COLOR:
Heartwood ranges from a deep, rich dark brown to a purplish black. Sapwood is nearly white to tan. Difference between heartwood and sapwood color is great; Some flooring manufacturers steam lumber to bleed the darker heartwood color into the sapwood, resulting in a more uniform color

GRAIN:
Mostly straight and open, but some boards have burled or curly grain. Arrangement of pores is similar to hickories and persimmon, but pores are smaller in size.

VARIATIONS WITHIN SPECIES AND GRADES:
Considerable variation among boards in color and grain texture, but variations not as pronounced as in red oak.

ORIGIN:
North America.

GRADE:
Clear, Select, CW1, CW2.

HARDNESS (JANKA):
1010.

DIMENSIONAL STABILITY:
Average.

NAILING:
No known problems.

SANDING:
Sands satisfactorily. Suggested Sequence First Cut: 60 at a 7-15 degree angle with the grain Second Cut: 80 straight with the grain Third Cut: 100 Hard Plate: Not recommended First Screen: 80 or 100 Second Screen: 100 or 120.

FINISHING:
No known finishing problems.