Lacewood

Lacewood (Silky oak) (Grevillea robusta)

Description

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; selano;

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

Other Properties

1. 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)