Satin wood

Color/Appearance: Heartwood typically golden to reddish brown, with paler yellow/gray sapwood. Colors tend to darken with age upon exposure to light. Curly grain figure very common in this species, with some pieces exhibiting outstanding curl.

Grain/Texture: Grain is usually straight, though some pieces have wavy or interlocked grain; texture is moderately coarse and uneven; good natural luster.

Endgrain: Ring-porous or semi-ring-porous; medium to large earlywood pores arranged in intermittent tangential rows with medium latewood pores, few; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; tyloses common; narrow rays not visible without lens, spacing close to extremely close; parenchyma banded and marginal.

Rot Resistance: Rated as moderately durable to durable regarding decay resistance, with intermediate resistance to insect attack.

Workability: Generally easy to work, producing good results, though pieces with curly grain (as with any species of figured wood) will be inevitably more difficult to plane and machine without tearout. Doesn’t have the blunting effect on cutters that true satinwoods exhibit. Turns, glues, and finishes well—polishes to a high luster.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Besides the standard health risks associated with any type of wood dust, no further health reactions have been associated with Pyinma. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Prices are generally moderate for an imported wood. Pieces exhibiting an exceptional amount of figure may be more expensive, but Pyinma is generally priced very reasonably, even for figured wood.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Common Uses: Furniture, boatbuilding, general utility work (within its native range), turned objects, and other small specialty items.