Lacewood
Lacewood is sold entirely on the strength of one visual feature: the lace figure. When quartersawn correctly, the large medullary rays create a pattern that looks woven or printed rather than natural. Use it for door panels, veneers, or decorative accents where the figure can be seen. Flat-sawn lacewood is significantly less impressive, so confirm the grain orientation before you buy.
- Buying flat-sawn lacewood expecting the lace pattern — the figure only appears on quartersawn or rift-sawn faces; flat-sawn boards show almost no figure at all
- Confusing it with Australian Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta) — also in Proteaceae with similar ray fleck, but a different species and in the database separately
- Using it for structural applications — it's a decorative wood; use it where people will see it
Pale pinkish-brown base with large, dramatically prominent ray fleck on quartersawn faces — creating the lace or woven pattern the wood is named for. Flat-sawn faces show much less figure.
Works reasonably well with machine tools. Interlocked grain can cause tearout with hand planes — work with the grain. Quartersawing is essential to reveal the lace figure; flat-sawn lacewood shows very little of what makes this wood distinctive.
| Region | Availability |
|---|---|
| North America | Specialty importers only |
| Europe | Specialty importers only |
| South America | Regional / select dealers |
| Southeast Asia | Specialty importers only |
| Africa / Middle East | Specialty importers only |
| Australia / NZ | Specialty importers only |