African padauk. I didn't even expect them to be so rich in color.

The African padukah, purchased on the Aliexpress website, has received many positive reviews. Such as, for example: “I didn’t even expect that they were so rich in color.”

The cost of a block of this amazing wood is from 166 rubles for two bars. The price is valid on the date of publication of the article. The price, as elsewhere, depends on the size of the block. The maximum cost is 1831 rubles, for a set of two pieces of wood, each measuring 25x5x4cm.

View African padauk wood on the seller’s page on Aliexpress

The seller offers seven different sizes of blocks, respectively, costing from 166 rubles to 1831 rubles.

Wenge, paduka, boxwood, and bubinga wood are often used by craftsmen to make knife handles. This is due to the fact that the listed rocks have excellent characteristics, both mechanical and textural.

By the way, the seller can make any size to fit. All you have to do is request and pay for your order.

Origin

Paduk wood comes from several species of the genus Pterocarpus. All padukas originate from Africa or Asia; Pterocarpus soyauxii trees are native to West Africa, especially Nigeria, Cameroon and Zaire. It grows in tropical rainforests in the form of trees from 20 to 40 meters in height, the cylindrical trunks of which have buttresses. The bark is grayish-brown, slightly dissected, peels off in strips, and when damaged, latex-containing juice is released. It is a food plant for the larvae of the longhorned beetle Anoeme gahani.

The most commonly found type of padauk on the market is the African padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii), whose wood, bright red when freshly cut, darkens to a warm brown over time when exposed to the sun. Because of this color, it is popular among woodworkers. Burmese (Pterocarpus macrocarpus) and Andaman padauk (Pterocarpus dalbergioides) are also used.

Customer Reviews

Judging by the reviews, the blocks of African padauk wood come in high quality and are worth the money. View the wood blocks on the seller's page on Aliexpress

For example, here are a few randomly selected reviews:

Delivered in a month and a half. The seller sent 2 pieces of wood with different textures, oh, thank you. size matches

The wood is excellent and beautiful. Only instead of two thick bars they sent four narrow ones, but this is even better, you don’t have to saw them lengthwise. I took it for making knife handles, so everything is great. Thank you

I didn’t even expect that they were so rich in color. The geometry is smooth and the surface is well processed.

Everything is ok, well packaged, fast delivery. Nice wood color.

Properties

Paduk sapwood is 5-10 cm wide, white or beige, darkens in air. When freshly cut, heartwood has a bright color from coral to red-brown, sometimes with darker veins. Quickly darkens and turns brown. The growth rings are poorly visible, the pores are large and sparse, and the parenchyma is visible to the naked eye.

Drying is not difficult, almost does not warp, and after drying it is very stable. Easily processed with any tool, but planing curled pieces can be problematic. Not suitable for making bent parts.

The surface can be varnished. When treating the surface, avoid alcohol-containing liquids, since the natural dyes of this wood are soluble in alcohol.

This wood is very durable and resistant to insects, fungi and weather influences. During storage, however, it must be protected from water, since the latter causes drips. Paduk veneer should be stored in a dark place to maintain its vibrant color. It is not recommended to use this wood in highly lit areas.

Paducah is sometimes confused with rosewood, to which these trees are related, but in general padauk wood is more porous and not as decorative.

Data from the CIRAD database

Countries of origin. Angola, Gabon, Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Nigeria, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea.
Description of logs

Description of wood

Note.
Variable buoyancy. The wood is bright red, darkening to purple-brown in the light. Physical properties

Mechanical properties

¹ at 12% humidity; 1 MPa = 1 N/mm²

Physical and mechanical properties are based on mature heartwood samples.
These properties can vary greatly depending on origin and growth conditions. Note. Khaya grandifoliola has fairly hard wood, physical and mechanical properties Kh. ivorensis are inferior to other kaya species. Natural durability and permeability

Note. Biohazard class provided by natural resistance (according to EN standards). Note. This species is subject to Biohazard Class 5 standards (use in marine and brackish waters) only when used in temperate and cold waters.

Resistance to fungi and termites is given for finished products in temperate climates.
Except for special comments for sapwood, natural durability is given for mature heartwood. Sapwood should always be considered as not resistant to destructive factors. Local names by country

The need for protective treatment

Drying

Possible drying modes

These modes are given as an example only and for thicknesses not exceeding 38 mm. They must be applied in accordance with accepted practice. For thicknesses from 38 to 75 mm, the relative humidity should be increased by 5% at each step. For thicknesses over 75 mm, the increase should be 10%.

Note.
The difficulty of drying is associated with curliness. To avoid defects, radial cutting is recommended. Sawing and processing

Note.
Sometimes - irritating sawdust dust. Requires effort to process. Sometimes problems arise due to intertwined fibers. Assembly

Note. Pre-drilling is necessary: ​​risk of splitting, especially in thin boards. Gluing requires care (dense wood).

Application

All padukas are valued for their durable, stable and decorative, usually red, wood. The wood of many Pterocarpus species contains water- or alcohol-soluble substances that can be used as dyes.

Paduk is actively used in shipbuilding, furniture production, production of veneer, musical instruments, underwater guns, solid boards, block parquet, interior decoration items, knife handles, carved and turned products, and inserts. Lower quality material is used in the design of carriages.

Paduk is also used by craftsmen to make billiard cues.

Buyer Photos

As you know, it is better to see once than to read reviews a hundred times. Therefore, it is worth looking at the photographs provided by real buyers in their reviews:

When choosing a material for handmade work, it is extremely important to get what you expect. After all, you can lose your mood and inspiration for work. When choosing a seller, always pay attention to the quantity and quality of product reviews

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Advantages and disadvantages

When exposed to sunlight, the color of wood changes, so it is best used for interior work. In rooms where there are products made from this wood, it is advisable to protect them from very bright artificial lighting. In operation, wood is resistant to various microorganisms and mold fungi and does not rot. However, termites can destroy it.

Therefore, impregnation and coating with special agents against insect pests is of great importance when processing padauk wood. Otherwise, the wood has a fairly high resistance, for example, when it comes into contact with the ground, it lasts up to thirty years.

Excerpt describing Paduk (wood)

Once in Moscow, in the presence of Princess Marya (it seemed to her that her father had done this on purpose in front of her), the old prince kissed M lle Bourienne's hand and, pulling her towards him, hugged her and caressed her. Princess Marya flushed and ran out of the room. A few minutes later, M lle Bourienne entered Princess Marya, smiling and cheerfully telling something in her pleasant voice. Princess Marya hastily wiped away her tears, walked up to Bourienne with decisive steps and, apparently without knowing it herself, with angry haste and outbursts of her voice, began shouting at the Frenchwoman: “It’s disgusting, low, inhumane to take advantage of weakness...” She didn’t finish. “Get out of my room,” she shouted and began to sob. The next day the prince did not say a word to his daughter; but she noticed that at dinner he ordered the food to be served, starting with m lle Bourienne. At the end of dinner, when the barman, according to his previous habit, again served coffee, starting with the princess, the prince suddenly flew into a rage, threw his crutch at Philip and immediately made an order to hand him over as a soldier. “They don’t hear... I said it twice!... they don’t hear!” “She is the first person in this house; “she is my best friend,” the prince shouted. “And if you allow yourself,” he shouted in anger, turning to Princess Marya for the first time, “once again, like yesterday you dared... to forget yourself in front of her, then I will show you who’s boss in the house.” Out! so that I don’t see you; ask her for forgiveness!” Princess Marya asked forgiveness from Amalya Evgenievna and her father for herself and for Philip the barman, who asked for spades. At such moments, a feeling similar to the pride of a victim gathered in Princess Marya’s soul. And suddenly, at such moments, in her presence, this father, whom she condemned, either looked for his glasses, feeling near them and not seeing, or forgot what was just happening, or took an unsteady step with weak legs and looked around to see if anyone had seen him weakness, or, worst of all, at dinner, when there were no guests to excite him, he would suddenly doze off, letting go of his napkin, and bend over the plate, his head shaking. “He is old and weak, and I dare to condemn him!” she thought with disgust for herself at such moments. In 1811, in Moscow there lived a French doctor who quickly became fashionable, huge in stature, handsome, as amiable as a Frenchman and, as everyone in Moscow said, a doctor of extraordinary skill - Metivier. He was accepted into the houses of high society not as a doctor, but as an equal. Prince Nikolai Andreich, who laughed at medicine, recently, on the advice of m lle Bourienne, allowed this doctor to visit him and got used to him. Metivier visited the prince twice a week. On Nikola’s day, the prince’s name day, all of Moscow was at the entrance of his house, but he did not order to receive anyone; and only a few, a list of which he gave to Princess Marya, he ordered to be called to dinner. Metivier, who arrived in the morning with congratulations, as a doctor, found it proper to de forcer la consigne [to violate the prohibition], as he told Princess Marya, and went in to see the prince. It so happened that on this birthday morning the old prince was in one of his worst moods. He walked around the house all morning, finding fault with everyone and pretending that he did not understand what they were saying to him and that they did not understand him. Princess Marya firmly knew this state of mind of quiet and preoccupied grumbling, which was usually resolved by an explosion of rage, and as if in front of a loaded, cocked gun, she walked all that morning, waiting for the inevitable shot. The morning before the doctor arrived went well. Having let the doctor pass, Princess Marya sat down with a book in the living room by the door, from which she could hear everything that was happening in the office. At first she heard one voice of Metivier, then the voice of her father, then both voices spoke together, the door swung open and on the threshold appeared the frightened, beautiful figure of Metivier with his black crest, and the figure of a prince in a cap and robe with a face disfigured by rage and drooping pupils of his eyes.

Description

The padauk tree, a photo of which is presented in the article, reaches a height of up to forty meters, and a diameter of up to one meter or more. The purebred tree has a wide and spreading crown with branches hanging down. Often the lower shoots descend to the ground. The shiny leaves on thin cuttings are arranged transversely. On one side they are green, and on the other they are light. The gray-green or brown bark is quite thin. If you cut it, a juice will be released, which contains latex. The seeds are round in shape with wings. Paduk is considered evergreen, but with a sharp change in climatic conditions, the tree sheds its leaves.

Interesting Facts

In its homeland, many myths are associated with the padauk tree. It is also called angsana, narra, or Burmese mahogany.

It is believed that it is endowed with energy that can bring an individual into a balanced state and calm him down. And for ritual ceremonies they use branches and flowers. The latter immerse them in water containing incense and then sprinkle it on their relatives. In addition, according to ancient legends, the padu is considered a sacred tree, and its flowers are a symbol of the water festival.

Characteristics of padauk wood species

About seventy varieties of padauk are known, with a varied color palette - from creamy to rich brown or red. Paduk has an external resemblance to a more expensive type of sapwood - rosewood, unlike which, paduk has lower decorative qualities and is less resistant to damage. Fresh timber has a cedar aroma. Over time, its surface becomes darker, a brown or burgundy tint appears. The wood of the padauk tree is heavy and hard.

The fibers are straight and slightly random, with a medium-grain texture. The cuts produce a beautiful and unusual pattern. The wood is a coloring species and is suitable for polishing, is stable after drying and does not change shape. It is dried for several weeks at a temperature of 45 to 60 degrees. Paduk is easily processed both by machine and by hand. Excellent absorption of priming solutions. However, when treated with liquids containing alcohol, the color pigments of the wood are corroded. Water can cause leaks. Paduk is compared to birch and oak in terms of hardness. Hardness – 3.9 (Brinell), density – 650–750 kg/cubic. meter, depends on the type of wood, growth conditions and origin, like other properties of the padauk tree.