WOOD FLOORINGS - Padauk

Padauk Pterocarpus soyauxii Availability: Moderately Available.

COLOR: Heartwood is vivid reddish orange when freshly cut, darkening to reddish- or purple-brown or black over time. Sapwoodis cream-colored. Very uniform in color.

GRAIN: Straight to interlocked; coarse texture.

VARIATIONS WITHIN SPECIES AND GRADES: Slight variation in color.

SAWING/MACHINING: Saws well, but requires a slow feed rate; carbide tooling recommended. Machines easily, with some tearing of the interlocked grain.
SANDING: Sands satisfactorily.
NAILING: Good holding ability.
FINISHING: Takes finishes well; some have found that water-based finishes hold color better. Has a tendency to bleed.