Imagine running your hands over the polished surface of a sleek, dark table.
This is no ordinary piece of furniture; it’s a work of art carved from wood so rare and valuable, it stands as a symbol of both nature’s craft and human skill.
You’re in a realm where materials define not just function but status: welcome to the world of the most expensive woods.
As you explore, you’ll encounter the most sought-after wood types used to create high-quality furniture and fine woodcraft.
From the deep, resonant ebony to the energetic hues of cocobolo, these woods offer unmatched quality and aesthetics.
Join us on a journey through forests of immense worth and uncover the secrets that make these woods the pinnacle of luxury and functionality.
1. Koa
When you set eyes on Koa, its unique beauty stands out instantly. Known for its rich color and distinctive grain, this wood hails from Hawaii, making it quite special.
In terms of use, Koa finds its way into fine furniture, musical instruments like guitars, and even in your jewelry box. As for its touch on your wallet, expect a premium price.
High-quality figures of Koa can fetch up to $125.00+ for a single board foot.
If you’re thinking of including this exotic wood in your next project, know it’s not just an item – it’s an investment in craftsmanship and allure.
READ MORE: Koa Wood vs Mahogany
2. Ziricote
You’ll find that Ziricote is quite unique, thriving mainly in Central America, including regions like Belize, Guatemala, and parts of Mexico.
This hardwood boasts an exquisite pattern, often compared to spiderwebs, making it a top pick for fine furniture and musical instruments, such as guitar backs and sides.
Its natural oils grant it excellent resistance to decay, underlining its sought-after durability.
As for cost, expect to pay around $70 per board foot for this luxurious wood. Its rarity and striking appearance make it a prized choice for your special projects.
READ MORE: Ziricote vs Rosewood
3. Cocobolo
Cocobolo is a luxurious wood from Central America, treasured for its rich, varied hues of reddish-brown to deep orange and its fine, often figured grain.
Its high oil content enables a polished, glass-like finish, making it ideal for fine inlays and musical instruments.
Despite being one of the pricier woods at approximately $30 per board foot, cocobolo’s beauty and utility make it a coveted choice for high-end, unique woodworking projects.
Its scarcity only adds to its desirability among wood enthusiasts who demand the best for their creations.
READ MORE: Cocobolo vs Rosewood
4. Bubinga
Bubinga, your choice for a touch of African elegance, boasts a rich reddish-brown shade with eye-catching grain patterns.
You’ll find it perfect for crafting fine furniture, luxurious hardwood flooring, and even musical instruments like guitars. Its hard nature grants it both beauty and resilience.
Typically, Bubinga wood varies in price from $19 to $20 per board foot. This high cost reflects its quality and the demand for its unique aesthetic.
So when you select Bubinga, you invest in wood that elevates your project with natural grandeur.
READ MORE: Bubinga vs Rosewood
5. African Blackwood
You might know African Blackwood for its deep, rich hue and its high demand in fine woodworking.
Also known as Dalbergia melanoxylon, you’ll find it in luxury items like musical instruments, offering beauty and superior acoustic properties.
Its scarcity has made it quite costly, with prices hovering around $70 per board foot.
In your workshop, you can turn this wood into elegant pieces, appreciating its ability to retain fine details. But remember, its rarity calls for mindful use.
When buying, you contribute to preserving this precious resource, as responsible suppliers stick to sustainability to protect its future.
READ MORE: African Wood Types
6. Honduras Rosewood
You’ll find Honduras Rosewood as a top-tier wood, famed for its fine qualities. This wood boasts a unique pinkish to purplish hue with bands that range from darker to lighter shades, lending it an attractive look.
Renowned for its use in musical instruments like marimba bars due to its excellent tonal properties, it also features in high-end products—think guitar parts and decorative veneers.
As a woodworker, you’ll appreciate its density and strength, which come at a cost.
On average, expect to pay around $40 per board foot for Honduras Rosewood, a price that reflects both its quality and the increasingly challenging sustainability issues it faces.
7. Macassar Ebony
Macassar ebony, hailing from Sulawesi, Indonesia, is among the most sought-after woods for its distinctive dark tones and unique stripe patterns.
This rare wood is favored for its deep brown color with black stripes, straight or interlocked grain, fine and uniform texture, and good natural sheen.
It commands a high market value, with prices reaching up to $80 per board foot depending on quality.
Ideal for crafting luxury furniture, instrument parts such as guitar backs and sides, and decorative veneers, Macassar ebony adds a touch of luxury and ensures lasting beauty in heirloom furniture or premium musical instruments.
READ MORE: How to Identify Ebony Wood
8. Burmese Teak
You’ll find Burmese Teak prized for its remarkable quality. Originating from Myanmar, it’s known for a golden-brown color evoking a sense of luxury.
Imagine your home graced with this wood, admired for both beauty and durability. Teak serves you well as flooring, furniture, or even guitar parts, blending form and function effortlessly.
You may find prices ranging from $42 to $45 per board foot, reflecting its rarity and the labor needed to harvest it.
Remember, this wood grows slowly and with low maintenance, adding to its exclusivity.
READ MORE: How to Identify Teak Wood
9. East Indian Rosewood
East Indian Rosewood, or Dalbergia latifolia, is a stunning wood from India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, known for its warm brown base that can exhibit hints of purple or dark red.
Its interlocked grain contributes to its natural allure, and when exposed to sunlight, the wood deepens in color, enhancing its visual appeal.
This makes it particularly suitable for crafting fine furniture and musical instruments like guitars. While it is less dense than other rosewoods, it remains a sought-after material in luxury craftsmanship.
Priced at around $45 per board foot, East Indian Rosewood’s beauty is accentuated over time as UV exposure matures its color to an even richer shade.
10. Italian Olive
You’ll find Italian Olive wood standing out due to its fine grain and aesthetic warm tones. This wood’s durable nature makes it ideal for furniture and turned objects, capturing the essence of Mediterranean elegance.
Olivewood yields a unique character with each piece, showing off rich textures and colors. Suppliers often offer it in various forms, such as live-edge slabs and specially cut lumber.
For your projects, expect to pay a premium with prices ranging around $50 per board foot, reflecting its sought-after quality and charm.
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11. Genuine Mahogany
You’ll find genuine mahogany, also known as Honduran mahogany, warm to the eye with its rich reddish-brown hue.
Its straight, fine grain not only looks good but also makes it a dream to work with for furniture and musical instruments.
You can use it for acoustic guitar bodies and other precision-crafted items due to its tonal qualities. It stands out in durability too, so your projects last long.
Expect to pay between $14 to $30 per board foot—price hinges on quality and size.
So when you plan that heirloom piece or new guitar, mahogany is worth your consideration.
READ MORE: What Does Mahogany Smell Like?
12. Bocote
Bocote is an eye-catching wood beloved for its vivid grain patterns and rich colors, which make it a favorite among crafters and woodworkers for its aesthetic appeal.
Known for its durability, bocote is well-suited to daily use and is frequently transformed into fine furniture, decorative pieces, and musical instrument parts.
Its unique grain and vibrant coloration contribute to the wood’s charm, ensuring that items made from bocote stand out in any setting.
With an estimated price of around $25 per board foot, bocote offers both beauty and resilience for a variety of high-quality woodworking projects.
13. Redheart
Redheart is a warm, reddish hardwood from Central and South America, celebrated for its spectrum of colors from soft pinks to vibrant reds and its unique, often wild grain patterns.
This wood is a pleasure to work with, as it machines, sands, and finishes smoothly, and it also offers moderate decay resistance.
A distinctive rubber-like scent may be noticed when cutting or sanding. Highly valued for its exotic flair, Redheart is ideal for decorative projects and specialized woodworking, such as acoustic guitar parts.
The cost of Redheart wood ranges from $22 to $35 per board foot, reflecting its rarity and exotic appeal compared to more common domestic species.
14. Zebrawood
Zebrawood, with its striking dark brown stripes on a tan or pale yellow base, is a hardwood that comes from the depths of West Africa.
You’ll appreciate its toughness and durability, which make it an exceptional choice for accent furniture, musical instruments, and fine woodcrafts.
When it comes to price, you should be prepared to pay a premium, although at $20 per board foot, it’s more accessible than the most luxurious timbers.
While zebrawood’s cost is higher than many domestic species, it’s still within reach for hobbyists and professionals who want to infuse their projects with an exotic touch.
15. Snakewood
As you explore Snakewood, you’ll discover its rarity and distinctive features that make it stand out.
This exotic wood, originating from the coastal regions of South America, commands a high price of $300 per board foot due to its limited availability and the small size of the trees it comes from.
Snakewood is celebrated for its dark reddish-brown color and patterns that strikingly resemble snakeskin, along with its high durability and good resistance to rot.
Its unique appearance and strength make it ideal for fine inlays, ornamental works, custom pool cues, and instrument parts, ensuring that any piece you create will be both striking and enduring.