Replies

1. 
   jonsherryl | Apr 19, 2004 04:59am | #1

   Don, hang tough. The color should return after the freshly milled surface is exposed to the atmosphere for a few days.

   The pigments in purpleheart are triggered by exposure. In fact, when purpleheart is first cut it is a light tan in color and doesn't develop its purple pigments until it is exposed to the atmosphere. I don't think the chemistry involved has ever been fully researched...but I suspect the purple pigments are formed when the wood is exposed to gases (probably free oxygen) in the atmosphere. Over time, however, light seems to slowly destroy the wood's purple color and its long term patina drifts toward reddish brown. You can retard this patina process by sealing the wood with a UV blocking varnish...but in the end, nature always wins. Purpleheart's long term, stable color is reddish brown and sooner or later it gets there.

   Another interesting feature of purpleheart's chemistry is that when this wood is used in a marine environment (such as dock pilings, decking, etc) it has a tendency to turn black. Again, I've seen no research on this subject, but I suspect the tannins in this species react to dissolved iron in sea water to form black pigments, in much the same way as the oaks turn black when exposed to iron.

   
   

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   Edited 4/18/2004 10:05 pm ET by Jon Arno

1. 
   Yotie | Apr 19, 2004 05:05pm | #2

   Thank you Jon....I will wait and see.  Don

1. 
   tsproul | Apr 19, 2004 05:56pm | #3

   My experience is same as John's.....

   but be advised.....calling a wood purpleheart is like calling a wood oak.....and you may not get the same species wood on any given day at a single lumberyared either.Tim