Padouk is the wood people remember. Fresh from the planer, it glows a vivid orange-red that looks almost artificial. Then, over months, it settles into a rich reddish-brown. Behind the colour is a seriously capable timber: durable, stable, hard-wearing and pleasant to work. That combination explains the wide range of padouk wood uses, from decks and floors to drumsticks and fine furniture.
In this guide we go through 12 practical uses, explain where padouk shines and where another species may be smarter, and cover what you need to know about colour, working and CITES. We export padouk from Cameroon and the Congo Basin at Global Timber Trade Hub.
In short
- African padouk is durable, stable and hard, with a striking red colour.
- Top uses: decking, flooring, furniture, joinery, turning and instruments.
- The bright red darkens to brown with light; UV finishes slow the change.
- It machines well and finishes beautifully, but the dust stains and can irritate.
- African padouk is CITES Appendix II listed, so exports need a permit.
- Our padouk starts from about $1,300 per m³, FOB Central Africa.
What is African padouk?
African padouk (Pterocarpus soyauxii), also spelled padauk, grows across Central and West Africa, including Cameroon, Gabon and the Republic of Congo. The heartwood is a bright orange-red when cut. It is moderately heavy, at around 700–800 kg/m³, and hard, with a Janka rating near 1,970 lbf. It is rated very durable and moves very little once dry.
Key properties behind padouk’s many uses
| Property | Padouk | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Durability | Very durable | Outdoor use without chemical treatment |
| Stability | Very good | Floors, joinery and wide boards stay flat |
| Hardness | About 1,970 lbf | Resists dents and wear |
| Workability | Good | Machines, turns and glues well |
| Acoustic quality | Resonant | Used for percussion and instrument parts |
| Colour | Vivid red, ages to brown | Strong decorative effect |
1. Decking
Padouk is one of the finest decking timbers in the world. It is very durable, stable and comfortable underfoot. Hotel terraces, premium gardens and yacht-club walkways use it for both looks and long life. Left to weather, it turns a soft silver-grey. Oiled, it keeps a warm reddish-brown. See how it compares with other species in our guide to the best hardwood for decking.
2. Flooring
Indoors, padouk makes a bold, warm floor that resists wear well. Its stability makes it suitable for wide boards and for engineered flooring lamellas. Because of its strong colour, many designers use it as a border or inlay within a lighter floor. Our tropical hardwood flooring guide covers other options too.
3. Fine furniture
Tables, chairs, sideboards and beds in padouk have a rich, unmistakable character. The wood is strong enough for slim chair parts and stable enough for tabletops. It pairs well with pale woods such as Ayous or maple for contrast.
4. Outdoor furniture
Thanks to its durability, padouk is an excellent choice for garden benches, loungers and tables. It weathers evenly and does not need chemical treatment. Our guide to the best wood for outdoor furniture compares it with Iroko, Doussie and others.
5. Exterior joinery
Doors, windows, gates and sills all benefit from padouk’s durability and stability. It holds its shape well through wet and dry seasons. For painted windows, a less expensive species may make more sense, but for natural-finish doors, padouk is a striking option.
6. Turning
Woodturners love padouk. It cuts cleanly, sands well and polishes to a deep shine. Bowls, pens, vases and handles in padouk are popular in craft markets. Small offcuts and turning squares are an efficient way to use the whole tree.
7. Musical instruments
Padouk is resonant and dense, which makes it popular for marimba and xylophone bars, drum shells, drumsticks, and parts of guitars and basses. Bass guitar bodies and necks in padouk give a warm, punchy tone. See our guide to African tonewood for guitars.
8. Knife handles and tool handles
Padouk is hard, stable and feels good in the hand. Knife makers use it for scales, often stabilised with resin. It also makes durable handles for chisels, mallets and kitchen tools.
9. Boat parts and marine joinery
Padouk’s durability makes it useful for rubbing strakes, trim, cleats and interior details on boats. It is not usually used for structural planking, but it adds colour and toughness where it is visible.
10. Inlay and accents
A thin line of padouk inlay can transform a piece of furniture. Its colour contrasts beautifully with light and dark woods alike. Cutting boards, boxes and game boards often use padouk strips for the same reason.
11. Interior panelling and feature walls
Padouk panelling gives a room an instant sense of warmth. Many designers use it in restaurants, hotel bars and libraries. Plan for the colour change: it will darken over the first year.
12. Natural dye
Historically, padouk sawdust was used as a red dye for textiles and cosmetics in parts of Africa. Today this is mostly a curiosity, but it explains why padouk dust stains hands, clothes and nearby pale woods.
Where padouk is not the best choice
- Heavy structural work: for piles, lock gates and heavy beams, choose Azobe or Okan.
- Painted joinery: you pay for colour you will hide. Use a more economical species.
- Large budgets with volume: CITES permits and demand put padouk in the upper price range.
The colour change: what to expect
Freshly cut padouk is bright orange-red. Within weeks to months, light turns it a deeper red-brown. Outdoors, without a finish, it will eventually turn grey like most woods. To slow the change indoors, use a finish with UV inhibitors. Accept that some darkening is natural; many people prefer the mature colour anyway.
Working with padouk
- It machines well with sharp tools; interlocked grain can tear out slightly.
- The dust is fine, red and can irritate skin and airways. Use extraction and a mask.
- When gluing padouk next to light woods, wipe surfaces so red dust does not bleed.
- Oil-based finishes can pull red colour into adjacent pale woods; test first.
- It glues well and holds screws firmly; pre-drill near ends.
CITES and legality
Since 2023, African populations of Pterocarpus species, including padouk, are listed in CITES Appendix II. That means every export needs a CITES export permit. A proposal to remove Central African padouk from the list was discussed at the CITES conference in late 2025 but was not adopted, so the listing still applies. We arrange the permit for every padouk shipment. Read more in our guide to CITES timber species.
Padouk prices
Our padouk starts from about $1,300 per m³ for standard sawn grade, FOB Central Africa. Kiln-dried FAS boards, decking profiles and thick stock cost more. See the full price table in our African hardwood prices guide.
Product forms we supply
- sawn boards 27–75 mm thick, kiln dried or air dried;
- decking profiles, smooth or grooved;
- flooring strips and lamellas;
- turning squares and instrument blanks;
- beams for furniture and joinery.
Padouk vs similar red woods
If you are comparing red woods, padouk sits between the very vivid and the more subtle. Purpleheart turns purple-brown rather than red-brown. Bubinga is pinker, with purple veins. Sapele is more brown, with ribbon figure. Our guide to padouk vs purpleheart covers one of the most common comparisons.
Finishing padouk for each use
The right finish depends on where the wood will live. For decks and outdoor furniture, use a penetrating, UV-protective decking oil, or no finish at all if you are happy with a grey patina. Never use a film-forming varnish outdoors; it cracks and peels. For floors, a hard-wax oil or a quality floor lacquer works well and is easy to repair. For furniture, Danish oil, hard-wax oil or a sprayed lacquer all bring out the depth of the colour. For turned items and knife handles, padouk can be buffed to a high shine with wax alone. Whatever you choose, test on an offcut first, because some finishes deepen the red more than others.
Padouk in commercial projects
Architects and contractors use padouk where a project needs to look special and last. Typical examples include hotel pool decks, restaurant terraces, marina boardwalks, airport lounges and luxury retail interiors. For these projects, consistent colour and reliable supply matter as much as price. We can reserve stock for a project, supply decking and matching joinery from the same lots, and plan CITES permits around your construction schedule.
How much padouk do you need?
For decking, a useful rule is that one cubic metre of 21 × 145 mm boards covers roughly 40–45 m² of deck, after allowing for gaps and some waste. Thicker boards cover less. For furniture, plan on 30–40% waste from rough-sawn stock to finished parts, depending on your cutting list. Send us your drawings or area, and we will calculate the volume and the best board sizes for your project.
Storing padouk before use
Store padouk flat, on level bearers, under cover and out of direct sunlight. Sunlight on the top layer will darken it faster than the rest, giving you colour differences in the finished piece. Keep stickers between layers so air can circulate, and let the wood acclimatise in your workshop for a week or two before final machining.
Sources
- Pterocarpus soyauxii on Wikipedia
- CITES Checklist
- CIRAD Tropix for technical data.
Related guides
- Padouk vs purpleheart
- Best hardwood for decking
- Ipe alternatives
- CITES timber species
- Exotic and decorative hardwoods
Frequently asked questions about padouk wood uses
What is padouk wood best used for?
Decking, flooring, fine furniture, exterior joinery, turning and musical instruments are the most common uses.
Does padouk stay red?
No. It darkens to a reddish-brown with light exposure. UV-protective finishes slow the change.
Is padouk good outdoors?
Yes. It is very durable and stable, which makes it excellent for decks, benches and exterior doors.
Do I need a CITES permit for padouk?
Yes. African padouk is CITES Appendix II listed, so exports need a CITES permit. We arrange it for you.
Get a quote for padouk
Tell us your use, sizes and volume through our quote form. We will reply with a firm price, stock photos and the CITES documents for your shipment.