Friends, in today’s article we are going to talk about a very important thing.
Similarly, The chair and sofa in your house on which you sit, the bed on which you sleep, and the dining table on which you eat food.
Additionally, As nowadays, we have lighters, but still people use match sticks to burn the fire and that incense stick that your grandmother.
Likewise, mother or father often use while worshiping and that pencil that you used to write in your childhood. What are all these things used to be made of?
So, What comes to your mind, while reading all these above-written examples, is wood, which is an integral part of our life and routine.
However, Many people think that there must be a decent price tag for wood.
But you will be surprised to know that this wood is sold in many expensive numbers.
However, in today’s article we will try to know which are the top 10 most expensive types of wood in the world
Here, now is a list of the top 10 most expensive kinds of wood in the world in 2023.
How These Woods Are Widely Used Throughout The World?
As we know, In humanity’s early days, we’ve relied on nature to provide us with the precious materials needed to build our shelters and other important structures.
However, I think we can all agree that wood is the most important material out there.
Therefore, it’s been used by countless generations throughout the years in all four corners of the world.
Moreover, Wood has many different uses apart from home building and furniture.
Also, It can be used to create paper, and many people still rely on it as their main energy and heat source.
Wooden furniture is a very profitable choice, Some people consider wooden furniture as a sign of aristocracy since a long time ago.
Similarly, Wood is a staple material with a high degree of versatility.
Also, It can be fashioned into almost anything, from art pieces to musical instruments and more.
The most expensive woods in the world are most frequently used in house décor, musical instruments, and fine art design.
Why These Woods Are So Expensive?
Further, Lots of factors affect wood price, the foremost of which is scarcity.
Moreover, Certain woods on this list are getting scarcer by the day, and their prices are constantly rising.
As a result, these expensive woods can be considered rare or even priceless in some cases.
So, Demand has increased prices for African blackwood, Cocobolo, Purpleheart, Walnut, Ebony, and Mahogany timber.
Here, we will take a look at the list of the top 10 most expensive kinds of wood in the world in 2023.
Top 10 Most Expensive Woods In The World
1. African blackwood – $100 per board foot
2. Sandalwood – $20,000 per kilogram
3. Ebony – $10,000 per kilogram
4. Agar wood – $10,0o00 per kilogram
5. Pink ivory – $80 per board foot
6. Brazilian rosewood – $70 per board foot
7. Macassar ebony – $65 per board foot
8. Koa – $62 per board foot
9. Ziricote – $60 per board foot
10. Cocobolo – $55 per board foot
1. African blackwood – $100 per board foot
- Tree – Blackwood
- Location – African
The most expensive wood in the world, African blackwood, is a dense and striking jet-black wood used for a broad selection of musical instruments due to its favorable density and machinability.
However, Woodwind instruments such as oboes, clarinets, piccolos, and even Highland pipes are particular favorites for African blackwood, with the wood’s decay resistance increasing its prized status.
Therefore, While predominantly black in color, this rare wood can also sometimes be present in deep red and purple hues, with the best quality blackwood fetching $100 per board foot on the timber markets.
2. Sandalwood – $20,000 per kilogram
- Tree – Sandal
- Location – Peninsular India, Malay Archipelago, and Northern Australia
Sandalwood is another of the most expensive woods in the world.
Also, It derives its core value from its plentiful medicinal properties and is believed to work as an anti-inflammatory while protecting against skin cancer and bacteria.
Moreover, From the Santalum genus and found in Southeast Asia, sandalwood oil is drawn from the tree’s fine-grained wood, which is predominantly yellow.
However, When sandalwood is used for furniture and ornamental boxes, its aromatic odor is said to persist for years — a quality that contributes to its status as the most expensive wood for scent.
3. Ebony Wood– $10,000 per kilogram
- Tree – Ebony
- Country – Sri Lanka, India, West Africa, and Indonesia
Coming to the third one, Ebony’s status as one of the rarest woods in the world is compounded by unsustainable harvesting, which has led to its protection as an endangered species.
Moreover, The high density of its wood makes ebony difficult to work, having a dulling effect on cutters, while the high oil content can make gluing tricky.
Also, This difficulty to work with and scarcity combine to make ebony a truly special wood, with a high price of $10,000 per kilogram.
4. Agar wood – $10,0o00 per kilogram
- Tree – Agar
- Location – Southeast Asia
However, It comes from the aquaria tree, which needs to be infected with mold before the tree’s defense produces the dark aromatic resin that eventually embeds itself in the tree’s heartwood.
So, Agarwood essential oil — known as oud oil — is one of the priciest raw materials used in perfumes and scented candles, and the global market for this expensive wood sits at around $12 billion and growing.
Moreover, Out of all the most expensive wood in the world, uses for Agarwood trace back into the far reaches of history, mentioned in religious texts including the Sanskrit Vedas and the Book of Genesis.
However, the Health benefits of Agarwood include anti-aging skin, weight loss, and increased energy, as well as relieving symptoms from a broad selection of illnesses and diseases.
5. Pink ivory – $80 per board foot
- Tree – Pink ivory
- Country – South Africa
Pink ivory wood ranges across colors, including pale brown pink to a deeper red, with a fine texture and fiddle back grain pattern, making it a beautiful wood for a variety of uses.
Pink ivory is another expensive wood that is popular for billiard cues and knife handles.
However, as well as delicate carvings, chess pieces, and other turned objects.
Historically, pink ivory wood was considered the royal tree of the Zulu people.
Also, any non-royals caught using the unique wood from this national tree were put to death for their transgressions.
Pink ivory is another flowering plant that produces edible drupe fruit, while other parts of the tree have been used for medicinal purposes.
6. Brazilian rosewood – $70 per board foot
- Tree – Rosewood
- Location – South America
Our first visit to South America on this list of the most expensive woods in the world takes us to Brazil.
Additionally, rosewood grows in the wet tropical forests found throughout the country.
Brazilian rosewood comes from the wood genus Dalbergia and is a hardwood noted for its varied appearance.
However, ranging from dark browns to deep purple and reddish browns with dark, contrasting spider-webbing grain.
It’s also renowned for being easy to work with (as long as you aren’t using dull tools), turning, and finishing well, although the natural oils it produces can make it difficult to glue.
7. Macassar Ebony Wood– $65 per board foot
- Tree – Macassar Ebony
- Location – Indonesia or Southeast Asia
Macassar ebony wood can be found in Indonesia and has a dark heartwood variegated with streaks of brown with wide stripes featuring hints of yellow and red-brown.
Therefore, Costing $65 per board foot, this wood derives exclusively from Southeast Asia.
Where the government sets the annual quota for how much is allowed to be cut, ensuring demand is consistently high.
Also, The wood is named after the Indonesian port city Macassar, its primary point of export, and is endemic to this region of the world.
8. Koa – $62 per board foot
- Tree – Koa
- Location – Hawaiian Islands
Coming at Number Eight, $62 per board foot, wood from the koa tree has been in use for centuries and can be found growing in the tropical forests of the Hawaiian islands.
Further, While koa trees can be found in relatively large numbers, only the dead or decaying trees found on public lands can be harvested.
Also, making this a valuable wood for high-quality instrument makers and other craftsmen.
Perhaps the most popular musical instruments made from koa are guitars and ukuleles.
However, the legendary guitar manufacturer Fender created limited-edition versions of their Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars from koa wood.
9. Ziricote – $60 per board foot
- Tree – Brazilian Rio Pallsander Rosewood
- Location – Central America
Another rare wood from Central America is ziricote, which is native to southern Mexico and is the heaviest wood from the Cordia species (of which there are more than 250 varieties).
Also, Ziricote was once considered an extremely rare wood but has since seen increases in production, bringing its current value to $60 per board foot.
While some appreciate ziricote for its ability to mimic the grain of Brazilian Rio Pallsander rosewood.
Moreover, it has a unique dark brown color which is popular for expensive wood furniture.
Similarly, musical instruments, and decorative touches around the home, including beams, trims, and entrances.
10. Cocobolo – $55 per board foot
- Tree – Cocobolo
- Location – Central America
The tropical hardwood cocobolo is found in Central America and belongs to the genus Dalbergia.
Along with the average tree growing up to 24 meters in height and 1 meter in diameter.
Much of the tree, which tourists in Panama can experience in its natural habitat, is discarded.
Similarly, only heartwood is used for the construction of furniture.
So, musical instruments, knife handles, gun grips, and an assortment of other items.
However, This heartwood takes on a reddish-brown hue, with darker traces that weave through the wood.
Additionally, adding texture. Pieces can be polished to give a smooth final appearance.
Also Read: World Most Expensive Trucks in 2023
Bottom Line
However, in this article above, we shared top 10 the most expensive woods in the world in 2023.
However, now you evolved to know that The most expensive wood in the world would set you back several thousands of dollars, and today.
So, hope you find this article worth it, feel free to share your recommendations and reviews on it, we would be pleased to get your views on this.
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