Honduran Mahogany Wood Guide

Wood species guide · Imported specialty hardwood

Honduran Mahogany 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 nameSwietenia macrophylla
Janka hardness900 lbf
Average dried weight36.8 lb/ft³
Best fitFurniture
Honduran Mahogany wood grain sample showing typical colour and figure
Honduran Mahogany wood grain reference for colour, texture, and figure comparison.

Overview

Why choose Honduran Mahogany?

Honduran Mahogany is a imported specialty hardwood associated with From Southern Mexico to central South America; also commonly grown on plantations. It is useful when the project calls for furniture, cabinetry, turned objects, veneer, musical instruments, boatbuilding, and carving

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 nameSwietenia macrophylla
DistributionFrom Southern Mexico to central South America; also commonly grown on plantations
ShrinkageRadial: 2.9%, Tangential: 4.3% · Volumetric: 7.5%, T/R Ratio: 1.5
DurabilityVaries from moderately durable to very durable depending on density and growing conditions of the tree.

Honduran Mahogany colour, grain, and figure

Expect heartwood color can vary a fair amount, from a pale pinkish brown to a darker reddish brown. Color tends to darken with age.

In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain can be straight, interlocked, irregular or wavy. Texture is medium and uniform, with moderate natural luster.

Honduran Mahogany wood face grain showing colour, grain, and texture
Honduran Mahogany face grain reference.
Honduran Mahogany wood grain close-up for identification and project planning
Honduran Mahogany secondary identification reference.

Working notes

In the shop, typically very easy to work with both hand and machine tools. (With exception to sections with figured or irregular grain, which can tearout or chip during machining.) Slight dulling of cutters can occur.

Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Honduran mahogany has been reported as a sensitizer .

Honduran Mahogany should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.

Best uses for Honduran Mahogany

Best projects

Furniture, cabinetry, turned objects, veneer, musical instruments, boatbuilding, and carving

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 Honduran Mahogany 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.

Kingma option

Sapele rough sawn lumber

Warm reddish-brown alternative with furniture and millwork appeal.

View option
Kingma option

Cherry lumber collection

Domestic warm-colour alternative when the customer wants easier sourcing and workability.

View option

Similar 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.

Honduran Mahogany FAQ

What is Honduran Mahogany best used for?

Honduran Mahogany is best considered for furniture, cabinetry, turned objects, veneer, musical instruments, boatbuilding, and carving. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.

Is Honduran Mahogany 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 Honduran Mahogany?

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.