We humans always wants to have things neatly arranged in list and rankings. That is why I have created this Top ten list of amazing woods. I will feature the top ten hardest and top ten heaviest woods here. The hardness listings mentioned here are for woods with a moisture content of 12 percent. Only commercially available known woods are mentioned here because there are certainly shrubs that produce an extremely hard wood but not well known in woodworking circles.
Weights of wood can also vary from sample to sample so we are working on average weights here. We need to crown a winner for this article.
To measure hardness the Janka hardness test is used. In short, it measures the amount of force needed to press a .444 inch steel ball bearing halfway into the wood.
The weight of the wood is measured in KG/LBS per cubic meter also at a specific moisture content.
Top ten hardest woods.
CEBIL (ANADENANTHERA COLUBRINA )
This is a South American evergreen tree that grows between 5 and 20 meters in height with an extremely thorny trunk. The Cebil tree can be found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Cuba and Paraguay. The average dry wood weight is 1025KG per cubic meter and the Janka hardness is 3630LB.
This tree can readily be found on rocky hillsides with well-drained soils and near rivers. It is also a fast grower, growing between 1 and 1.5 meters per year. This is rather interesting because most hard woods are slow growing trees.
Uses.
It is favoured as a fuel for cooking because it produces a hot and long lasting fire. Because of the termite resistance of the wood, it was favoured as a material to build fence posts.
The bark from the tree can be made into a sweetened drink and gum from the tree can be used in the same way as gum Arabic. Another use for the bark is in tanning animal hides because of the amount of tannins in the bark.
Beans from the tree is made into snuff that is used by shamans in their magical ceremonies. Gum from the tree is used to treat respiratory tract infections and acts as an expectorant.
KATALOX OR MEXICAN ROYAL EBONY
This is one of those giant trees of the world growing between 30 and 40 meters high and between .6 and 1.2 meters in diameter. It is typically considered hard to work with because of the high density and weight. This wood weighs in at 1150 KG per cubic meter and a Janka hardness of 3660LB
The wood is relatively rot resistant and like the name, ebony suggests the color ranges from brownish black to nearly black. Like the African Blackwood is sometimes has a purple hue.
The wood has a moderate to high blunting effect on tools and is also difficult to glue because of the high oil content in the wood. Common uses of the wood is inlays, high-end furniture and cabinetry. The hard wearing properties of the wood makes for an excellent flooring material and excellent guitars are made from this wood. It also turns rather well.
BLACK IRONWOOD (KRUGIODENDRON FERREUM)
Janka hardness 3660LB
1355kg per cubic meter.
This small tree can be found in Southern Florida, the Caribbean and Central America. It grows to a maximum of 9 meters tall and .3 meters in diameter.
The sapwood is a pale yellowish white while the heartwood can be a range of oranges, reds, violets and brown. Because of density, this wood has a high cutting resistance and difficulty in working and also a marked blunting effect on cutters. Like most of these extreme hard woods, it turns well.
Because the tree rarely grows beyond a shrub the uses are limited to smaller projects like knife handles and pen blanks.
AFRICAN BLACKWOOD (DALBERGIA MELANOXYLON)
Janka hardness 3670LB
1370kg per cubic meter
This small tree that rarely grows bigger that 9 meters can be found from Mozambique to Ethiopia in the north and the eastern coast of Africa to Senegal. A resident of 26 African countries. However, the main stronghold is northern Mozambique and Southern Tanzania.
The wood has a severe blunting effect on tools and milling is limited to a few feet before the blades needs to be sharpened or replaced.
African blackwood is one of the most sought after woods in the world because of its excellent tonal qualities. Some of the best clarinets in the world is made from African Blackwood.
A couple of uses for African Blackwood in traditional medicine, including treatment of abdominal pain, gonorrhoea, wound healing and as an aphrodisiac.
CAMELTHORN ( VACHELLIA ERIOLOBA )
Janka hardness 3680 LB
1185KG per cubic meter
If you have ever watched a movie or documentary about Africa and saw a tree with a wide spreading canopy that resembles a umbrella then you have seen a Camelthorn tree.
This South African hardwood is one tough customer. It is native to South Africa where it is a protected species. The camelthorn tree can also be found in western Zimbambwe, Namibia, angola, Mozambique, Zambia and Swaziland. The preferred habitat of this tree is deep dry sandy soils.
The Camelthorn can grow up to 17 meter high and is extremely slow growing. This is the ultimate drought resistant tree and also relatively frost hardy. The wood is reddish brown and extremely dense and strong.
Camelthorn is an extremely popular firewood because it burns hot and long. It has a high blunting effect on your tools. I have only worked with this wood on two occasions and it was small pieces of wood that I turned on a lathe.
Other uses include fence posts and axe handles. The tree itself has a couple of medicinal uses also.
VERAWOOD ( BULNESIA ARBOREA )
Janka hardness 3710LB
1190KG per cubic meter.
Loosely related to Lignum Vitae and called Argentine Lignum vitae this is an exceptional and beautiful hardwood. Reported to be extremely difficult to work because of the density and hardness and rather difficult to get a decent glue joint on it because of the oil content of the wood. Has a severe blunting effect on woodworking tools but does turn and polish well.
Uses of the wood would include Tool handles, mallet heads, bearings, bushings, boat building, and turned objects.
This wood is reported to be extremely durable and last a lifetime outside in contact with the ground. It also has a distinctive sweet smell that lasts for a long time after the wood has been worked.
SNAKEWOOD (BROSIMUM GUIANENSE)
Janka Hardness 3800LB
1210KG per cubic meter
You do not have to be a genius to figure out why this wood is called snakewood. The stunning snakeskin pattern of this wood makes it a sought after wood for small turning projects. It is one of the densest and hardest woods around and has a pronounced blunting effect on woodworking tools.
Because of the small size of the tree large pieces of timber is uncommon and thus the wood is mostly used for small projects like inlays, turning and knife handles. Violin bows are also made from this wood. Pieces of wood with the characteristic snake skin pattern ranks up there with African Blackwood in price.
GIDGEE (ACACIA CAMBAGEI)
Janka Hardness 4270LB
1150KG per Cubic meter
A native of that Island of the coast of New Zealand called Australia this tree is also referred to as the Stinking Gigee because of the boiled cabbage like smell emanating from this tree.
The tree itself grows between 6 and twelve meters high with a trunk diameter of .3 meters Some of the medicinal uses of this tree includes the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery, and can also be helpful in the treatment of internal bleeding.
An excellent firewood that burns extremely hot whether green or dry. The sapwood is yellow and the hardwood a reddish brown.
LIGNUM VITAE (GUAIACUM OFFICINALE)
Janka Hardness 4390
When talking about extreme hardwoods I guess most people who know wood would think of Lignum Vitae. Lignum Vitae meaning tree of life and being rot and insect resistant this is one durable wood and worthy of the name.
This wood is so bloody hard that it is used for the manufacture of bearings. It is also self-lubricating because of the oil content in the wood and extremely hard wearing. If Thor’s hammer Mjolnir was made from Lignum Vitae then Hela would not have been able to brake it.
Because it is one of the hardest woods on earth, it has an extreme blunting effect on tools. When planning light passes is recommended otherwise it will just jump on the planer. Getting a decent glue bond will also be difficult because of the oil content of the wood. The wood does turn and finishes extremely well.
QUEBRACHO (SCHINOPSIS SPP.)
Janka Hardness of 4570
From the Spanish axe breaker this would seem a fitting name for this wood. This is a medium sized tree that can grow up to 15 meters high and 1 meter in diameter. The wood is reddish brown with a yellow sapwood.
It goes without saying that this wood will dull your tools quickly and is hard to work with. In its natural range it is used in heavy construction, railway ties and fence posts. A termite will break its teeth on this wood. It does turn exceptionally well and can acquire an excellent finish without the use of any agents.
The wood is also used in the extracting of tannins for the leather industry giving the leather a reddish brown color when tanned. Also makes for a great firewood and charcoal made from this wood burns long and hot.
I have to give an Honorable mention to my favorite wood in the world and that is Leadwood. Janka hardness 3570. Read more here.
Top ten Heaviest woods.
VERAWOOD (BULNESIA ARBOREA)
1192Kg per cubic meter.
Loosely related to Lignum Vitae and called Argentine Lignum vitae this is an exceptional and beautiful hardwood. Reported to be extremely difficult to work because of the density and hardness and rather difficult to get a decent glue joint on it because of the oil content of the wood. Has a severe blunting effect on woodworking tools but does turn and polish well.
Uses of the wood would include Tool handles, mallet heads, bearings, bushings, boat building, and turned objects.
This wood is reported to be extremely durable and last a lifetime outside in contact with the ground. It also has a distinctive sweet smell that lasts for a long time after the wood has been worked
KINGWOOD (DALBERGIA CEARENSIS)
With a weight of 1200kg per cubic meter, this is no light matter. Mostly found in Brazil and occasionally mexico this tree can grow up to 20 meters tall and .6 meters in diameter.
Sapwood is yellow and heartwood is dark purplish with black streaks.
Mostly used for inlays and veneers and small turning projects. The wood is hard to work with and blunts tools easily. Another problem is getting a decent glue joint because of the oil content in the wood.
DESERT IRONWOOD (OLNEYA TESOTA)
At 1208kg per cubic meter and from south-western united states and northwesters Mexico this tree is to small to be a commercially viable species.
Usually restricted to small projects like knife handles and turned objects. Extremely difficult to work because of its density and also blunts tools easily.
Turns well and has a stunning natural luster when polished. In exceptional sites the tree can grow larger than 10 meters and a trunk diameter more than 0.6 meters in diameter but this is the exception and not the rule.
SNAKEWOOD (BROSIMUM GUIANENSE)
75.7 LBS/FT3 (1,212 KG/M3)
You do not have to be a genius to figure out why this wood is called snake wood. The stunning snake skin pattern of this wood makes it a sought after wood for small turning projects. It is one of the densest and hardest woods around and has a pronounced blunting effect on woodworking tools.
Because of the small size of the tree large pieces of timber is uncommon and thus the wood is mostly used for small projects like inlays, turning and knife handles. Violin bows are also made from this wood. Pieces of wood with the characteristic snake skin pattern ranks up there with African Blackwood in price.
LEADWOOD (COMBRETUM IMBERBE)
75.8 LBS/FT3 (1,215 KG/M3)
This wood is my baby. I love the smell and the feel of this wood.
QUEBRACHO (SCHINOPSIS SPP.)
77.1 LBS/FT3 (1,235 KG/M3)
From the Spanish axe breaker this would seem a fitting name for this wood. This is a medium sized tree that can grow up to 15 meters high and 1 meter in diameter. The wood is reddish brown with a yellow sapwood.
It goes without saying that this wood will dull your tools quickly and is hard to work with. In its natural range it is used in heavy construction, railway ties and fence posts. A termite will break its teeth on this wood. It does turn exceptionally well and can acquire an excellent finish without the use of any agents.
The wood is also used in the extracting of tannins for the leather industry giving the leather a reddish brown color when tanned. Also makes for a great firewood and charcoal made from this wood burns long and hot.
LIGNUM VITAE (GUAIACUM OFFICINALE)
78.5 LBS/FT3 (1,257 KG/M3)
When talking about extreme hardwoods I guess most people who know wood would think of Lignum Vitae. Lignum Vitae meaning tree of life and being rot and insect resistant this is one durable wood and worthy of the name.
This wood is so bloody hard that it is used for the manufacture of bearings. It is also self-lubricating because of the oil content in the wood and extremely hard wearing. If Thor’s hammer Mjolnir was made from Lignum Vitae then Hela would not have been able to brake it.
Because it is one of the hardest woods on earth, it has an extreme blunting effect on tools. When planning light passes is recommended otherwise it will just jump on the planer. Getting a decent glue bond will also be difficult because of the oil content of the wood. The wood does turn and finishes extremely well.
AFRICAN BLACKWOOD (DALBERGIA MELANOXYLON)
This small tree that rarely grows bigger that 9 meters can be found from Mozambique to Ethiopia in the north and the eastern coast of Africa to Senegal. A resident of 26 African countries. However, the main stronghold is northern Mozambique and Southern Tanzania.
The wood has a severe blunting effect on tools and milling is limited to a few feet before the blades needs to be sharpened or replaced.
African blackwood is one of the most sought after woods in the world because of its excellent tonal qualities. Some of the best clarinets in the world is made from African Blackwood.
ITIN (PROSOPIS KUNTZEI)
79.6 LBS/FT3 (1,275 KG/M3)
Found in the Gran Chaco region of South America And achieving a maximum height of 11 meters and .6 meter in diameter this a worthy addition to the list.
Mostly used for smaller projects and turning and hard to work with due to density of the wood. The wood finishes and glues well.
The wood has a fragrant odor when worked and can cause skin irritations in some individuals.
BLACK IRONWOOD (KRUGIODENDRON FERREUM)
84.5 LBS/FT3 (1,355 KG/M3)
This small tree can be found in Southern Florida, the Caribbean and Central America. It grows to a maximum of 9 meters tall and .3 meters in diameter.
The sapwood is a pale yellowish white while the heartwood can be a range of oranges, reds, violets and brown. Because of density, this wood has a high cutting resistance and difficulty in working and also a marked blunting effect on cutters. Like most of these extreme hard woods, it turns well.
Because the tree rarely grows beyond a shrub the uses are limited to smaller projects like knife handles and pen blanks.
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