Wood Encyclopedia

Search and identify wood species from around the world — with origin, Janka hardness, grain and color, working properties, common uses, and how to tell them apart.

Sheesham (Indian Rosewood)

Sheesham (Indian Rosewood)

The workhorse Indian rosewood: a hard, durable Dalbergia with wavy interlocked grain and rich reddish-brown color, prized for furniture and carving.

Tropical & Exotic
Rosewood

Rosewood

The classic dark tropical hardwood: dense, oily, and fragrant, with rich chocolate-to-purple-brown heartwood and fine interlocked grain prized for fine furniture and instruments.

Tropical & Exotic
Brazilian Rosewood

Brazilian Rosewood

Legendary CITES-listed tropical hardwood with deep reddish-brown, high-contrast striped heartwood — the classic tonewood for fine guitars and heirloom furniture.

Tropical & Exotic
East Indian Rosewood

East Indian Rosewood

Dense, dark reddish-brown South Asian rosewood with fine interlocked grain — a fragrant, durable cabinet and instrument wood prized for tone and figure.

Hardwood
Ziricote

Ziricote

A dense Central American hardwood famous for dramatic "spider-web" figure — grayish to medium brown with fine black streaking and high natural luster.

Tropical & Exotic
Wenge

Wenge

Dark brown-to-black Central African hardwood with a bold black-and-tan striped figure, coarse texture, and high density — a favorite for flooring and accents.

Tropical & Exotic
Kingwood

Kingwood

A dense, violet-brown Brazilian rosewood streaked with dark lines — a historic marquetry and turning wood, small in size and premium in price.

Tropical & Exotic
Cocobolo

Cocobolo

A dense, oily Central American rosewood prized for vivid reddish-orange heartwood streaked with dark accents — a CITES-listed knife-handle and turning wood.

Tropical & Exotic
Cannonball Mangrove

Cannonball Mangrove

A mahogany-family mangrove hardwood from Indo-Pacific tidal forests — pale tan sapwood, warm brown heartwood, and moderate, evenly spaced growth rings.

Tropical & Exotic