Maple lumber collection
Clean, pale domestic alternative for furniture and utility builds.
View optionPau Santo Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Imported specialty hardwood
Pau Santo 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 nameZollernia spp.
Janka hardness3,280 lbf
Average dried weight70 lb/ft³
Best fitGuitars (backs and sides)
Overview
Why choose Pau Santo?
Pau Santo is a imported specialty hardwood associated with Brazil. It is useful when the project calls for guitars (backs and sides), turned objects, and knife handles
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 nameZollernia spp.
DistributionBrazil
ShrinkageRadial: 5.0%, Tangential: 9.6%, Volumetric: 14.7%, T/R Ratio: 1.9
DurabilityRated as moderately durable to durable; good insect resistance.
Pau Santo colour, grain, and figure
Expect heartwood dark brown, sometimes with a grey or green hue. Sapwood is pale yellowish, and is sharply demarcated from the heartwood.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain tends to be interlocked. With a fine even texture and excellent natural luster.
Working notes
In the shop, moderately difficult to work on account if its density and interlocked grain. Natural oils may interfere with gluing and finishing .
Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Pau Santo has been reported to cause skin irritation.
Pau Santo should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Pau Santo
Best projects
Guitars (backs and sides), turned objects, and knife handles
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 Pau Santo 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.
Pau Santo FAQ
What is Pau Santo best used for?
Pau Santo is best considered for guitars (backs and sides), turned objects, and knife handles. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Pau Santo 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 Pau Santo?
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.