Specs
- Common Names
- Purpleheart, amaranth, roxinho, violeta
- Scientific Name
- Peltogyne spp.
- Origin
- Central and South America (from Mexico down to southern Brazil)
- Appearance
- When freshly cut the heartwood of purpleheart can be a dull grayish/purplish brown. Upon exposure—usually within a few days—the wood becomes a deeper eggplant purple. With further age and exposure to UV light, the wood becomes a dark brown with a hint of purple. This color-shift can be slowed and minimized by using a UV inhibiting finish on the wood. For more information, see the article Preventing Color Changes in Exotic Woods. The grain is usually straight, but can also be wavy or irregular. Has a medium texture with good natural luster.
- Avg. Dried Weight
- 56 lbs/ft3 (905 kg/m3)
- Janka Hardness
- 2520 lbf
- Modulus of Rupture
- 22,000 lbf/in2 (151.7 MPa)
- Elastic Modulus
- 2,937,000 lbf/in2 (20.26 GPa)
- Crushing Strength
- 12,140 lbf/in2 (83.7 MPa)
- Shrinkage
- Radial: 3.8%, Tangential: 6.4%
- Durability
- Purpleheart is rated as being very durable, and resists both decay and most insect attacks, though it has been reported to be susceptible to attack from marine borers.
- Workability
- Working with purpleheart can present some unique challenges: if the wood is heated with dull tools, or if cutter speeds are too high, purpleheart will exude a gummy resin that can clog tools and complicate the machining process. Depending on the grain orientation, can be difficult to plane without tearout. Purpleheart also has a moderate dulling effect on cutters.
