Replies

1. 
   stantheman | Mar 28, 2025 09:14am | #1

   I don't know kwila, but I had some narra once. You can find some at CookWoods.com (a good source to know anyway).

2. 
   pantalones868 | Mar 28, 2025 02:09pm | #2

   Kwila (intsia bijuga) is also know mostly in the US as "merbau" and has many other names because of its wide distribution . It's a Asia pacific coastal hardwood from Africa to Australia used primarily for decking and outdoor stuff. Very hard,and rot / bug resistant. Similar to ipe. Though available ,mostly because of illegal logging in Kalimantan, it's very close to achieving CITES listing status. So you CAN get it,it's up to you at this point if you should.
   Narra is a pterocarpus - a pea plant- known here as "Phillipine mahogany". It seems like they like to use exotic names these days for marketing. Looks like mahogany but is very soft ( well it varies somewhat, I have some that is similar in density to pine and some that is not much more than balsawood, carves nice)and except for appearance is nothing like true mahogany. It was used extensively here in plywood and siding( considered "paint" grade) and lots of cheap stuff. Frank Lloyd Wright did many of his interiors on his Usonian houses with it because of its availability, appearance and affordability compared to actual mahogany. I don't know if they still do it but fake cheap paneling sheets (you know with a picture of wood applied ) was often phillipine mahogany on the back side. I used it one time to cover some nasty looking situation but upside down. It was less than $3.00 a sheet and I was poor. In the 60s and 70s the stuff was everywhere! I don't know it's status but it has been heavily exploited! I still see it at the lumber yards- even at the Home Depot.