Sucupira Wood: Uses and Characteristics

Sucupira wood is known for its durability and strength, making it an excellent choice for a variety of applications, including flooring, furniture and cutting boards.

This tropical wood, extracted from trees of the genus Diplotropis y Bowdichiais prized for its hardness, dark color and distinctive grain.

Below, we explore in detail the characteristics and most common uses of sucupira wood.

What is Sucupira Wood?

Sucupira wood comes from trees native to the tropical regions of South America, mainly in Brazil.

It is a hardwood, ranging in tone from dark brown to reddish brown, often with contrasting grain that gives it an attractive appearance.

Due to its high strength and durability, it is commonly used in applications that require a robust wood capable of withstanding intensive use.

Sucupira Wood Properties

Hardness and Density

Sucupira is an extremely dense and hard wood, with an average density of 850 to 950 kg/m³, making it one of the most resistant woods available on the market. This hardness makes it ideal for applications such as flooring and high-traffic surfaces, as it can withstand constant wear and tear.

Durability

Thanks to its natural resistance to fungi, insects and decay, sucupira wood has great durability even in adverse conditions. It is able to withstand humid climates and temperature changes, making it suitable for both indoors and outdoors.

Aesthetic Appearance

Its dark, rich color, ranging from chocolate brown to reddish tones, along with its interlocked or straight grain, make it a visually appealing wood. This makes it popular in projects where aesthetics are as important as functionality.

Dimensional Stability

Sucupira has moderate dimensional stability, which means that it is relatively resistant to warping and shrinkage, especially when dried and properly treated prior to use.

Uses of Sucupira Wood

Wood Flooring

One of the most common uses of sucupira is in heavy-duty flooring. Its density and durability make it ideal for floors that must withstand constant and demanding traffic, such as those in commercial and residential areas. In addition, its dark color adds an elegant and sophisticated touch to spaces.

Cutting Boards and Kitchen Utensils

Because of its high density and resistance to cutting, sucupira wood is an excellent choice for cutting boards and kitchen utensils. Its natural resistance to damage and low porosity help maintain hygiene, making it a safe and durable choice for food contact.

Exterior carpentry

Because of its weather resistance, sucupira is also used in exterior joinery, such as doors, windows and siding. Its ability to withstand inclement weather without deteriorating makes it ideal for exterior projects, where a wood that does not require a lot of maintenance is needed.

Sucupira Wood Advantages and Considerations

Advantages

• Highly resistant and durable: Sucupira is one of the hardest woods, which makes it ideal for applications that need to withstand intensive and constant use.
• Moisture and pest resistance: This wood is naturally resistant to moisture, fungi and insects, reducing the need for additional treatments.
• Attractive appearance: Its dark color and striking grain make it perfect for furniture and floors that require an elegant and durable touch.

Considerations

• Difficult to work with: Due to its high density, sucupira can be difficult to cut and shape, which can require specialized tools and increase labor costs.
• Medium-high price: Although it is more accessible than other exotic woods, the price of sucupira can be high due to its durability and the quality it offers in projects. In addition, it is difficult to find it in plank format, since its main use is for flooring and it is sold in standard formats for this purpose.

Conclusion

Sucupira wood is an interesting option to include in your cutting boards. Its extraordinary grain is reserved for small details so as not to saturate the aesthetics of the board.

Whether for flooring, furniture or cutting boards, this wood offers a robust and visually appealing solution that can stand the test of time even in demanding conditions. While its cost and difficulty to work with can be a challenge, its performance and longevity make it a valuable investment for high-end projects.

Our products with Sucupira wood