Color/Appearance: Garapa has a golden to yellowish brown color, which darkens with age. Sapwood is also yellowish in color and not clearly distinct from the heartwood. The wood is fairly chatoyant, and appears to shift from dark to light coloring in different lighting angles. Grain/Texture: Grain is usually straight, but can also be interlocked. Uniform medium texture with a moderate amount of natural luster. Rot Resistance: Rated as durable, though vulnerable to termites and other insect attacks. Workability: Garapa is fairly easy to work, despite its density. Glues and finishes well. Odor: No characteristic odor. Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, garapa has been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicityand Wood Dust Safetyfor more information. Pricing/Availability: Garapa is not commonly available in lumber form, though it is sometimes used for flooring and decking. The price should be moderate for an imported hardwood. Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Common Uses: Flooring, decking, dock, and boatbuilding. Comments: Garapa is one of the few commercial hardwoods available that’s light-colored and also decay-resistant for exterior applications. Nearly all other exterior woods are much darker in color, with the exception of much softer cedar species. |