Timborana

Pseudopiptadenia spp. (sources vary)

Janka hardness

1570 lbf

Specific gravity

0.7

Workability

Good stability, resistant to fungus and termites

See Timborana with a finish on itPreview oils, poly, shellac and more on this species in the Finish Simulator — plus the sanding plan each one needs.

A board of Timborana -- creamy yellow to light-medium brown, with the visible open pores and interlocked grain typical of this wood.

Timborana is a South and Central American hardwood sold under several flooring-trade aliases, including Brazilian Pearwood and Brazilian Oak. Sources can't even agree on its exact genus — some list Pseudopiptadenia psilostachya, others Piptadenia suaveolens or Enterolobium schomburgkii — most likely because several closely related species get lumped under one commercial name and nobody's bothered to sort it out.

Appearance

Sapwood runs yellow to cream; heartwood starts light yellow with occasional darker streaks, giving new boards a luminous, almost glowing quality. As a floor ages, light reddish tones creep in.

Working Properties

Timborana carries moderate resistance to fungus and termites and an excellent stability rating — it moves noticeably less with seasonal humidity than most tropical hardwoods, a real practical win for flooring specifically.

Typical Uses

Flooring, almost exclusively.

Images

Raw Wood: A board of Timborana -- creamy yellow to light-medium brown, with the visible open pores and interlocked grain typical of this wood.