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Clean, pale domestic alternative for furniture and utility builds.
View optionBlack Palm Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Imported specialty hardwood
Black Palm is best understood by how it looks, how it works, and where it should be used. This guide explains the practical buying details before sending you to the right Kingma products.
Scientific nameBorassus flabellifer
Janka hardness2,020 lbf
Average dried weight61 lb/ft³
Best fitFlooring
Overview
Why choose Black Palm?
Black Palm is a imported specialty hardwood associated with Tropical Asia and Africa. It is useful when the project calls for flooring, boatbuilding, walking sticks, knife and tool handles, rafters, furniture, and turned objects
For SEO and customer usefulness, this page separates the science from the buying decision: appearance, working behaviour, durability, project fit, and then the right Kingma shopping path.
Scientific nameBorassus flabellifer
DistributionTropical Asia and Africa
ShrinkageRadial: ~5.5%, Tangential: ~5.5%, Volumetric: ~11.0%, T/R Ratio: ~1.0 (Weight and hardness is for the higher-grade outer material, not the inner material.)
DurabilityBlack Palm is reported to be durable regarding decay resistance, though it is susceptible to insect attacks.
Black Palm colour, grain, and figure
Expect black fibers embedded in a lighter tan or light brown colored body. Fibers are more densely packed toward the outside of the tree trunk, becoming more and more sparse toward the center of the tree.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: black Palm has a medium to fine texture, though it is by no means even or uniform on account of the contrast between the dense, darker fibers, and the soft, lighter cellulose structure of the wood. Grain is very straight, and contains no growth rings, knots, or defects.
Working notes
In the shop, tends to be quite difficult to work with both machine and hand tools. The hard fibers contrast with the soft body of the wood, and can be brittle and splinter or pull out.
Palms in the Arecaceae family have been reported to cause skin irritation, and general constitutional effects.
Black Palm should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Black Palm
Best projects
Flooring, boatbuilding, walking sticks, knife and tool handles, rafters, furniture, and turned objects
Use caution
Avoid specifying it by name alone; confirm board size, moisture, colour, figure, and the project environment before buying.
Finish strategy
Test finishes on offcuts first, especially when colour, blotching, outdoor exposure, or grain filling matters.
Buying note
Choose boards, slabs, plywood, blanks, or posts based on the project rather than species name alone.
Shop path
Buying Black Palm from Kingma
Start with the direct species match when Kingma sells it. If stock rotates, use the closest live collection or a clearly explained alternative.
Live edge slabs
Use when the customer cares more about slab format and visual impact than this exact species.
View optionSimilar woods and alternatives
If Kingma does not have an exact match online, use the buying links below as practical alternatives only when the colour, grain, hardness, or project environment makes sense.
Black Palm FAQ
What is Black Palm best used for?
Black Palm is best considered for flooring, boatbuilding, walking sticks, knife and tool handles, rafters, furniture, and turned objects. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Black Palm beginner friendly?
It depends on density, grain direction, and tooling. Test cuts on offcuts first, and choose Maple, Cherry, Walnut, or Poplar when easier machining is the priority.
Does Kingma sell Black Palm?
Use the buying section on this page. If an exact product is not listed, the linked alternatives are included only when they make practical sense for colour, grain, or project use.