Purple Heart rough sawn lumber
Colour-forward exotic alternative for accent strips and specialty pieces.
View optionBurmese Padauk Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Domestic hardwood species
Burmese Padauk 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 namePterocarpus macrocarpus
Janka hardness2,150 lbf
Average dried weight54 lb/ft³
Best fitVeneer
Overview
Why choose Burmese Padauk?
Burmese Padauk is a domestic hardwood species associated with Myanmar (formerly Burma), and Thailand. It is useful when the project calls for veneer, flooring, turned objects, musical instruments, furniture, tool handles, and other small specialty wood 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 namePterocarpus macrocarpus
DistributionMyanmar (formerly Burma), and Thailand
ShrinkageRadial: 3.4%, Tangential: 5.8%, Volumetric: 8.4%, T/R Ratio: 1.7
DurabilityRated as very durable regrading decay resistance, with good resistance to termites and other insects.
Burmese Padauk colour, grain, and figure
Expect heartwood color can vary, ranging from a pale golden yellow to a deeper reddish brown. Color tends to darken to a golden brown over time.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain is usually interlocked, with a coarse texture and fairly large and open pores.
Working notes
In the shop, because of its higher density (as compared to African Padauk ), and its interlocked grain, Burma Padauk can be difficult to work with. Burma Padauk turns, glues, and finishes well.
Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Burma Padauk has been reported as a sensitizer .
Burmese Padauk should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Burmese Padauk
Best projects
Veneer, flooring, turned objects, musical instruments, furniture, tool handles, and other small specialty wood 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 Burmese Padauk 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.
Sapele rough sawn lumber
Warm exotic alternative when bold colour is less important than furniture usefulness.
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.
Burmese Padauk FAQ
What is Burmese Padauk best used for?
Burmese Padauk is best considered for veneer, flooring, turned objects, musical instruments, furniture, tool handles, and other small specialty wood objects. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Burmese Padauk 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 Burmese Padauk?
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.