I know of no other wood possessing the chatoyancy or range of colors of koa.
What is curly koa wood.
Koa has a lovely natural color and is generally reddish to dark brown.
The trees that are figured tend to be rare mutations as i have found woodlots with trees from the same seed stock soil water supply and sun exposure where one tree is curly and all of the rest are plain.
With the tree endemic to hawaii only and with supplies dwindling koa is likely to be rather expensive.
Old growth trees contain the most figured lumber.
The spirit of the volcano lives in this tree and radiates from the lumber.
Thus the supply of koa wood depends significantly on storm frequency.
Koa wood is basically used to make fine furniture.
The grain is interlocked which often causes curly figuring.
The grain is interlocked which often causes curly figuring.
Koa wood is known for the deep rich colors and varied grain patterns.
Koa may be the most spectacular hardwood in the world.
Koa wood is famous in hawaii for many reasons one being its decorative array of colors and grain texture.
Only 10 of all koa is curly today koa is so highly regarded for its beauty that land owners find it a profitable revenue source even more so than cattle.
It also contains sapwood abundant from top to bottom.
Curly figure can be present in many species among them koa all maples walnut ash oaks and even ebony.
Olo the longest surfboards were made from the lighter and more buoyant wiliwili erythrina sandwicensis.
The problem with koa is that it only grows on one set of islands in the world only well on one island and only at its best at higher.
Old growth trees contain the most figured lumber.
Koa lumber with a premium curl can strain your wallet for 60 to 120 bf depending on the intensity of the figure and the reputation of the exotic wood dealer who is selling it.
It is often compared to walnut however it weighs about 25 more and its interlocking grain.
Also boards of highly figured and or curly koa can command fantastic prices.
Koa is a hard wood and has high crush resistance and shock absorbance.
The different colors of koa wood are influenced by the tree s age the type of soil and level of ele.
It also comes with a golden luster and darker streaks.
Curly koa is also unmatched in price with highly figured material for guitar sets priced as high as 150 bf.
The koa s trunk was used by ancient hawaiians to build waʻa dugout outrigger canoes and papa heʻe nalu only paipo kikoʻo and alaia surfboards were made from koa however.
The grain of this tree is interlocked which causes the wood s natural curly figure.
Uses of koa wood.
Koa is a hardwood and has high crush resistance and shock absorbance.
Koa wood is known for its deep rich colors and varied grain patterns.
Curly fire and tiger koa are the rarest each displaying unique characteristics resembling their given names.
