International Wood Magazine

A Custom Blue Bubinga Floor

Spotlight on: Bubinga

Magazine page featuring a custom blue-stained Bubinga parquet floor with Greek key border in a brick-fireplace room, alongside a Holland Southwest International panel products advertisement set against a birch forest.
A spotlight on Bubinga accompanies an overhead view of a custom blue-stained Bubinga parquet floor, paired with a Holland Southwest International advertisement for panel products.

multi-tone blue color that evolves with changing light conditions using a reactive stain finished with a hardwax oil.

The floor's perimeter consists of more than 2,600 hand-cut elements arranged to form three intertwining lines. The perimeter was one of the most challenging parts of the piece, according to Szyszka. "The original design concept involved circles and ovals, but it did not complement the symmetric floor and brick fireplace, so I modified it to align with the room design. It's still a Greek pattern but it's my own custom vision."

Szyszka acknowledges that a blue floor is unusual and that his wife was a bit dubious about the idea at first. "But she loves

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SPECIES: Guibourtia spp.

ORIGIN: Africa

COMMON APPLICATIONS: Veneers, fine furniture, cabinets, paneling, furniture inlays, turnings, knife handles and small craft goods such as jewelry.

CHARACTERISTICS / APPEARANCE: Sapwood is very pale with clear demarcations. Heartwood can be a variety of colors, including pink, vivid red or red-brown with purple veining. Straight or interlocked grain and a fine, even texture. Bubinga is often seen with a variety of unique figure.

JANKA HARDNESS SCALE: 2,410 lbf

COMMENTS: Bubinga is a very dense, very hard and heavy wood, with an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, bending strength and shock resistance. It can be easily worked with both hand and machine tools and also turns and finishes well. Gluing can occasionally be problematic because of the natural oils found in this wood. These natural oils make bubinga a durable wood for both exterior and interior uses.

Frequently asked questions

What finish was used to create the blue color on the bubinga floor?+

The floor was finished with a reactive stain topped with a hardwax oil, producing a multi-tone blue color that evolves with changing light conditions.

How many pieces make up the perimeter of the custom bubinga floor?+

The floor's perimeter consists of more than 2,600 hand-cut elements arranged to form three intertwining lines.

Why was the original perimeter design for the bubinga floor changed?+

The original concept involved circles and ovals, but it didn't complement the symmetric floor and brick fireplace. Szyszka modified it into a custom Greek pattern that aligned better with the room design.

Where does bubinga wood come from and what is it commonly used for?+

Bubinga (Guibourtia spp.) originates in Africa. It is commonly used for veneers, fine furniture, cabinets, paneling, furniture inlays, turnings, knife handles and small craft goods such as jewelry.

What is the Janka hardness rating of bubinga?+

Bubinga has a Janka hardness rating of 2,410 lbf, making it a very dense, hard and heavy wood.

What does bubinga wood look like?+

The sapwood is very pale with clear demarcations, while the heartwood can be pink, vivid red or red-brown with purple veining. It has straight or interlocked grain, a fine even texture and often displays unique figure.