Indonesian wood types used for carving

 

 

Crocodile or satin wood (zanthoxylum rhetsa)

 

         

 

One of the most common and easily carved Balinese woods is the soft, pure white timber known as crocodile wood. It is a relatively hard wood and carvings made from it usually have a very smooth finish, making them look a little like ivory.

 

Waru or Hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus)  

 

                     

 

The dark heartwood of the hibiscus tree often makes for distinctive two-tone carvings, white blended with grey. As this wood ages the grey turns greenish-a very beautiful look. Grey hibiscus can be sanded to a very smooth finish.

 

Suar or rain tree (samanea saman)            

 

              

 

The lovely tan-coloured timber from the flowering poinciana or suwar is a hard wood often favoured by importers outside of the tropics because its crisscrossed,interlocking grain keeps the wood from cracking when moved to drier climates. It can be finished to a fairly high gloss and is suitable for large carvings.

 

Ebony (diospyros celebica)     

 

                               

 

This is Indonesian ebony (not West African) from Kalimantan and Sulawasi. It has a natural deep black-brown lustre and is hard and dense. Ebony wood is hard to work with and also expensive. Usually carvings are finished black , but the natural colour is also attractive.

 

Sandalwood (cenana)                           

                 

 

Sandalwood, with its delightful sweet-smelling fragrance, is expensive and used for some small, very detailed pieces. It is usually imported to Bali from India and Timor.