 Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii)
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Common Name(s): Padauk, African Padauk Scientific Name: Pterocarpus soyauxii Distribution: Central and tropical west Africa Tree Size:100-130 ft (30-40 m) tall, 2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 46 lbs/ft3 (740 kg/m3) Hardness: 1,970 lbf (8,760 N) Bending Strength: 16,830 lbf/in2 (116,030 kPa) Elasticity: 1,700,000 lbf/in2 (11,720 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 3.3%, Tangential: 5.2%, Volumetric: 7.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.6 |
Color/Appearance: Heartwood color can vary, ranging from a pale pinkish orange to a deep brownish red. Most pieces tend to start reddish orange when freshly cut, darkening substantially over time to a reddish/purplish brown. Padauk’s initial orange coloration can be preserved through various finishing procedures; see the article Preventing Color Changes in Exotic Woods for more information.
Grain/Pore: Has a coarse texture and fairly large and open pores. Grain is usually straight, but can sometimes be interlocked.
Durability: Has excellent decay resistance, and is rated as durable to very durable. Padauk is also reported to be resistant to termites and other insects.
Workability: Overall Padauk is easy to work, though it does have a moderate blunting effect on cutters. Tearout may also occur during planing on quartersawn or interlocked grain. Padauk turns, glues, and finishes well.
Smell: Padauk has a faint aromatic scent while being worked.
Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Padauk has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Price Range: Should be moderately priced for an import. Padauk is usually close in price to Purpleheart, another popular and economical imported wood.
Comments: Padauk has a very unique reddish orange coloration. Unfortunately, this dramatic color is frequently lost due to improper or inadequate finishing. If finished properly, the orange color can be preserved for many years with little to no signs of degradation. (See the article Preventing Color Changes in Exotic Woods for more information.)
Padauk is moderately heavy, strong, and stiff, with exceptional stability. It’s a popular hardwood among hobbyist woodworkers because of its unique color. Some common uses for Padauk include: veneer, flooring, turned objects, musical instruments, furniture, tool handles, and other small specialty wood objects.
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Padauk (sanded) |
 Padauk (sealed) |
March 10th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
I am contemplating turning a pepper mill from Padauk. Is that wood safe to use here? If so, should I finish the inside and with what?
March 11th, 2010 at 11:20 am
I think it would be fine to use Padauk for a pepper mill. One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of woods cause allergic reactions, but that’s mainly from inhaling the wood dust itself. Very few woods are in and of themselves poisonous or toxic. (Yew and Sassafras come to mind in this category.) Also, I would stay away from spalted woods, which may have fungus or mold still present.
I understand the concern to finish the inside, but I think it may be overkill. The finish itself, being closed off in a small sealed container, may have more spoiling effects than the wood itself—especially if a slow-drying oil-based finish is used. If anything, I’d maybe use a thin sealer coat of shellac, which is supposed to be food safe (it’s used for coatings of pills, etc.) and since its alcohol-based, it will dry very quickly and not “stink up” anything inside the mill.