Top 10 Hardest Wood You Should Know

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Do you know that there are actually species of wood that are very hard and durable that it can blunt your tools when cut? Most of them are hiding in huge and far forests that some are already becoming rare and extinct. And you might not notice it but possibly the reason why your floors and furniture are long lasting are because they are made of these type of timber. Woodworkers are surely familiar with the list of this top 10 hardest wood you should know. And I see no reason why others shouldn’t be aware of it too.

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1. Rare and Elusive Australian Buloke

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Allocasuarina Luehmannii or commonly and easier known as the Australian Buloke is considered as the hardest wood in the world with a Janka harness of 5,060 lbf. With yellowish brown sapwood, you might need a strong saw to cut it if you ever find one as it can be only found in the Eastern and Southern region of Australia.

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2. The Axe Breaker That is Quebracho Tree

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Derived from the Spanish phrase quebrar hacha, which means “axe-breaker” because of its strong and hard properties, Quebracho Tree has a thick bark and darker core than the rest of the trees. It grows up to 100 feet and is found mainly in South America and Jamaica, where its extract is typically used as a fever reducer.

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3. Another Quebracho Called Quebracho Colorado

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The 4,570 lbf makes this Schinopsis Balansae included in this list. It is also known as willow-leaf red quebracho, which grows in the subtropical region of North-Eastern Argentina and Paraguay, has excellent surviving feature that is highly resistant to any insect attacks. You might think twice of using it as it can be difficult to work with given that its grain is quite irregular.

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4. Lignum Vitae, the Tree of Life

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In English, it means tree of life, or wood of life, has a dark greenish brown to black, and sometimes reddish color that goes darker with age. With high density and high oil content, it is hard to make a strong and firm glue joint with this type of wood. It is however commonly used for tool handles, mallet heads, bushings, bearings, pulley wheels and turned objects.

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5. South American Piptadenia Macrocarpa

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A native of South America, this hard wood has a Janka hardness of 3,840 lbf is widely used in construction, marine applications, railroad ties and implement handles. It also goes with Anadenanthera colubrine var. cebil, a name as tough as the density of this wood.

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6. Snake-like Snakewood

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Called as such because of its snakeskin-like pattern, it is reddish brown with dark brown and black conflicting patches. The grain is straight with an even fine texture to it that even though it can be brittle and can splinter easily, it has a nice and polished finish. It contends as the heaviest wood in the world.

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7. A Brazilian Native, Brazilian Olivewood

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Brazil definitely has the forest of hardwoods, as we add this Olivewood on the list. It is very sturdy and resistant to any fungi that it is normally used for flooring, paneling, bridges, and high-end furniture. You might need to be extremely careful slicing it as it dull tools, hence you might want to think twice and be careful when doing so.

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8. Midnight Colored Brazilian Ebony

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If you see this wood you will know why it is called ebony. Even with the black color, its grain pattern can still be visible with the naked eye. With a Janka rating of 3,692 lbf, it can be tough and resilient to sanding and cutting. It is great use for railing and fittings.

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9. The Super Dense Brazilian Walnut

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Another Brazilian wood that made the cut is the Ipe or commonly known as the Brazilian walnut that can be also found in other Central and South America countries. It has an outstanding weathering characteristics, but is extremely hard and dense, hence producing a blunting effect on the cutting edges and difficult to glue properly.

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10. The Easy to Work Hardwood, African Pearwood

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Moabi, as its other name, unlike most wood is pinkish brown, though it may turn darker with age has straight to wavy pattern. Also, not like other hardwood, it is rather easy to work with hand or machine tools. Thus, it can be used in making fine furniture, cabinetry and even small specialty wood items.

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Conclusion

Did you find the list interesting? So the next time you will be speaking with your contractor about a house project, buy wood or customize a furniture, you can ask and recommend some hardwoods to use for a durable and long lasting use. These things may seem trivial, but it can be quite handy too, after all, most of our furniture and portions of our house are actually of made of wood. And yes, you will not know when this information will be convenient for use.

Tell us what you think. Were you impressed with how enormous and huge trees can be? Comment it below. And please don’t forget to share if you like this article.