Maple lumber collection
Clean, pale domestic alternative for furniture and utility builds.
View optionPersimmon Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Domestic hardwood species
Persimmon 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 nameDiospyros virginiana
Janka hardness2,300 lbf
Average dried weight52 lb/ft³
Best fitTurned objects
Overview
Why choose Persimmon?
Persimmon is a domestic hardwood species associated with Eastern United States. It is useful when the project calls for turned objects, golf club heads, veneer, and other small specialty wood items
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 nameDiospyros virginiana
DistributionEastern United States
ShrinkageRadial: 7.9%, Tangential: 11.2%, Volumetric: 19.1%, T/R Ratio: 1.4
DurabilityBeing that nearly all of Persimmon is sapwood, it is rated as perishable and is susceptible to insect attack.
Persimmon colour, grain, and figure
Expect very wide sapwood is a white to pale yellowish-brown. Color tends to darken with age.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain is straight, with a uniform medium-coarse texture.
Working notes
In the shop, overall workability is so-so. Persimmon generally responds well to hand tools, but can be difficult to plane and blunts cutting edges faster than expected.
Persimmon has been reported to cause skin irritation.
Persimmon should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Persimmon
Best projects
Turned objects, golf club heads, veneer, and other small specialty wood items
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 Persimmon 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.
Persimmon FAQ
What is Persimmon best used for?
Persimmon is best considered for turned objects, golf club heads, veneer, and other small specialty wood items. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Persimmon 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 Persimmon?
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.