Exotic Hardwoods of Rhode Island

   Purpleheart

Description:  : Purpleheart is one of the world's most unique woods in that it is truly purple and a bold purple color at that! Very dense and with fine graining, it is used for its purple color. Purpleheart is colorful, durable, stable, and makes for a beautifully unique floor.

Common Name:  Purpleheart

Country of Origin:  Central & South America

Color Range:  : Purpleheart offers a medium range of color variability, which is mostly related to its aging process.Purpleheart undergoes an extreme degree of color change over time. When freshly milled or sanded, Purpleheart will be a brown color, which will change within a few days to a vivid purple color. Then over time (6 months+) the vivid purple will oxidize back to a brownish color with purplish highlights. Water based finishes tend to inhibit the full color change and hold more of the purple color.

Botanical name:  Peltogyne, spp

Other Names:  Amaranth

Hardness:  2090 as compared to: Red oak- 1260 & N maple- 1450


Exotic Hardwoods of Rhode Island