WOOD ID POSTER: co-created by, and sponsored by, HobbitHouse 240 woods on a poster (24"x36") www.woodposter.com

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PALDAO

Dracontomelon dao (sometimes "dracontomelum dao")



NOTE: based on both direct and indirect experience, I'd say that the wide range of colors shown for this wood on this page is correct except as otherwise noted.

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my samples:


sample plank listed as New Guinea walnut / Dracontomelon dao


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


veneer sheet with half moistened with mineral oil


This paldao veneer sheet was loaned to me by John Koehn whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


veneer --- the last 2 of these were sold to me as figured veneer but the figure in them is so weak that I hesitate to call them that. The web pic posted by the vendor who sold me these is shown and discussed down below.


a curly veneer sheet that spent some time on the mystery wood page before I finally identified it as paldao


figured veneer --- these veneer sheets are from the same lot as the two mentioned directly above but these actually have enough figure to deserve the name. The web pic posted by the vendor who sold me these is shown and discussed down below.


listed as "mottled" veneer --- actual wood is not quite as rich looking as this pic makes it seem and many vendors would call it "figured" instead of "mottled" --- another example of how loosely these terms tend to be used.


another mottled veneer sheet


veneer from yet another batch


veneer

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web pics:


end grain pic listed as paldao / Dracontomelum dao


planks


planks listed as paldao / Dracontomelum dao


planks listed as paldao / Dracontomelon dao


plank listed as paldao / New Guinea walnut / Dracontomelon dao


veneer


veneer listed as Australian walnut


veneer listed as paldao / Dracontomelum dao


flat cut veneer listed as paldao / Dracontomelum dao


quartersawn veneer listed as paldao / Dracontomelum dao


bookmatched veneer


veneer closeup with both levels of enlargement --- I think the color on this is probably too pink


mottled veneer


figured veneer


swirly veneer


quartersawn veneer --- color is probably too purple


quartersawn figured veneer all from the same vendor. Somehow this vendor manages to make all of her internet posted pictures show the wood as being shiny when it isn't really. I've bought a number of lots from her and although it is good quality veneer, it is never as shiny as she manages to make it look in her pictures. Also, her pics tend to make the colors a little more pronounced than they really are. Many of my own samples above were take from the lots pictured in the last two of these pics so you can see what I mean.


veneer from the same vendor as those above (so the surface shine is probably not present in the wood)


more veneer from the same vendor, but this time listed as "marble figured paldao". I guess she thought that would make it sell better than when she just called it paldao --- as you can see by comparing the 2nd pic here to the middle one above, they are from the same flitch.


paldao flooring, undoubtedly with a finish added