Satinwood

Satinwood is so called because of its satin-like sheen. It is hard and durable wood and is very popular for cabinet making and is particularly used in marquetry.

It comes from tropical trees from the tree family ‘Rutaceae’ which are native to southern India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, South East Asia, Australia and Jamaica.

The wood from India and Sri Lanka is yellowish with dark-brown heartwood. The West Indian satinwood is called yellow wood and is considered superior to its Indian counterpart and is a golden yellow even-grained wood that can be worked to be highly lustrous.

Satinwood is fine-grained and usually figured and is prized for furniture and veneers, musical instruments and the backs of brushes.