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Is African Mahogany Lumber a Good Choice for Your Home Bar?

African Mahogany LumberThere are dozens of types of wood that can be used for your home bar, but being a visionary, you want something with a little more personality, something a little more unique. Depending on your budget and design needs, there are some very interesting woods that you might consider. Among these, African mahogany lumber is a choice that is often made for more upscale tastes and decorating schemes.

There are a number of characteristics that should be considered when deciding if this is the right type of wood for you. In some cases, African mahogany lumber can be the most expensive lumber choice you can make. In others, it is not real mahogany that you are getting, so before you even choose the type of wood, make sure that you choose the right wood source.

Make sure that the type of wood that you are ordering is actually what is being cut and shipped to you so that you are not paying mahogany prices for pine lumber. You should also be aware that some lumber yards do not designate a difference between actual mahogany and other wood that is mahogany colored. There is actually a very large difference, making this vital information to have.

African mahogany is usually cut from the heart wood, the center of the tree. Because of how a tree grows and ages, this is the oldest wood of that given tree. The color of this wood can range from a very light, almost tan color to a deep, reddish brown.

Another important quality is the grain. When you look at a piece of wood, you see little lines that run through it. In rougher cuts of wood, you might see other blemishes, but you should see the grain in every type. The African mahogany’s grain is straight or can be interlocked with one another.

Because it can be brittle or soft, this type of wood has some limitations to its design use. It shouldn’t be turned, for instance, because it can fracture. It may hold up under heavy weights fairly well without being crushed and is moderately durable. Most wood does have some crush strength, but softer types of woods will give up sooner than others do.

African mahogany lumber does accept staining and polishing very well, allowing it to be buffed to a very fine shine. It can be made darker or kept at its natural color as desired by the builder. It can be set at a slight angle as long as it is done with great care, however a steep angle may cause this wood to split. It ages well in most situations and is fairly warp resistant.

Before you make this your choice, it is important that you compare real African mahogany lumber up close and personal so that you can see if it will do what you want it to do. Sure it looks great on a website or in a catalog, but will it still look that great when it is installed in your home bar?

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