Canarywood

Canarywood (Centrolobium spp.)

Common Name(s): Canarywood, Canary

Scientific Name: Centrolobium spp.

Distribution: South America (from Panama down to southern Brazil)

Tree Size: 100 ft (30 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 50 lbs/ft³ (795 kg/m³)

Basic Specific Gravity: .65

Hardness: 1,340 lb_f (5,960 N)

Bending Strength: 17,900 lb_f/in² (123,450 kPa)

Elasticity: 2,285,000 lb_f/in² (15,760 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 2.4%, Tangential: 5.6%, Volumetric: 8.4%, T/R Ratio: 2.3

Color/Appearance: Heartwood color can vary a fair amount, from a pale yellow-orange to a darker reddish brown, usually with darker streaks throughout. The color tends to darken with age: see the article Preventing Color Changes in Exotic Woods for more information.

Grain/Pore: Has a medium texture and small pores. The grain is typically straight, but can be irregular or wild on some pieces.

Durability: Rated as very durable in regard to decay resistance, as well as being resistant to termite and marine borer attack.

Workability: Easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though some tearout can occur during planing on pieces with wild or irregular grain. Turns, glues and finishes well.

Smell: Canarywood has a distinct scent when being worked.

Safety: There have been no adverse health effects associated with Canarywood. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price Range: Typically priced in the moderate to high range. Somewhat inexpensive for an import, likely to be in the neighborhood of other mid-priced imports such as Bloodwood or Chechen.

Comments: Some pieces of Canarywood can be almost rainbow colored—with dark red streaks, along with the natural orange, yellow, and brown coloration—most likely due to mineral streaking.

Canarywood is said to have good acoustic properties, and is sometimes used for speaker enclosures and entertainment system cabinets. Some other common uses for Canarywood include: construction lumber, railroad crossties, flooring, veneers, boat-building, furniture, cabinetry, and turned items.

Related Species:

None available.

Scans/Pictures: As you can see from the pictures below, Canarywood’s color and grain become considerably more pronounced once a finish is applied.

Canarywood (sanded)