Pacific madrone

Overview

Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) is a hard, dense, fine-grained hardwood from the West Coast, with a creamy to pinkish-brown colour. The Wood Database describes it as similar in appearance to fruitwoods, and says it is best known for its burl veneer. Choose it for turning, small specialty pieces and decorative veneer rather than for large furniture.

Pros

• Very fine, even texture with a straight grain; it turns excellently.
• Works much like hard maple: the Wood Database says it is easy to work with machine and hand tools.
• Takes stains and finishes well.
• Hard (1,460 lbf) and dense (about 795 kg/m3 dried).
• Burl veneer is highly prized for decorative work.

Cons

• Difficult to dry; it has a tendency to warp or twist.
• Shrinkage is large: 5.6% radial and 12.4% tangential (green to oven-dry), with a T/R ratio of 2.2.
• Non-durable to perishable with regard to decay resistance.
• Water-based glue joints should be thoroughly dry before further machining, to avoid sunken glue lines.
• Expensive and scarce; it is mostly sold as burl veneer.

Variants and subspecies

• Burl: closely packed clusters of knots and swirled grain, sold chiefly as veneer.
• Lumber: dense, finely grained and fruitwood-like in appearance.
• Pacific neighbours: Myrtlewood is another expensive Pacific-coast hardwood that the Wood Database compares for price; see also Tanoak.
• It is also used for firewood and charcoal because it burns long and hot.

Working and finishing

The Wood Database says madrone is easy to work with machine and hand tools and compares it to hard maple. It turns very well and takes stains and finishes well. The challenges are drying (warping and twisting) and water-based glue lines, which can sink if machined before they are thoroughly dry. Buy kiln-dried stock, and plan for movement.

Staining and finishing colour

Colour tends to cream or pinkish brown, sometimes with dark red patches. The Wood Database says it takes stains and finishes well, and it has a very fine, even texture. Burl veneer is normally given a clear finish to show the swirled figure.

Sustainability and handling

The Wood Database reports madrone as not listed in the CITES Appendices (checked 2026-09-30) or on the IUCN Red List; Wikipedia's page for the tree gives Least Concern (2018). US-grown timber is still covered by the Lacey Act, which as amended in 2008 prohibits trade in plants and timber taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of law (Wikipedia's summary of the Act); buy from dealers who can name the source. The Wood Database reports no health effects beyond the standard risks of wood dust. The Wood Database's wood-dust article treats wood dust in general as an irritant or sensitizer and notes that fine dust can cause cumulative lung damage, so extract at the source and wear a respirator when sanding or machining.

Popular projects

Burl veneer for panels and boxes, turned bowls and vessels, and small specialty objects; the Wood Database lists veneer, turned objects and small specialty objects. It is a good fit for pieces where hardness and fine texture matter more than size.

Buying notes

Mostly sold as burl veneer; lumber is scarce. No retail list price was found. The Wood Database says lumber, when available, is expensive for a domestic hardwood and likely compares with myrtlewood. Check moisture content, and ask whether lumber has been properly kiln-dried and checked for warp.