Attractive texture
Why you’ll love it: This wood is uber-colorful, with many pieces having rich reds and oranges mixed in with darker brown and black veins of exquisiteness. Some woods are loved for their color, others are loved for their streaks and stripes. Panama redwood has both.
Luxury furniture
Overall good working characteristics for both hand (excellent carving) and machine tools. Able to take a very high natural polish. Turns and glues well. Heartwood is rated as durable to very durable regarding decay resistance with good resistance to insect attacks as well.
Unique sound
In addition to its beautiful and attractive appearance, Quira has a unique sound. This highly prized tonewood is seen frequently in fretboards, and in the backs and sides of many quality flat-top acoustics. The wood traditionally has been used for marimba because of its clear, chimey tone.
Description
This wood goes by a number of common names, with none of them having a clear predominance. Quira, El Cristobal, Macacauba, Macacahuba, Nambar, Granadillo, Hormigo Rojo, Orange Agate.
Panama Redwood is one of the most noble and precious woods in the world. Hard, heavy and strong, it has a straw-yellow sapwood while the heartwood is a magnificent intense caramel. Decorated with wide bands and a far darker hue, it results in a distinct appearance.
Despite its weight and hardness, this wood has excellent properties which allow it to be used with all kinds of hand and power tools. Because it is so dense and compact, it can be machined and polished to obtain pieces that seem to be made of acrylic materials.
Another characteristic of Panama Redwood is its unmistakable sweet caramel aroma that permeates the environment where there is timber of this type that has not been painted or varnished.
Suitability
- Cabinet doors
- Stairs and balustrades
- Decking & Cladding
- Flooring & Staircases
- Furniture
- Joinery
- Musical instruments
- Veneer
Technical information
| Density (kg/m3 dry) | 950 | Hardness (Janka) (kN) | 12 | Resistance to split in nailing | Good |
| Specific gravity | 0.85 | Finish | Excellent | Resistance to split and screwing | Good |
| Modulus of rapture (Mpa dry) | 148 | Stability | Good | Gluing | Good |
| Modulus of elasticy (Mpa dry) | 19.5 | Crushing Strength (Mpa dry) | 80.7 | Durable | High |
| Radial shrinkage % | 2.8 | Sapwood Lyctid Susceptible | No | Trees | 25-35 year old |
| Tangential shrinkage % | 4.2 | Machining | Excellent | Round logs | Girth of 80-180 cm |
| Volumitric % | 7.2 | T/R ratio | 1.5 | Growing regoin | Central and South America |
Round logs. Different sizes available
- per ton
