Formal Name: Peltogyne spp.
Color: Off-white sapwood is sharply demarcated from the heartwood. When freshly cut the heartwood of Purpleheart is a dull grayish/purplish brown. Upon exposure the wood becomes a deeper eggplant purple. With further age and exposure to UV light, the wood becomes a dark brown with a hint of purple.
Shade: dark
Workability: Working with Purpleheart can present some unique challenges: if the wood is heated with dull tools, or if cutter speeds are too high, Purpleheart will exude a gummy resin that can clog tools and complicate the machining process. Depending on the grain orientation, can be difficult to plane without tearout. Purpleheart also has a moderate dulling effect on cutters.
Physical Properties: Very heavy, high density wood. High bending and crushing strength with medium resistance to shock loads. Moderate steam bending characteristics.
Interior/Exterior: both interior and exterior
Machining:
Nailing:
Screwing:
Gluing:
Finishing: