Goncalo Alves
Goncalo Alves, scientifically known as Astronium fraxinifolium, is a hardwood tree species native to Central and South America. It is highly prized for its distinctive appearance, strength, and durability in woodworking.
Appearance and Characteristics
Goncalo Alves wood is renowned for its striking appearance, featuring a rich reddish-brown to orange-brown background color, often accented by dark to black streaks or stripes. The wood has a straight to interlocked grain pattern and a fine to medium texture. Goncalo Alves is moderately heavy, typically weighing around 3.5 to 4.5 pounds per board foot (794 to 1021 kilograms per cubic meter). Its bold and varied coloration makes it a favored choice for both aesthetic and structural applications.
Workability
Goncalo Alves is prized for its workability. It is relatively easy to machine, cut, shape, and sand, making it a favorite among woodworkers. The wood glues and finishes well, allowing for a smooth and polished surface. While it is dense and may require sharpening tools more often due to its interlocked grain, it is favored for its strength and durability.
Uses in Woodworking
Goncalo Alves wood finds various applications in woodworking, including:
-
Fine Furniture: It is a popular choice for crafting fine furniture, including tables, cabinets, and chairs. Its unique appearance and durability add sophistication to furniture designs.
-
Cabinetry: Goncalo Alves is often used in high-end cabinetry for kitchens and bathrooms, where its rich color and resistance to wear are assets.
-
Flooring: It is used in hardwood flooring applications to create a bold and exotic look. Its hardness and resistance to wear make it suitable for high-traffic areas.
-
Veneer: Goncalo Alves is sliced into veneer and used in paneling, inlays, and decorative surfaces, adding a touch of luxury to interior designs.
-
Woodturning: Goncalo Alves is a popular wood for woodturning. Its density, beautiful grain patterns, and bold colors make it an excellent choice for crafting bowls, platters, spindles, and other turned items with precision and visual appeal.
Durability
Goncalo Alves wood exhibits excellent durability:
-
Indoor Use: Goncalo Alves is well-suited for indoor applications, offering resistance to wear and moisture. It is an ideal choice for furniture, cabinetry, and decorative woodworking projects.
-
Outdoor Use: Goncalo Alves is also used for outdoor applications due to its durability and resistance to decay and insects. It is suitable for decks, siding, and outdoor furniture.
-
Bug/Insect and Rot Resistance: Goncalo Alves is naturally resistant to insects and decay, making it an excellent choice for both indoor and outdoor applications.
VARIATIONS AND OPTIONS
All lumber now ships surfaced on 2 sides, and ripped on 1 edge at a minimum. Surfacing is done to a 1/16th over nominal (+- .030). Also the option for a rip to width is now available for a premium price. Ripping is done on an industrial straight line/gang rip machine. While the rip will be consistent end to end, the fence may not always end up in the same spot between orders. Rip widths will be within 1/8th of an inch of stated widths.
4/4 will be surfaced to 13/16ths. 5/4 will be surfaced to 1 and 1/16th. 6/4 6/4 will be surfaced to 1 and 5/16ths. 8/4 will be surfaced to 1 and 13/16ths. 10/4 will be surfaced to 2 and 5/16ths. 16/4 will be surfaced to 2 and 13/16ths.