Naturally Maroon Wood

[Mitchell Ristine]

Any ideas on the most naturally maroon wood?

[Ted Calver]

Purpleheart comes to mind, but over time it probably will fade to brown. Finding a stable maroon might be a problem.
https://www.wood-database.com/purpleheart/

[John K Jordan]

...fade to brown. Finding a stable maroon might be a problem.

Natural is nice. Long lasting color might be nicer. Interesting reading: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-a...-exotic-woods/ The bottom line, use dye.

JKJ

[Mel Fulks]

I've seen some old hoarded mahogany that was maroon on the out side and all the way through. The Swetenia mahogany is often brown all through it. Not sure which type I was seeing.

[Mitchell Ristine]

The bottom line, use dye.

Cannot. For a cutting board.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Maybe eastern red cedar ?

[John K Jordan]

Maybe eastern red cedar ?

Much of the ERC I saw is a brilliant color but looses it quickly. Prob too soft for a cutting board as well.

JKJ

[James Dudley]

The right cut of Sapele or Bubinga can keep a lot of reddish color, though I'm not sure I'd call it "maroon" necessarily. But definitely towards red on the color spectrum, not brown. Some Sapele is a bit more brown, but I've used pieces that stayed quite red.

[Greg Parrish]

I’ve got some very deep colored bubinga that takes on a brownish maroon color when mineral oil applied. Hard to see it in pictures but in good light it has a red undertone still. For comparison that is bubinga, cherry and walnut mixed.

p3008964984-4.jpg

p3008964864-3.jpg

p3008964865-3.jpg

You can can get a sense of how red it started here. Third from right next to the walnut.
p3008976301-4.jpg

[joe milana]

Go with the purple heart & tell them to enjoy it while they can. I just saw a 5 y/o cutting board that still looked kinda purpley. I bet a sanding would freshen it up. By the time it goes brown, they'll be over it.

[Earl McLain]

How about bloodwood? I've worked only a few pieces but with boiled linseed oil it was a deep maroon. Makore also comes to mind, but is a little too orange. Now...I have some small chunks of pre-1970 rosewood that finish to a very deep maroon, but i'd sure hate to scar them up with a knife--far too beautiful for that purpose in my mind.
earl

[Bill Dufour]

Redwood?
Bill D.

[Tom Trees]

Some examples of reclaimed meranti I have, the likes of bed headboards have a maroon colour to them.
This is a stain but it takes it well, they must have had a very common stain back in the day because I've seen a good few different items the same.
Unfortunately, I'm unsure if it takes about 40 years to achieve?
My guess is... it is this colour from the get-go, but I have absolutely no knowledge about finishing whatsoever.

I don't know if I have planed the finish off these boards, If I have any stuff I will post a piccy in a few hours.
Tom

Tom

Sorry missed that its for a cutting board

[Jamie Buxton]

Redwood is very soft. It would not work for a cutting board.

[Wade Lippman]

Brown red oak. I've only seen it once, so good luck finding it, but it is maroon and stable. I used it for my first son's college diploma.