Botanical Name: Pterocarpus soyauxii
Janka Hardness: 1725
Appearance: Sapwood is pale beige. Heartwood is reddish to orange and darkens to a deep red/purple-ish color with continued light exposure. Paduk’s grain is often straight or interlocked. Padauk’s vibrant hue is not too dissimilar to that of Rosewood.
Properties: Paduk has excellent dimensional stability, making it very resistant to cupping. It also has high abrasion resistance, making it a very popular flooring option for high-traffic areas. Also extremely strong, durable, and resistant to rot and insect attacks.
Finishing: To maintain Padauk’s vivid hue as long as possible, it is recommended to use shellac in combination with a lacquer-based or water-based finish. Polyurethane finishes are discouraged because they accelerate the “browning” of Padauk.
Applications: Flooring , furniture, veneering.