Purpleheart
Kiln-dried purple heart hails from Mexico to South America and is a wood as stable as it is striking. You can depend on this wood to stay flat (and hard!) for a long time. Without care, however, the purple will fade to a dark brown. UV-inhibiting finishes and keeping a piece of out light slow this change. But never fear, you can always restore by planing!
Key facts
- Janka hardness
- HardDense exotic — protect your cutters
- Stability
- Good for accentsSmall components move less than wide panels
- Grain type
- Straight / interlockedFine to medium texture; color is the main face story
- Rot resistance
- DurableDurable heartwood; finish for the application
- Sustainability
- Ask the lotConfirm current sourcing notes when needed
- Workability
- DemandingHard on edges; some people prefer dust protection when milling
About this wood
Fresh heartwood can look dull gray-purple, then go eggplant purple in a few days of light. With more UV it drifts toward dark brown — UV finishes slow that, and a light plane brings color back.
Dense and durable with good indoor stability. Dull tools or hot cutters can pull gummy resin; keep edges sharp and speeds sensible.
What we carry
- Purpleheart for accents, cutting boards, and statement pieces
Thickness is sold in quarters (4/4, 6/4, and so on) — see our hardwood thickness guide. Grades: NHLA grades.