Padauk wood

Wood library / Exotic hardwoods

Padauk

Padauk

A wood noted for its vivid red tones. It provides a strong colour accent in small objects and board projects alike.

WOODWAY MAGAZINEVivid orange or red when freshly sawn, padauk mellows to a quieter red-brown over time.

Bright red-orange boards and blanks with straight grain.

Scientific name
Pterocarpus soyauxii
Origin
Parts of Africa and Asia
Colour
Red to red-brown
Characteristics
Red tones · Clear grain · Bold colour accent
Suggested uses
Furniture accents · Turning · Small objects · Carving
Ask about this wood

Colour, figure, knots and cracks vary even within the same species. Check photographs, condition and usable dimensions of the actual piece before ordering.

Read more in Woodway Magazine

Padauk: A Closer Look at Its Red Surface
Wood storiesPadauk: A Closer Look at Its Red Surface

The broad face of a square block, its dark side, and the round end of a wood dowel. Rather than looking at what came before or after in time, we look at the color and grain revealed now.

Oct 21, 2026 · 4 min read
What Is Specialty Wood?
MaterialsWhat Is Specialty Wood?

Neither structural lumber nor plywood, but wood that is rare, beautiful, and strong.

Jul 14, 2025 · 7 min read

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