Our Woods: A Guide to the 8 Hardwoods We Use
Every Suquino Studio piece is cut from solid hardwood. We use six exotic woods from Africa and Central and South America, and two American hardwoods. Here's where each one comes from, what it looks like and how it changes over the years, so you can choose the one that suits your home. All of our lumber is Select & Better grade, one of the top grades for hardwood lumber: boards that are mostly clear of knots and defects. We buy all of it from Ocooch Hardwoods, a hardwood lumber supplier in Viola, Wisconsin.
Padauk
Where it comes from: Central and West Africa.
What it looks like: A vivid orange-red, one of the brightest natural wood colors there is.
Over time: It darkens slowly from bright red to a deep reddish-brown. Every padauk piece goes through this change, and many people love the richer color it settles into.
Zebrawood
Where it comes from: West Central Africa.
What it looks like: Bold dark-brown stripes on a light, golden background. No two pieces have the same pattern.
Shop the Zebrawood Coaster Set
Zebrawood is a good choice for coasters. Its grain has open pores, but our finish seals them, and the cork inlay takes the drips.
Wenge
Where it comes from: Central Africa.
What it looks like: The darkest wood we use: deep chocolate brown with fine, nearly black streaks.
Bolivian rosewood
Where it comes from: Bolivia and Brazil.
What it looks like: Rich brown with darker, sometimes purple-tinged streaks. It is the main wood in our wall coat rack.
Shop the Bolivian Rosewood Coaster Set
Despite the name, Bolivian rosewood isn't a "true" rosewood. It belongs to a different group of trees from the classic rosewoods, though it looks and works much like them. You may also see it sold as Santos rosewood.
Canarywood
Where it comes from: South America.
What it looks like: Golden yellow to orange, with streaks of red, brown and sometimes purple. The streaks make every set look different.
Over time: Like many woods, it tends to deepen toward a warmer amber over the years.
Shop the Canarywood Coaster Set
Leopardwood
Where it comes from: Central and South America.
What it looks like: Warm reddish-brown covered in small, flecked spots, the "leopard" pattern that gives it its name. The spots show up best when you see the wood at an angle.
Shop the Leopardwood Coaster Set
Genuine American chestnut
Where it comes from: Eastern North America.
What it looks like: Light to medium brown with an open, straight grain.
Shop the Genuine American Chestnut Coaster Set
American chestnut was once one of the most common trees in the eastern US. A blight in the early 1900s nearly wiped the species out, which is why the wood is so rare today. Our chestnut is genuine American chestnut. It is not reclaimed wood. It is also the softest wood we use, so it can show dents more easily than the exotic hardwoods.
Curly maple
Where it comes from: North America.
What it looks like: Creamy, pale wood with a rippled figure called "curl." The wavy grain catches the light, so the ripples seem to move as you walk past.
See the curly maple shelf on our wall coat rack
Want a different wood?
Every piece in our shop can be made in a different wood if you prefer. Rarer, more expensive woods, such as ebony, raise the price of the piece. Ask us about a custom piece.
To keep any of these woods looking its best, see our wood care guide.
Wood questions
Does padauk darken over time?
Yes. Padauk starts bright orange-red and slowly darkens to a deep reddish-brown.
Is zebrawood good for coasters?
Yes. Zebrawood has open pores, but our finish seals them, and the cork inlay takes the drips.
Is Bolivian rosewood a true rosewood?
No. It belongs to a different group of trees from the classic rosewoods, though it looks and works much like them. It's also sold as Santos rosewood.
Is your chestnut real American chestnut?
Yes. It's genuine American chestnut, not reclaimed wood. The species is rare because a blight nearly wiped it out in the early 1900s.
Which of your woods is the softest?
American chestnut. It's lighter and softer than the exotic hardwoods we use, so it can dent more easily.
What grade of wood do you use?
All of our lumber is Select & Better grade, one of the top grades for hardwood lumber. That means boards that are mostly clear of knots and defects. We buy all of it from Ocooch Hardwoods in Viola, Wisconsin.