Wood species

Cumaru

Dipteryx odorata · Fabaceae

Also sold as Kumaru

The tonka bean tree, with the vanilla-cinnamon scent of coumarin when cut. Sold as Brazilian Teak for flooring and unrelated to real teak; the hardest wood on OCC's list, and since November 2024 every Dipteryx import moves under CITES Appendix II paperwork.

Janka hardness: 3330 lbf
Density: 68.0 lb/ft³
Shrinkage T / R: 7.7 / 5.3 %
Origin: Northern South America
IUCN Red List: Data Deficient

Shop Cumaru in stock (1)All live edge slabs

Pictured: Cumaru Wood Cookie #CC661 35" x 11" x 2.0"

About Cumaru

Cumaru, sold as Brazilian Teak for flooring, is one of the hardest and heaviest woods we handle: medium to dark brown heartwood, sometimes with a reddish or purplish cast and yellowish or greenish streaks, with interlocked grain and a waxy feel. Cut, it smells faintly of vanilla or cinnamon. The density and oil content make it hard on tooling and hard to glue, so we wipe joints with solvent before glue-up and pre-drill every fastener. It is rated very durable against decay and termites and will live outdoors. It suits heavy-use dining tops, bar tops, benches and exterior pieces. Dipteryx is listed in CITES Appendix II, which governs its import; ours is kiln dried in Zebulon, NC.

Working & finishing

Difficult to work on account of its density and interlocked grain; silica gives a moderate blunting effect, so run carbide and shallow planer passes. High oil content and density make gluing difficult: wipe every joint with acetone or denatured alcohol right before the adhesive goes on. Pre-bore every fastener or it snaps. Oil and hardwax finishes suit it; a film finish wants a solvent wipe or a dewaxed shellac barrier first.

Care

Wipe spills and clean with a damp cloth; at 3,330 lbf it will not dent under ordinary use. Rated very durable against decay and termites, so it can live outdoors, but its shrinkage is in the oak range: an outdoor top will open and close with the seasons and grays without an annual oil.

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