Wood Species

Name	Wood	Janka Rating
Cabreuva (Santos Mahogany)		2200

Cabreuva
Myroxylon peruiferum

Also known as: Bálsamo del Perú, Cabreuva-vermelha, Estoraque, Olor, Sandalo

Origin: Central and South America

Appearance:

The sapwood of cabreuva is pale brown while the heartwood is purplish-red in color. The species has an interlocked grain and possesses a medium grade texture.

Resistance, Durability:

Santos mahogany is durable and resists attacks by fungus and insects. The wood remains smooth under friction and is reported to have no odor. Cabreuva can take some time to dry properly but does have good stability characteristics once dry.

Janka Hardness: 2200

As a flooring choice, cabreuva is one of the most hard and durable woods. Often referred to as santos mahogany, this species is over sixty percent harder than white oak, about seventy percent harder than red oak, and is over twice the hardness of teak. Brazilian cherry is one of the few flooring species harder than cabreuva, with a rating of 2350.

Workability:

Cabreuva can be somewhat difficult to cut due to its hardness. This species sands easily and takes a good finish.

Main Uses:

Cabreuva's uses include flooring, furniture, and veneers.

What is a Janka Rating?

"It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. It is also a good indicator of how hard a species is to saw or nail.

The hardness of wood usually varies with the direction of the wood grain.

A common use of Janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring."

Colored Bamboo

Some species have different janka ratings depending on how they have been treated.

Bamboo is one example of this. If left with a natural finish, Bamboo falls at 1380 on the hardness scale. If you carbonize it to get a darker color, the rank falls to 1180.