Lacewood

Lacewood (Silky oak) (Grevillea robusta)

Description

A common name for numerous trees producing striking patterns in their cut planks.  Two significant species are:

1) A pink wood with a distinctive ornamental figuring obtained from species Cadwellia sublimis native to Australia. Lacewood has a straight grain and coarse texture that is similar to Oak. Lacewood has a silver sheen and is used for veneer, inlays, cabinetry, flooring, boxes, and furniture. Also called silky oak, selano.

2) A reddish brown wood quartersawed from sycamore trees (Platanus orientalis) native to the eastern United States and southern Europe. It is sold commercially as lacewood because the quartersawed wood has a grain pattern with characteristic flake-shaped markings. The surface is fine-grain and it polishes to a high gloss. The wood is used for tool handles, furniture, flooring, and veneer.

Lacewood (side cut)

Synonyms and Related Terms

lace wood;

1. Cadwellia sublimis; silky oak; northern silky oak; selano; bulk oak; oongaary; golden spanglewood

2. Platanus orientalis; platano (It.); sycamore; Oriental plane 

Physical and Chemical Properties

1. Tall tree, often reaching 30 m. Bark if thin. Leaves are entire and large, reaching 65cm length. Flowers occur in spring-summer producing profuse cream-white coverage, woody oval follicles and numerous winged seeds. Specific gravity = 0.60 (air dry); weight = 37 ppcf

Additional Images

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  Lacewood (Roupala brasiliensis)

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  Lacewood (Cadwellia sublimis)

Resources and Citations

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Plane (Accessed Dec. 9, 2005)