’s a part of Peltogyne. You may not know, but it’s a genus with 23 species under the Fabaceae family that grows into massive trees.
The Purpleheart lumber trees have a growth range of 100 to 170 ft with massive trunks that grow up to 1.5m in diameter. From these exotic plants bloom tiny flowers with around five petals and a pod-like tree fruit with a single seed.
Origins
This exotic wood originated from Central and South America, specifically in the Amazon Basin. You can also encounter Purpleheart lumber trees from tropical rainforests in different countries like Guyana, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, and many more.
Although it’s one of the most durable and densest trees in Central and South America, most environmentalists don’t encourage the usage and harvest of Purpleheart lumber.
These durable materials are also rare now, so we recommend considering alternatives like acacia, alder wood, cherry, red oak, walnut, or maple lumber.
Appearance: Color, Grain Pattern, and More
Out of the many unique attributes of the Purpleheart species, its unique purple-grayish color caught our attention the most. However, you should know that the lumber color will transform into a deep violet-purple or eggplant-like shade as time pass by.
While most Purpleheart timber materials have straight lumber grains, some of their types are occasionally wavy and irregular. You can encounter Purpleheart lumber with a regular or medium texture. Fun fact, its lumber texture also comes with a natural wood luster.
Endgrain Features
Porosity
Purpleheart timber may have noticeable or indistinct growth rings and diffuse-porous depending on its development conditions and species.
Arrangement
The wood grain can be straight or wavy with single or multiple radial arrangements.
Vessels
Purpleheart lumber has medium to large vessels and often purple-like deposits.
Parenchyma
It has winged and unilateral storage cells, making Purpleheart lumber sapwood susceptible.
Rays
The wood’s surface has medium width and normal spacing attributes, barely visible to the naked eye without the help of lenses.
Is it Hardwood or Softwood?
Hardwood lumber types are specified as leafy trees, while softwood ones are generally from conifer plants. Because of this, Purpleheart lumber undoubtedly belongs under the hardwood category. It shares the same specification as walnut, maple, oak, and cherry wood.
How Hard/Dense is Purple Heart Timber?
The material must go through a Janka hardness test [1] to determine how tough Purpleheart timber is. It involves pressing a steel ball on the material and measuring the result per pound of force or lbf.
According to our tests, Purpleheart lumber recorded 1860 Janka. It’s more durable and denser than sugar maple and hard maple burl, with only 1450 Janka ratings. The walnut wood also pales in comparison with only 1010 lbf.
Odor
The wood’s scent depends on which Purpleheart specie you’re using. While most trees don’t have an odor, you should expect some types to have a pungent smell.
Workability
These materials have different grain arrangements, so the chances of tear-outs are higher as you try to plane them. You should also avoid using unsharpened or high-speed blades on the lumber if you don’t want its gummy resin to explode all over your workspace and make the process messy.
Durability/Resistance
Based on its Janka rating, it’s a no-brainer that this wood is tougher than average lumber. It’s also resistant to decay, so you won’t have problems using it as material on furniture and flooring.
Drying and Seasoning
Our resident woodworkers recommend assisting with its drying process. If not, air drying can cause Purpleheart problems like surface checking, small movement, and case hardening.
Toxicity
Despite its durability perks, this wood type can cause occasional allergies from eye and skin irritations to severe nausea.
Also Read: Exposure to Toxins in Woodwork
Availability and Pricing
Although harvesting these lumber pieces falls under strict regulations, Purpleheart is still widely available in the market. The prices for these materials vary highly, but you should be able to buy them at a low to moderate cost range.
Is Purple Heart Timber Endangered? Is it Eco-Friendly?
These lumber types aren’t listed as endangered, but the harvesting process of wood like Mahogany and Purpleheart is known to harm rainforest conditions. And because loggers needed to travel a distance to access this wood specie, it leaves massive carbon footprints.
Different Types/Species of Purple Heart Timber
- Peltogyne subsessilis W.A.Rodrigues
- Peltogyne angustiflora Ducke
- Peltogyne altissima Ducke
- Peltogyne gracilipes Ducke
- Peltogyne mexicana Martinez
- Peltogyne pauciflora Benth
- Peltogyne purpurea Pittier
- Peltogyne paradoxa Ducke
- Peltogyne lecointei Ducke
- Peltogyne discolor Vogel
- Peltogyne catingae Ducke
- Peltogyne campestris Ducke
- Peltogyne prancei (M.F.Silva)
- Peltogyne parvifolia Benth
- Peltogyne floribunda (Kunth) Pittier
- Peltogyne excelsa Ducke
- Peltogyne confertiflora (Hayne) Benth
- Peltogyne maranhensis Ducke
- Peltogyne heterophylla (M.F.Silva)
- Peltogyne recifensis (Ducke)
- Peltogyne paniculata Benth
- Peltogyne mattosiana Rizzini
- Peltogyne venosa Benth.sfd (M.Vahl)
Common Uses of Purpleheart Planks
As a long-lasting and tough wood material, Purpleheart can come in handy for a wide range of applications and projects. However, the tasks you can use it with are still monitored with strict regulations, so lowering prices are too far-fetched for these materials.
- Flooring & Paneling
- Interior & Exterior Decorations
- Wood Turning & Cladding
- Furniture Building
- General Carpentry
- Making tool handles
- Heavy-duty Construction Work
- Building boats
- Docking Works
FAQ
Where does purpleheart timber come from?
Purpleheart timber comes from a tree part called Peltogyne. These plants grew under the Fabaceae tree family and became large trees.
Is purpleheart timber sustainable?
No, purpleheart timber isn’t sustainable because these wood pieces are harvested from endangered rainforests. These materials are prone to overharvesting and illegal logging.
Why purpleheart planks are expensive?
Purpleheart planks are expensive because of their geographical location. Most of these materials are harvested in rainforests requiring long travel time.
Can you leave purpleheart planks outside?
Yes, you can leave Purpleheart planks outside because they can stand against rotting damages, insects, or harsh weather conditions. However, regular maintenance is still advised.
Conclusion
It’s easy to be attracted to what Purpleheart wood can offer. However, our woodworking experts urge you to weigh your project needs and compare these materials to other alternatives like maple and oak.
If your assessment leads to still needing this wood type, don’t forget to check its specifications to see if it matches your woodworking requirements.
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