Wood species introduction
Each wood species has its own unique color, smell, and hardness. Unusual grains in certain wood species can help inspire and motivate the development of all sorts of artworks. The following are brief introductions that will allow you to understand some of unique characteristics of our offered species so you can appropiatly pick the right wood for your project.
KATALOX ( Mexican Royal Ebony )
Binomial name : Swartziaspp.（Swartzia cubensis）
General name : Katalox、Mexican Royal Ebony
Mexican purpleheart
Area : Southern Mexico, Central America、North America
Janka : 3660 lbf
Features: The heartwood of Katolax can vary greatly from reds dark browns to even blueish tints, this contrasts with its yellow-white sapwood. It's heartwood is considered highly resistant to decay and termites, and is very durable. Finding pieces with wavy or unique grain patters is common with this wood.. So, even though Katalox´s wood veins are usually straight, they're also be irregular and, or interlocked more often than other woods. With such a delicate texture, contrasting colors its no wonder this wood is highly sought after for high end products.
Process : High-density processing.
Uses : Not only is Katolox wood famous for hardness and strength, but it is also a popular alternative to ebony. Hence its western name, Mexican Royal ebony. Its darkish color makes for excellent mosaics, jewlery, flooring, guitars, wood bowls, any small woodworking components, and even premium furniture.
CHECHEN ( Black poisonwood )
Binomial name : metopium brownei
General name : Chechen、Chechem、
Black Poisonwood
Caribbean Rosewood
Area : tropical Americas
Janka : 2250 lbf
Feature : Chechen heartwood has some exceedingly diverse colors such as oranges, reds, and light and rich browns all the while contrasted with darker stripes of black dark browns. The sapwood is yellowish providing further color contrast. Another fantastic feature is its aging process as its color often shifts towards a darker red coffee. Chechen is a highly durable wood and remains moderately resistant to most insects.
Process : Because of its high density, it has a tendency to split if not worked carefully, be mindful when working with nails and screws on this wood.
Uses : Experts say it's a first-rate hardwood, and we consider it one of the most beautiful Mexican hardwoods available. And excellent choice when manufacturing exquisite classical furniture, high-grade custom furniture, exotic veneer, or delicate handicrafts.
TZALAM
Binomial name : Lysiloma spp. ( L. bahamense、 L. latisiliquum)
General name : Tzalam
Area : Mexico and Central America
Janka : 1400 lbf
Feature : Sapwood of tzalam is a pale-gray-white color; standard heartwood color is dark-brownish, but varies from light brown, to reddish and even purple. The grain pattern is usually curly. A highly durable wood, thats extremely resistant to insects.
Process : Easy to work with, It also takes well to using glues and finishes. However, expert woodworkers say that Tzalam may blunt tool edges faster than other natural wood due to density.
Uses : Flooring, exterior and interior, furniture, interior trims, exotic home siding, elegant veneer, turned objects, as well as any other small, specialty wood items you want to give some extra aesthetic too.
CHAKTE KOK
( Mexican redheart wood )
Binomial name : Sickingia salvadorensis ( Simira salvadorensis )
General name : Redheart、Chakte Kok、Chacte cok、Mexican Redwood
Area : Tropical America、 Paraguay、Southern Mexico to southern Brazil
Janka : 1210 lbf
Features: Chakte kok sports dazzling bright red heartwood variations, color and shade from board to board can vary between a light orangish-pinkish color, all the way to brownish rich reds. Though vibrant the color fades to red-brownish in direct sunlight, if worked with the proper know-how, this color change can be slowed. Although Chackte Kok grain patterns are plentiful, it still has a lot of similarity with Bloodwood and is a popular alternative.
Process : Medium durability and great working characteristics, this wood planes, machines and sands wells. Furthermore, it turns, glues and finishes well. But keep in mind a color shift towards brown with certain finishes.
Uses : Beautiful furniture, delightful veneer, pleasing inlays, turned objects, and small specialty wood items or instruments. It is known that because of its heartwood´s bright color and small-size processing, it is ideal for wooden glasses and stationery.
CHICOZAPOTE ( Sapodilla )
Binomial name : Manilkara zapota
General name : Chico Zapote、Zapote、Sapodilla
Area : Tropical America、Paraguay、Southern Mexico to southern Brazil
Janka : 2870 lbf
Features: Heartwood color spectrum encompasses pink, red and red-browns. Its sapwood has a pale yellowish tone that gradually transitions to its heartwood more than other species. Its grain is mostly straight, but can also be wavy. And its texture is usually fine and homogeneous throughout. It is also a highly durable wood as well as insect resistance.
Process: The challenge of working this species comes from its high density. Nevertheless, the results always remain outstanding. Experts have reported moderate blunting effects on cutters and other tools, yet it turns and finishes extremely well.
Uses: Frequently used in furniture, cabinetry, flooring, stylish archery bows, gun stocks and turned objects. As well as other small specialty wood crafts. Whatever your end product, using this wood ensures steady, subtle and radiant textures when finished.
MACHICHE
Binomial name : lonchocarpus castilloi
General name : Black cabbage-Bark
Bastard locust、Balche、Machiche
Area : South America
Janka : 2700 lbf
Feature : Heartwood color ranges from light-brownish to darker red-brownish. Sapwood is yellow, giving this wood a strong contrast from its heartwood. Grain direction can be irregular, straight and interlocked with the lines being thin and light-colored. Its texture is always coarse. It is also a very durable wood with high resistance to insect damage. Newly cut the heartwood of this species also emits a pleasant aroma.
Process : Easy to work with, but be mindful of dealing with irregular or interlocking texture when you work with it. Matching, turning, gluing, and finishing results are excellent making this wood exceptionally suitable for carvings and wood sculptures.
Uses : Mainly used for decking, flooring, furniture, pit piles, and other outdoor projects, especially railroad related, such as railroad ties, rail tracks, wheel spokes and other lightweight components. Additionally, it fares well a durable and sturdy construction material in the tropics.
Each tree has its own story and history.
From ancient times, human culture and infrastructure has been Inseparable from trees and the wood they provide. In the beginning it was used for simple tools and keeping warm, eventually it's uses evolved to complex tools and shelters. But being satisfied has never been part of the human way and woods uses are almost infinite. We always move forward and raise our quality of life. That is why we at Sparta Woods choose the best wood to improve you and your life. We hope the spirit of wood will be inherited appreciated for generations to come.
PUKTE ( Pucte、Black Olive )
Binomial name : Bucida buceras
General name : Pukte、Pucte、Black olive
Bullet wood、Olive bark-tree
Area : South America
Janka : 1970 lbf
Feature : Also called Bullet wood or Caribbean wood, the heartwood's hue is brownish and greenish, such as an olive color. This wood is heavy, dense, durable and extremely hard, because of its hardness, it is an ideal wood for both indoor and outdoor installations. This gives it ones of the widest range of uses, from patio decks to bedroom wardrobes, it can add a luxurious touch and exotic aesthetic feeling to any project.
Process : Even with its high density, you'll still get good results when you work this wood on machines. Pekte turns, glues and finishes well. Notice that interlocking texture may cause the wood to split if improperly worked.
Uses : This species maintains a wide range of uses from charcoal, flooring, building and construction materials, foundations, raw timbers, stakes, art project blanks, etc.
CHACTE VIGA
( Chakte Viga、Chakté - Viga )
Binomial name : Coulteria platyloba（Caesalpinia platyloba）
General name : Chacté Viga, Chakte Viga, Orangeheart,
Paela, Aripin
Area : Mexico, Central America
Janka : 2250 lbf
Features: Heartwood colors can be bright-orangish to golden brown, sapwood color tends to be pale white to yellow, the grains are mostly straight but are sometimes interlocked as well. Chacte Viga possesses an exotic natural luster, and is regularly textured and highly durable.
Process : Most machining operations report a positive response when working, even with its high density. This wood turns, glues and finishes well. Because of its staggered textures, it may split during processing if not worked with care.
Uses : The superior acoustic properties of this species make it an excellent choice for musical instruments. It also works well for Inlays, furniture, flooring, turned objects, etc. This wood is compatible for mutli-use projects.
JABIN
Binomial name : Piscidia piscipula
General name : Jabin
Area : Caribbean and South America
Janka : 2870 lbf
Feature : An exclusively tropical exotic species, the thin bark has olive-gray colors and a heartwood color ranging from light brown to brownish orange. The mature Jabin trees possess very high drought tolerance and are highly resistant to decay.
Process : This wood is ideal for outdoor projects such as fences, shipbuilding, sidings and decks and even pillars. It is suitable for indoor and outdoor carving projects even though the texture is very dense. Jabin heartwood can also be used for charcoal and raw materials.
Uses : Most machining operations report good machining response even with Jabins high density. Turns, glues, and finishes well however be careful of interlocked grain patters. As it may may splinter out if not carefully worked.
CHACA
( Chaka、Gumbo Limbo )
Janka : 370 lbf
Feature : Chaca was known as an economic and ecological tree species, It is also has medicinal use as a gout treatment. The bark color is reddish and looks like it is peeling.
Process : Turns well despite its high density, most manufactures report positive response to most machining operations. This wood glues, and finishes well. Notice, interlocking grains may result in tearouts when working.
Uses : Very suitable for light construction and firewood. The resin can be used fors glue, varnish, or incense, especially when used for the treatment of gout. The leaves can be brewed into a medicinal tea aswell.
Binomial name : Bursera simaruba
General name : Chaka、chaca、Copperwood
Gumbo Limbo、Turpentine tree
Area : South America
CIRICOTE ( Ziricote )
Binomial name : Cordia dodecandra
General name : Ziricote、Ciricote
Area : Central America and Mexico
Janka : 1970 lbf
Feature : Heartwood color ranges from a medium brown to dark rich brown and is not uncommon to possess green or purple hues. The sapwood has a contrasting pale yellow tone. The quarter sawn surface of Ciricote looks similar to hard maple. The grain pattern has a unique “spider webbing” appearance providing an aesthetic effect favorable for art design and luxury high end products.
Process : Easy to handle despite a high density when working this wood. Circote behaves stably once dried but tends to develop end and surface checks (cracks) during drying. The best way to maintain the original texture and color is use a shellac finish.
Uses : Elegant furniture, delicate veneer, exquisite cabinetry, gunstocks, turned objects, small specialty wood items, as well as gorgeous high-end musical instruments such as acoustic and electric guitars.
GRANADILLO
Binomial name : platymiscium yucatanum
General name : Granadillo
Area : Central America to South America
Janka : 2450 lbf
Feature : A very exotic wood, the heartwood colors range from bright red to purplish brown, the sapwood is a whitish tint easy to tell apart from the heartwood. It is known to be harder and superior to Teak and arguably Mahogany as well. With an exceptional weight, being extremely heavy, this heartwood is highly durable against decay and resistant to insect damage.
Process : It responds very well to turning, releasing a caramel-like scent when worked, though it does not taste sweet. Notice that because of its staggered textures, it may split during processing, so do handle with care.
Uses : It is a premier choice for both musical instruments and first-rate furniture. Plus, it is used for cabinetry, turnery, carving, gunstocks and even chic billiard cues
CAOBA
Binomial name : Swietenia humilis Zuccarini
General name : MAHOGANY, CAOBA, MARA
Area : Central America and Mexico
Janka : 2200 lbf
Feature : The hues of the wood range from reddish to brown. With salmon tones near the bark, we will find darker tones as we go deeper. Straight trunk, without branches to a certain height, somewhat ribbed, with deep root system. Thick ascending branches, scarce, twisted above 25 m; deep outer rind, very fissured, especially in black mahogany, elongated, scaly ribs,
Process : It is in general terms an easy wood to work: Easy Sawing. Simple and fast drying. There is a small risk of deformation. Brushing No notable problems. Gluing No problems. Nailed and Screwed Easy. Finishing No problems, except against the use of polyester varnishes.
Uses : Boat manufacturing. This use was especially intense centuries ago, being during this time the main use of mahogany wood. It is interesting for this use since it is not a heavy wood, it is stable, and it behaves very well in humid environments.
