Top 7 Most Expensive Wood In The World

For thousands of years, mankind has benefited from trees and the woods around for various uses like making weapons, building houses, making furniture, and many more. Now, wood has been used in many things, and despite the price being generally affordable, there are some out there that can have a hefty price tag on it.

There are many reasons why some wood can cost considerably more than other common woods out there simply because of the rarity, endangered, and even nearly extinct. Now we would like to share with you the top 7 most expensive wood in the world.

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We would also briefly explain why these woods are considered very valuable and yet their high price.

7. Ilex opaca

Ilex opaca or its common name Holly wood is labeled as the whitest wood in all types of wood. This wood is usually used to make the piano's dashboard (in this case it is turned to black) and also other furniture projects.

Unlike others on this list, this wood is not considered endangered but the tree itself grows at a slow rate which makes the seller tends to put a high price on it. In some cases, this expensive wood can cost around $35 for every foot of the board.

6. Ziricote

This wood can be found widely in Middle America and Mexico. Some can grow to a peak height of 60 feet. The tree is also known as Cordia dodecandra and its wood has very unique patterns on it and sometimes is purple in color.

The wood itself has a very high density making it easier to be used and becoming the popular choice for making wooden furniture and musical instruments. The unique pattern of grain on Ziricote has also contributed to its whopping price.

Despite Rosewood Brazil looking similar to it, it is very hard to find an affordable alternative that looks the same as Ziricote.

5. Sandalwood

Sandalwood from India might be one of the most versatile wood out there due to its various uses. This wood is used mostly in decoration, added into perfumes as well as in food acting as herbs.

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This type of wood has maintained its high demand all over the world for many years which explains its high price. Sandalwood has become the main subject of international trade ever since the 19th century when European traders sell it to Buddhist temples in China.

The price of this wood can reach up to $100 for every pound.

4. Pink Ivory

It is also known as Berchemia zeyheri, this wood expresses its beauty from the red-pinkish streak color on the inside of the wood. This unique color plays an important role in determining the price of this wood aside from it being hard to be obtained.

How rare is this magical wood? According to a report, it is one the most difficult wood to be found and in fact, it is also hard to be found in its native, South Africa due to the strict regulation on logging.

But despite its rarity, it is not classified as an endangered species.

3. Ebony

With a normal price tag of $100 for every foot of the board, this wood is one of the most expensive woods in the world. There are many types of Ebony wood out there but the African Ebony wood is the rarest one yet.

Not just that, the population of the black African Ebony wood has also declined by 50 percent for the past three generations due to logging exploitations. This particular wood is well known for its dark grey color as well as having thin grain texture.

Even though it is commonly used for decorating objects, several reports have suggested that it has medical applications including anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties.

2. Rosewood Brazil

Rosewood Brazil possesses a very unique type of red color with a similar grain-like texture. This beautiful color has made it a popular choice in the making of furniture and thin musical instruments but restrictions have been put into place due to the threat of extinction of these species.

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In most cases, rosewood Brazil can be sold for $300 for every pound but the price has been on the rise each time. Also known as Dalbergia nigra, the rosewood Brazil tree can grow to a height of 100 meters.

Interestingly this tree will release a sweet fragrance when cut down.

1. Blackwood Africa

This is by far the most expensive wood in the world but it is also one of the rarest ones out there due to its excessive use causing its habitat to be mostly destroyed by humans. This means that the Dalbergia melanoxylon is considered an endangered species and is believed to be extinct in the future.

It shares quite similar features to Ebony Africa despite being different species. This wood is very popular when it comes to making musical instruments but the ravaging logging activities have threatened the existence of this species.

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