Spotlight On: Mahogany, Genuine Mahogany, Honduras Mahogany
Swietenia macrophylla
SPECIES: Swietenia macrophylla
ORIGIN: Southern Mexico southward to central South America; also commonly grown on plantations
COMMON APPLICATIONS: Fine furniture and cabinetmaking, interior trim paneling, high-end veneers, musical instruments, boat building, patternmaking, turnery and carving.
CHARACTERISTICS/APPEARANCE: Heartwood is reddish, pinkish, salmon colored, or yellowish when fresh. It mellows with age to deep rich red or brown; distinct from the yellowish or whitish sapwood. Luster is high and golden; texture may be fine to coarse; grain may be straight, interlocked, wavy or curly, often with attractive figuring.
JANKA HARDNESS SCALE: 900 lb_f (see chart below)
COMMENTS: Genuine Mahogany is considered one of the finest crafter's woods. Mahogany is easy to finish and takes an excellent polish. It can be sliced and rotary cut into fine veneer. Mahogany exhibits an interesting optical phenomenon known as chatoyancy, a cat's-eye reflectance effect also seen in certain gemstones.
What Does The Janka Ranking Scale Mean?
The Janka Rating Scale measures the relative hardness of woods. Because hardness is often an important factor and hardness varies for each species, the janka scale is an excellent tool to compare wood species and identify appropriate choices.
| Range | Rating |
|---|---|
| 2500+ | ●●●●● |
| 2000 | ●●●●○ |
| 1500 | ●●●○○ |
| 1000 | ●●○○○ |
| 0-500 | ●○○○○ |
Frequently asked questions
What color changes does Genuine Mahogany undergo as it ages?+
Genuine Mahogany heartwood starts out reddish, pinkish, salmon colored, or yellowish when fresh. It mellows with age to a deep rich red or brown, which remains distinct from the yellowish or whitish sapwood.
What is chatoyancy in Genuine Mahogany?+
Chatoyancy is an optical phenomenon exhibited by Genuine Mahogany, described as a cat's-eye reflectance effect. The same effect is also seen in certain gemstones.
How does Genuine Mahogany perform when finished or cut into veneer?+
Mahogany is easy to finish and takes an excellent polish, which is part of why it's considered one of the finest crafter's woods. It can also be sliced and rotary cut into fine veneer.
Where does Janka hardness rating of 900 lb_f place Genuine Mahogany on the scale?+
At 900 lb_f, Genuine Mahogany falls in the 0–1000 range of the Janka scale, which corresponds to a two-dot rating (●●○○○). This indicates a relatively soft hardwood compared to denser tropical species.
What grain patterns and textures can be found in Genuine Mahogany?+
Mahogany's texture may be fine to coarse, and its grain may be straight, interlocked, wavy, or curly. It often features attractive figuring and a high, golden luster.
Why is the Janka scale useful when selecting species like Genuine Mahogany?+
The Janka scale measures the relative hardness of woods, and since hardness varies by species, it serves as a tool for comparing species and identifying appropriate choices for a given application.