Looking for a lavender colored wood

[MarieC]

Not sure under what topic to put this question...Anyway thought this was an okay spot....so I am looking for a nice light purple wood. Does anyone know if there is a wood that color and where I might find it.  I do not need very much....thanks ahead of time.

 

[Dave Monk]

9 minutes ago, MarieC said:

Not sure under what topic to put this question...Anyway thought this was an okay spot....so I am looking for a nice light purple wood. Does anyone know if there is a wood that color and where I might find it.  I do not need very much....thanks ahead of time.

 

Don't know of any. You might have to go with a stain.

[rafairchild2]

The closest I could find is "Purple Heart".  The ones I bought actually are quite purple with brown undertones from Oochwood. It does darken more after a while. A place I also order from in Canada is, even more, purple KJP. Bloodwood is another, though more on the red side, but like purple heart, it is a bear to cut it is so hard, dulls blades fast.

https://kjpselecthardwoods.com/products/s4s-purpleheart-lumber?_pos=3&_sid=19ed7ecf5&_ss=r

Edited June 9, 2023 by rafairchild2

[Wichman]

55 minutes ago, MarieC said:

Not sure under what topic to put this question...Anyway thought this was an okay spot....so I am looking for a nice light purple wood. Does anyone know if there is a wood that color and where I might find it.  I do not need very much....thanks ahead of time.

 

How big a piece of wood do you need?  Is this a one off for an intarsia?  A small fretwork box?

There are two wood types that should grow in your area ( Wash st ) Box elder (mostly streaky) and Lilac (you would need larger specimens that are being removed or larger limbs being removed. I don't know of any commercial wood that would have the light purple.

 

[Scrappile]

Well Purple heart is not really lavender to me but it is the only real purple wood I know of.  When I have used it and finished it with an oil finish it has turned more of a cranberry color, pretty for sure, but not purple.  And over time it will turn a deep brownish color.  I have seen some purple tinted wood in popular but is is more like streaks than a piece of purple.  So if you really want lavender like @Dave Monk, statedt to stay somewhere near lavender, paint is the only thing I know or some of the color from some other coloring media I am not familiar with.  There are some weird named ones out there..  Oh, I just remembered one,,, unicorn spit, or something like that.  

Edited June 9, 2023 by Scrappile

[MarieC]

18 minutes ago, Wichman said:

How big a piece of wood do you need?  Is this a one off for an intarsia?  A small fretwork box?

There are two wood types that should grow in your area ( Wash st ) Box elder (mostly streaky) and Lilac (you would need larger specimens that are being removed or larger limbs being removed. I don't know of any commercial wood that would have the light purple.

 

Yes. I thought I heard someone say something about lilacs a long time ago...I do live near the "lilac city".  Wow, so hard to find a dead lilac big enough....  I don't need very big pieces though.   I really don't do intarsia...not sure what you would call what I do...but kind of like intarsia...so small pieces. I will check on the box elder and the poplar that @Scrappilementioned.  Thank you for the suggestions!

[Scrappile]

I am pretty sure lilac wood is not lilac color. In fact I think it is white.  Am I wrong?

[MarieC]

1 hour ago, Scrappile said:

I am pretty sure lilac wood is not lilac color. In fact I think it is white.  Am I wrong?

I was told by a turner (lathe) that he had a dark purple lilac at his mom's house and said it was lilac...but I never saw it.  We have a few Italian prune trees and their wood is kind of a light plum color...but when I saw it, I was not a wood worker so we gave it to a friend...darn. I wish my husband would let me cut one down...but no luck there!

Edited June 10, 2023 by MarieC

[Scrappile]

21 minutes ago, MarieC said:

I was told by a turner (lathe) that he had a dark purple lilac at his mom's house and said it was lilac...but I never saw it.  We have a few Italian prune trees and their wood is kind of a light prune color...but when I saw it, I was not a wood worker so we gave it to a friend...darn. I wish my husband would let me cut one down...but no luck there!

There you go,,, you going to believe a lathe turner,,, or as scroller?  Well which is it!

[Wichman]

Scrappile, when I get done with the market tomorrow I'll sand the end off of some lilac wood I have and show the color, whatever that turns out to be.

I worked with some fresh cut lilac years ago and the lilac scent was so strong I got an unintentional buzz!

[MarieC]

20 minutes ago, Wichman said:

Scrappile, when I get done with the market tomorrow I'll sand the end off of some lilac wood I have and show the color, whatever that turns out to be.

I worked with some fresh cut lilac years ago and the lilac scent was so strong I got an unintentional buzz!

I am so looking forward to it.  Is the tree a dark purple lilac. Paul @Scrappile I will definetly believe a scroller over a lathe turner...evem though I do both 

[Gene Howe]

10 hours ago, MarieC said:

I will definetly believe a scroller over a lathe turner...evem though I do both 

I was not aware that turners were prone to prevarication. Although, my turning BIL certainly did lie to me about his sister's rosy disposition. 

 

[TAIrving]

12 hours ago, Scrappile said:

I am pretty sure lilac wood is not lilac color. In fact I think it is white.  Am I wrong?

According to The Wood Database Lilac has variable colors "Colors can be variable depending on species. Sometimes seen with reddish or lavender color streaks throughout the heartwood."

Lilac | The Wood Database (Hardwood) (wood-database.com) 

[Hudson River Rick]

Marie, here in the Hudson Valley, the BIG ORANGE store occasionally will have poplar that has a light purple vein.  It does darken to almost black if left unfinished for a little while.  I was told the reason for the color in the poplar is due to the minerals in th soil, so I guess as the saying goes, "Your mileage May Vary"  

Good luck in your search.

Rick

[MarieC]

12 minutes ago, Hudson River Rick said:

Marie, here in the Hudson Valley, the BIG ORANGE store occasionally will have poplar that has a light purple vein.  It does darken to almost black if left unfinished for a little while.  I was told the reason for the color in the poplar is due to the minerals in th soil, so I guess as the saying goes, "Your mileage May Vary"  

Good luck in your search.

Rick

Rick, I love the Hudson Valley...so  pretty there.....Okay, I will look at the big orange box store as well as our local lumber store for purple poplar.  Do you know if your finish it with a UV finish if it will keep its purple color?  Thank you!

[MarieC]

1 hour ago, TAIrving said:

According to The Wood Database Lilac has variable colors "Colors can be variable depending on species. Sometimes seen with reddish or lavender color streaks throughout the heartwood."

Lilac | The Wood Database (Hardwood) (wood-database.com) 

Thank you for the link...wow that is one crazy Hard wood " Janka Hardness: 2,350"  compared to Purple heart at 1860.

[Hudson River Rick]

@MarieCMarie, sorry I can't help with that question, I don't use poplar for outdoor projects, so I never thought about using a UV product.

Rick

[CharleyL]

I have worked with purpleheart and found that it's color did not remain the same as it aged. It was tough wood to work with as well.

If I wanted wood with a reliably purple color, I would go with a wood dye and experiment with the wood used, but would probably go with Birch or Beech and finish cutting each piece before dying. Use the scraps from cutting for experimenting with soak time, etc.

Charley

 

[Wichman]

Here are some pictures of the Lilac wood that I have. I'm not sure what kind of lilac it is, a friend brought me some pieces. The pieces have no discernible smell ( I was hoping for   ) It cut ok on my HF small bandsaw, but when I was trying to sand it smooth it changed colors, I think the oils in the wood were burning as the whole piece turned darker. I have sanding belts up to 1000 grit and this wood polished up very well.

These first three pictures are to show the grain and color the first is without any treatment, the next is fresh BLO and the third is BLO after a day to dry:

 

The next two are just to show color:

 

[MarieC]

It is a bit hard to tell on my computer....are they a bit lavender grayish in color.  I bet it burned some when you cut it since it is such a crazy hard wood.   I did see this picture of someone who made a spoon out of lilac....I think I will have to see if I can find some up here in Spokane.  Thanks again for the tip 

[Badgerboy]

Actually you can find poplar with light purple/lavender streaks. I ran across several boards at my local lumber yard a year ago and they now sit in my shop.  Never hurts to dig thru the poplar pile.

[OCtoolguy]

I think you might be able to take any light species and dye it with food coloring.

[OCtoolguy]

Watchagonnamake?

Edited June 13, 2023 by OCtoolguy

[MarieC]

3 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

Watchagonnamake?

Where did you get that board?...it looks like an ostrich! Too Funny! 

Oh, forgot to answer the question...irises and pansies....

Edited June 14, 2023 by MarieC

[OCtoolguy]

19 hours ago, MarieC said:

Where did you get that board?...it looks like an ostrich! Too Funny! 

Oh, forgot to answer the question...irises and pansies....

He's my mascot. Whenever I am confused over a post or don't have an answer, I rely on him to reply. I've kept that board because of its unique grain. Love it!