One wood every woodworker wants to have and work with is Ebony wood. By its name alone, you will intuitively know that it has a black or brown color. It is a hardwood with a Janka Hardness rating of 3,690 lbf. Because it is so dense, it will sink when dropped in the water. However, once adequately polished, it sports a fine and mirror-like finish and is a valuable wood for ornamental and decorative applications.
Properties and Characteristics of Ebony Wood
Gauging from its Janka Hardness rating, you can surmise that Ebony wood is a heavy wood. Per cubic foot, it weighs 30.8 kilograms. It is solid and durable, and it features a very even texture. Of course, you will readily recognize this wood by its brown or black stripes with bandings of beige or light yellow. It generally has straight grains with occasional interlocking or wavy grains.
Ebony exhibits high resistance to rot, though it is not entirely resistant to insect attacks. It also seasons slowly, and those who cultivate this tree often use a girdle to enable the wood to dry quickly. Nevertheless, it tends to split when dried too fast. Below are the unique characteristics and properties of Ebony wood:
Color and Appearance
As mentioned above, Ebony wood carries black or brown stripes tinged with beige or light-yellow banding. However, different varieties of Ebony also carry different colors. The Black Ebony, for example, is prized for its sterling colors. It has a pinkish-gray to white color. Its heartwood is colored deep blue-black. Besides, it can have occasional blackish-grey to brownish fields.
Ebony wood has intermittent and scattered medium to delicate pores. Its pores also have black content, so it looks like it doesn’t have pores. For this reason, it looks shiny. Its storage cells on its smooth cross sections are only partly visible. Besides, you will see fine tangential lines on its surface. In the striped wood parts, alternating and twisted fibers run wild in some areas.
Grain Pattern
Ebony wood is one-of-a-kind. It is a gorgeous wood that doesn’t require staining to look beautiful. Its grain pattern is primarily straight, though you will see intermittent interlocking grains. Moreover, its wood texture is fine and even and carries a natural luster. It is rated high when it comes to grain and texture.
Resistance to Rotting and Decay
Ebony wood is well-known for its high level of durability. It is very dense, which makes it sink in water. Thus, it is almost resistant to insect attacks and decay. Furniture wrought in Ebony will last up to 150 years, even with little maintenance. Remember that the wooden art of the Egyptians made of Ebony and those found in old forts are still intact.
Stability and Strength
The lower the shrinkage levels of wood, the stabler it is. Ebony shrinks radially from green to oven dry by around 5.5 and tangentially by 6.5. Its radial/tangential shrinkage is approximately 1.2. There is no doubt that Ebony is very stable. Its Janka hardness rating will attest to its sterling hardness and stability.
Ebony is classified as Strength Class I because of its remarkable compressive and bending strengths. Thus, Ebony wood gets recommended for heavy construction usages like building structures and bridges. Its specific gravity is 1.2.
Different Types of Ebony Wood
Ebony is not a single species of wood but consists of many Ebony species. Its genus is Diospyros, under which there are many species. Among the different species of Ebony are Diospyros ebenum or Ceylon Ebony, Diospyros crassiflora or Gabon Ebony, found in western Africa; Diospyros celbica or Sulawesi ebony, found in Indonesia; and Mauritius Ebony or Diospyros tessellaria. Below are the short descriptions of these different Ebony species:
1) Ceylon Ebony
This Ebony species has the scientific name Diospyros ebenum. You can find species in Ceylon, which is now called Sri Lanka. It can grow up to 85 feet and has enormous leaves about 8-inch long. Its interior carries a jet-black color characterized by a subtle luster. It also has a very smooth texture.
This Ebony species also grows in India and Indonesia. The wood of this Ebony species has been very popular in the past centuries, with its peak popularity from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. However, this Ebony species was listed as endangered due to heavy cutting. India and Sri Lanka also imposed laws to curtail the exportation of this wood
2) African Ebony
The African Ebony has the scientific name Diospyros mespiliformis. It is not a very tall tree compared to other species of Ebony. Besides, it can have a maximum height of sixteen feet. Its flower buds have a cream color that turns yellow and red when the fruits get ripe. This wood species is native to Africa’s eastern, southern, and western Savannas.
This species of Ebony gets also called Jacklberry or Jakkalsbessie. This name was given to it because jackals are very fond of its fruits. Mature trees have dark grey bark and can sometimes reach up to 25 meters. Its wood is almost resistant to termite attacks.
Moreover, its heartwood has fine-grained and robust. You can use this wood for furniture and flooring. Besides, its trunk gets often used for making canoes. The color of this wood ranges from very dark brown to light reddish brown.
3) Gabon Ebony
Gabon Ebony has the scientific name Diospyros dendo. It is native to the west side of Africa near Ghana within the equator. It has a maximum height of 60 feet and a trunk diameter of around 3 feet. Its wood sports thin streaks of dark brown or dark grey.
Manufacturers of musical instruments use this wood as small musical instrument components. This wood species is already listed as endangered, and its population got reduced to half in the past generations.
4) Pale Moon Ebony
The Pale Moon Ebony has the scientific name Diospyros malbarica. It is native to Southeast Asia and India. Compared to other species of Ebony, this one can grow up to 115 feet high; thus, it is a tall Ebony species.
Also referred to as Black and White Ebony, the Pale Moon Ebony is a popular wood and is quite a perplexing exotic wood, and it is famous for use in guitar drop tops.
Also referred to as Black and White Ebony, the Pale Moon Ebony is a popular wood and is quite a perplexing exotic wood, and it is famous for use in guitar drop tops.
This wood has a high level of workability and is easy to machine, turn, glue, and finish nicely. It is also rare and costly. Besides, it is dense and features a smooth texture. It is also visually stunning.
5) Macassar Ebony
Macassar Ebony has the scientific name Diospyros celebica. This Ebony species is native to the Island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. The main region of Sulawesi, Makassar, was the etymological source of its name. This Ebony species can grow up to 65 feet high and has broader streaks of brown or black.
Japan often imports this lumber, and it gets more often used as house posts. It also gets used for guitar fingerboards. This wood is easy to work on, and you can also carve it easily. Besides, you can make elegant furniture out of this wood.
6) Coromandel Ebony
Coromandel Ebony has the scientific name Diospyros melanoxylon. It features a rugged and dry bark, and it is also locally referred to as temburini. It is also called Kendu. It is native to India and Sri Lanka, and its leaves get often used for wrappings of tobacco.
This tree is also famous for its medicinal properties and can cure malaria and other diseases. In India, the selling of this wood is feverish.
7) Mauritius Ebony
Mauritius Ebony has the scientific name Diospyros tessellaria. This Ebony species is native to Mauritius and gets also referred to as Black Ebony or Mauritian Ebony. This tree is slow growing and is massive. It can have a maximum growth of 66 feet or 20 meters and a maximum trunk diameter of more than one meter.
This Ebony species got heavily harvested. So, most of the old-growth trees were already gone. Additionally, it has thick leaves with dark green colors. Its wood also has a dark black color.
8) Mun Ebony
Mun Ebony has the scientific name Diospyros mun. It belongs to the smallest species of Ebony, and you will only find this tree in Laos and Vietnam. It is an exquisite wood with brown and black stripes. Moreover, it has red streaks sometimes. You can use this wood for inlays and carving.
9) Myrtle Ebony
Myrtle Ebony is native to Queensland, Australia. This Ebony is a lovely tree with beautiful red and white flowers blooming during springtime. Moreover, this rare tree can grow to a maximum height of 130 feet. Birds love to feast on the fruits of this tree.
10) Queensland Ebony
Queensland Ebony has the scientific name Diospyros Humilis. It thrives throughout Queensland Province up to the Northern Territory, including the Northern New South Wales. This Ebony species is not that tall.
This tree has discolorous leaves characterized by glossiness and stiffness. It also has an oval fruit that is orange or bright yellow once ripe. Its wood is valued for making elegant cabinets and for woodturning. However, it has low resistance to decay.
11) Brazilian Ebony
The Brazilian Ebony has the scientific name Swartzia Tomentosa. It gets also referred to as Panococo. It grows in Guyana and is very durable. It belongs to the elite of the wood types when it comes to hardness. It has a Janka Hardness rating of 3,690 lbf.
The Brazilian Ebony is pretty heavy, and its grains are straight, demarcating the wood surface. This wood is almost black and is a costly one. Besides, this tree can reach up to 75 feet, with a maximum diameter of two feet.
12) Malaysian Blackwood
The Malaysian Blackwood has the scientific name Diospyros Ebonasea. This Ebony species is native to the forests of Malaysia. It is an expensive tonewood that is perfect for various types of guitars. It is also a favorite of manufacturers of luthiers. Moreover, it is very dense and has a glassy tap color similar to African Blackwood.
Malaysian Blackwood has pale yellow to tan sapwood, and its heartwood ranges from nearly black to medium brown. It is also less brittle than that wood.
This wood is not suited for outdoor uses, for it is not rated as resistant to decay. It is also not easy to work with, and you will find it hard to machine or cut using your hand tools. It gets used, however, for woodturning, knife handles, acoustic guitars, and inlays.
Advantages of Using Ebony Wood on Woodworking Projects
If you intend to use Ebony, it behooves you to learn its properties and characteristics to determine if it is the best wood for your projects. Besides, it will help if you are familiar with the upsides of its use:
Beautiful Appearance
Ebony Wood is famous for its beautiful and elegant appearance. It has a dark tone which distinguishes it from other hardwoods. Besides, pieces of furniture made of this wood get highly prized for their beauty and elegance.
Very Durable
Ebony wood is undoubtedly one of the most durable woods out there. Its Janka Hardness rating also speaks of its durability and strength. It is resistant to rot and insect attacks, and insects will indeed have difficulty gnawing on this wood. Moreover, furniture made of Ebony may last for a hundred years or more.
Exceptional Strength
Ebony is solid wood, and it is reliable and robust. It can also withstand the test of time and heavy loads. It has a low shrinkage percentage and is very stable. Besides, it shrinks minimally. Moreover, it gets rated for heavy construction like bridges and building structures.
Disadvantages of Using Ebony Wood on Woodworking Projects
After reading about the properties and characteristics of this wood, you might surmise that the use of Ebony wood is all positive. Yet, its use also comes with the following disadvantages:
It Is Expensive
The rarer a wood, the more expensive it becomes. Similarly, Ebony trees got overly harvested in the past; as such, it becomes rare and more costly to use. Thus, if you don’t want to break the bank, you might as well look for other wood alternatives.
Hard to Work with
The harder a block of wood is, the more difficult it is to cut or screw. Similarly, since the Janka hardness rating of Ebony wood is high, you will find it hard to work with this wood. You should keep your tools sharp when working with this wood.
Availability
Ebony wood, as mentioned above, is becoming scarcer. Because of its sterling qualities, it got heavily harvested. Thus, the old-growth trees are already gone. Most Ebony species, likewise, were considered endangered species. As such, if you are desirous of using this wood, you will have a hard time finding this wood.
Applications and Uses of Ebony Wood
Ebony is a highly sought-after wood because it is excellent for many applications. The uses and applications of Ebony wood include the following:
Furniture
Ebony wood is a highly prized wood for making furniture, and pieces of furniture made of Ebony are expensive. Ebony pieces of furniture will command a high price in the market. Its beautiful and elegant appearance and sterling durability make it a perfect choice for high-end furniture.
Musical Instruments
Manufacturers of musical instruments are fond of using Ebony wood for its sterling tonal qualities. It also has excellent bending strength, which is a necessary quality for use in musical instruments. Besides, it has a remarkable appearance and provides an exceptional finish.
Wood Carvings
Some wood species of Ebony are perfect for carvings because of their ease of workability. Besides, carved objects made of ebony will indeed look exquisite and exotic. Thus, these carvings made of ebony wood are expensive and highly valued.
Decorative Crafts
Ebony wood is an excellent option for decorative and architectural decorations. It provides a flawless finish with its delicate texture. Decorative objects made of Ebony also exhibit elegance and beauty only found in black stones. You can also use it as decorative inlays. Moreover, these decorative objects command a high price.
Handles for tools
Ebony exhibits high shock resistance. As such, it is a perfect wood for the handles of tools. It is also durable and would not easily split or get damaged. Besides, it looks elegant and grand when used as handles.
Guide on Working with Ebony Wood
If you’re unfamiliar with Ebony wood, you might be tentative when working with it. Besides, you might feel less confident because you know that it is costly. However, rarely would you see Ebony wood in timber form.
When milling Ebony, you might risk tearing it. Thus, it will help if you reduce the angle at which you cut the wood. You can work with Ebony manually. But it is hard to work with, especially if you carve it and make intricate details.
When planing Ebony or cutting it, you should ensure that you wear your safety gear like a dust mask. Its dust might cause severe irritation of your respiratory tract. Besides, Ebony is not easy to season, and it seasons slowly. But when it is seasoned, it is very stable.
Ebony also tends to split if you dry it quickly. Thus, when working with Ebony, you should always be wary of splits and checks.
Ebony wood is not the type of wood you can experiment with. It is pretty hard, and if you’re a beginner, you should not work with this wood. You will also need to predrill this wood before screwing or nailing it. Nevertheless, it finishes nicely and exhibits incredibly high luster and smoothness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aside from knowing the pros and cons of using Ebony wood and how you can work with it, it will also help if you are cognizant of the following FAQs about Ebony wood, for they might also be the questions playing on in your mind:
Is the Use of Ebony Wood Sustainable?
There is a significant decrease in ebony trees and forests where Ebony trees used to thrive. This decrease is due to the high demand for this excellent wood. Besides, the high profit derivable from the sales of this wood tempts people to cut Ebony trees.
Ebony trees are slow-growing, and most old-growth trees got already cut down. Besides, there was a time when Ebony trees got heavily exploited, leading to the near extinction of some species of Ebony.
Moreover, many of the Ebony species are on the list of endangered species. Hence, there is always that imminent danger of making some Ebony species extinct. Thanks to laws enacted to ensure that many Ebony species are protected and sustained. Additionally, Sri Lanka and India no longer sell their Ebony outside their territories but only within their regions.
Why is Ebony Wood Expensive?
Ebony wood is expensive. As such, not many among us can afford to buy this wood. Despite its being expensive, the demand for this wood is still high, which is due to the high demand and low supply of this wood. The range of price of Ebony wood is from $100/board foot or $10,000/kilogram. Besides, it can even go higher because ebony wood is becoming scarce. After all, it is on the endangered list.
If the Ebony tree is fast-growing, its use will be very sustainable, and we will have enough supply when it gets farmed. However, it is a slow-growing tree. An Ebony tree will take several decades or a hundred years to fully mature.
The Ebony tree prefers to exist alone because it can’t compete with other trees and plants. Furthermore, only those Ebony trees around 150 years of age can produce unadulterated black wood, the types of Ebony wood that command high prices in the market.
Conclusion
As you read this post, you will learn more about the different species of Ebony and can raise your woodworking knowledge a notch. Knowledge about this popular and expensive wood will be handy as a woodworker. Remember, it is not enough to only learn how to cut and use your woodworking tools; it is also necessary to understand and study the wood you intend to use.
If you get access to this wood, use it wisely because it is precious and comes in limited supply. As mentioned above, it is so dense, making it challenging to work with this wood. It might also exude a mild and pungent odor while you work with this wood. So, you better take extra care and wear your safety gear when working with this wood.