Replies

1. 
   jonsherryl | Jun 06, 2003 03:05am | #1

   No relation, Dave. Catalpa belongs to the Bignoniaceae family and is actually more closely related to ipe than it is to teak. Teak belongs to the Verbenaceae family and while this family produces a few other timbers native to both Southeast Asia and also South America, teak is far and away the only really important commercial member of the family.

   Teak and catalpa have vastly different densities, although both have good decay resistance. Strange you would associate their scents. I've always associated the scent (actually, the foul odor) of catalpa with creosote. It's a very pretty wood and easy to work with...so, I like it despite the smell.

   
   

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   Edited 6/5/2003 8:06:44 PM ET by Jon Arno

1. 
   DaveHeinlein | Jun 06, 2003 12:57pm | #2

   Yeah, it could be mistaken for the smell of rubber, but it imediately brought back memories of working on sail boats(only without the itch).

1. 
   jonsherryl | Jun 06, 2003 04:30pm | #3

   Dave, while catalpa and teak belong to separate families, they may have similar chemistry...At least it's known that teak and ipe share some similar comounds that are serious allergens (lapachol.) If you develop a sensitivity to teak, you can't escape it by switching to ipe.

   If you can get past the stink, catalpa is a great cabinet wood for light duty applications. It's got a beautiful ash-like figure, a warm tan color, outstanding decay resistance and it's exceptionally stable and easy to air dry (it's actually more stable than genuine mahogany.) The only hang up is that its porous, earlywood tissue literally powders when sanded and you have to use a rigid sanding block to keep the surface flat. Its weak earlywood also makes it prone to splitting, i.e., delaminating along the annual rings...but once you learn to deal with this shortcoming, it's a very attractive wood. It's not always easy to source, but it's one of the first species I look for when cruising small Midwestern mills...along with sassafras and Kentucky coffeetree (two more of my favorites.)    

1. 
   DaveHeinlein | Jun 06, 2003 07:42pm | #4

   I am in fact using it on a job for counters. I know it's a bit soft, but the other choice was EWP, which is even softer. There's luck in the fact the lady has no children. Can you tell me what shade it ends up with UV exposure? I will most likely be using a dye on it, but if it is going to turn dark in time, I can use a lighter dye than the color I have a feeling I will be using. Thanks for your time, Jon.

1. 
   jonsherryl | Jun 06, 2003 07:58pm | #5

   Dave, catalpa's long term patina is sort of a warm tan color (about the shade of ground cinnamon.) Very attractive, especially under a coat of shellac. If you're using this species for a counter top, though, you should probably bury it under one of those pour-on bar finishes. Otherwise, it's going to wear unevenly.

2. 
   DaveHeinlein | Jun 06, 2003 11:29pm | #6

   I hear you on the pour-on, but can I get a satin sheen with it? Can it be rubbed down to satin?

3. 
   jonsherryl | Jun 07, 2003 01:41am | #7

   You can dull the shine with a very fine abrasive. Pumice stone works. #0000 steel wool also works, but it's a bit coarse...I feel guilty coaching you on this. I think pour on finishes are hideous...but in this application you're stretching catalpa beyond its limits.