Tamarind
Tamarind is what you buy when you want a talking-piece slab. The contrast between dark, almost black heartwood and pale spalted sapwood looks like the wood came from another planet. It's hard to work and expensive, but the visual payoff is extraordinary. Mostly sold as live-edge slabs or turning blanks where that contrast is the whole point.
- Expecting wide clear heartwood boards — tamarind is typically sold as contrast pieces; sourcing all-heartwood material is difficult and expensive
- Rushing drying — tamarind checks badly; kiln drying must be slow and controlled or the slab will crack
- Assuming 'spalted tamarind' means the wood is degraded — the mineral staining is a feature, not a defect; the wood remains very hard
Heartwood is dark reddish-brown to purplish-black. Most commercially sold material is 'spalted tamarind' — the pale yellow-white sapwood with dramatic mineral staining and high-contrast heartwood streaks.
Hard and heavy with interlocked grain that can tear out unpredictably. Natural oils can affect some finishes. Often sold as slabs featuring both heartwood and sapwood for decorative effect. Drying must be done slowly to avoid checking.
| Region | Availability |
|---|---|
| North America | Specialty importers only |
| Europe | Specialty importers only |
| South America | Specialty importers only |
| Southeast Asia | Regional / select dealers |
| Africa / Middle East | Regional / select dealers |
| Australia / NZ | Specialty importers only |