Table of Contents
What is special about Koa wood?
Koa Wood is legendary in Hawaii. Not only is this amazing wood native to Hawaii but it is known for the deep rich colors and varied grain pattern. Koa has honored heritage in Hawaii and is highly revered and sacred.
Why is Koa wood so expensive?
Koa wood is precious Koa wood is highly regarded and it is so precious because it can only be found in Hawaii. Its beauty and rarity make koa among the most expensive woods in the world. Koa wood starts at around $40 per board feet and can go up to $200 board feet for rare large slabs.
Is Koa a hardwood?
Koa wood is known for its deep rich colors and varied grain patterns. Old-growth trees contain the most figured lumber. The grain is interlocked, which often causes curly figuring. Koa is a hardwood and has high crush resistance and shock absorbance.
How can you tell real Koa wood?
You can identify Koa by examining three primary attributes; color, grain, and origin. Koa is generally reddish gold to dark brown in color. Its acute interlocking wood grain produces a highly curly or figured appearance. Its origin is always Hawaii.
What is the English name for Koa wood?
Acacia koa
It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree. The highest populations are on Hawaiʻi, Maui and Oʻahu. Its name in the Hawaiian language, koa, also means brave, bold, fearless, or warrior….
| Acacia koa | |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Acacia |
| Species: | A. koa |
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia koa A.Gray |
What did Hawaiians use Koa wood for?
Koa is the largest native tree species in the Hawaiian islands, reaching heights of approximately 115 feet. Historically, Koa wood was used by early Hawaiians to build ocean-going canoes, surfboards, spear handles, and ukuleles. Koa was considered the wood of Hawaiian royalty.
What wood is similar to Koa?
Australian blackwood is increasingly used as a substitute for koa, but the descriptor is somewhat misleading. The color of Australian blackwood ranges from gold to reddish brown, and is very similar in color to mahogany or Hawaiian koa. On the Janka scale, Australian blackwood ranks slightly lower than koa at 1,160.
Is Koa wood scarce?
Concerned people sometimes ask, “Is Koa wood endangered, or even extinct?” The answer is a resounding “NO.” Koa wood is not and has never been on any endangered species list. There is more Koa growing in the Hawaiian Islands today compared to ten years ago. Koa wood is endemic to Hawaii.
What wood is similar to koa?
What wood is similar to KOA?
Is acacia wood the same as Koa wood?
The first thing to know is that acacia wood and koa wood are very similar. In fact, acacia is in the same family as koa and sometimes when shopping for an acacia wood ukulele, you will see it called “koa acacia.” There are about 1300 different kinds of acacia wood!
Is Koa wood still available?
The ali’i, or royalty class, would use koa to decorate their homes. Although the wood is now more widely available, getting a piece of your own is still a challenge. Koa trees grow on the Hawaiian Islands at elevations of 2,000-7,000 feet. Needless to say, that makes koa trees pretty rare.