Santos Mahogany
Santos mahogany is very durable, attractive, and rot-resistant hardwood. It is native to Southern Mexico and Central and South America.
Santosh Mahogany is widely used for all types of furniture and construction. It interlocked grain, which gives it strength and stability.
Santos mahogany is one of the species of mahogany. Mahogany is known for its natural properties. Mahogany is one of the most demanding and valuable woods.
There are many types of mahogany wood, Some of the famous mahogany are as follows. African Mahogany, Mountain Mahogany, Cuban Mahogany, Honduran Mahogany, and Swamp Mahogany.
Brazilian Cherry
Brazilian Cherry is also strong and very durable and has good rot and insect resistant properties. It is also known as Jatoba and is native to Central America, southern Mexico, northern South America, and the West Indies.
Brazilian Cherry is good for all kinds of construction, Due to the great hardness and dents-proof properties, it is a great option for the quality hardwood floor.
Although there are many species of cherries, there are 6 main types of cherries as follows. Black cherry wood, Sweet cherry tree wood, Brazilian cherry, Patagonian cherry, Caribbean cherry, Chilean cherry
Santos Mahogany vs Brazilian Cherry- What is the difference?
| # | Santos Mahogany | Brazilian Cherry |
| Scientific Name | Myroxylon balsamum | Hymenaea courbaril |
| Average Dried Weight | 57 lbs/ft3 (913 kg/m3) | 57 lbs/ft3 (913 kg/m3) |
| Janka Hardness | 2,400 lbf (10,680 N) | 2,690 lbf (11,950 N) |
| Wood Color | Darker purple or burgundy | Dark reddish-brown |
| Grain/Texture | Interlocked grain pattern | Grain is typically interlocked |
| Rot Resistance | Durable but not great rot-resistant | Rot-resistant |
| Workability | Poor workability | Difficult to work |
| Uses | Flooring, furniture, interior trim, and heavy construction. | Flooring, furniture, cabinetry, tool handles, shipbuilding, railroad ties, turned objects, and other small specialty items. |
Santos Mahogany vs Brazilian Cherry Uses
Common uses of Santos mahogany and Brazilian Cherry Wood
Santos mahogany and Brazilian cherry both are widely used for making quality floors and furniture. Because both the woods have sufficient hardness and rot-resistant properties.
We have lots of wood options, there are over 100,000 species of wood on the planet. Hence it is very difficult to choose the perfect wood for our projects.
We spend a lot of money on furniture and flooring, So it is necessary that the wood chosen should be durable and suitable. Mahogany and cherry are one of the best woods for making floors and furniture.
Santos Mahogany Wood Uses
Heavy Construction.
Santos mahogany is a strong wood that can be used for heavy construction. Its Crushing Strength is 11,680 lbf/in2 (80.6 MPa) which is more than many other hardwoods.
Interior Trim
Mahogany is a great option for indoor trimming because it absorbs the stain well, finishes very well, and looks excellent.
Brazilian Cherry Wood Uses
Tools Handles and Railroad Ties
Brazilian cherries are strong wood and have great shock-resistant properties. It does not split or crack easily. Therefore Brazilian Cherry can be the best wood for making tool handles and railroad ties.
Shipbuilding
Brazilian cherry is a high-density wood that does not absorb moisture easily. We can say that it is a moderate to high water-resistant wood. Which performs well even in humidity.
But used for Shipbuilding or boat parts, woods are necessary to have an exterior finish and proper sealing.
Small specialty items
Brazilian Cherry glues, stains, turns and finishes well. It can be easily curved into the desired shape. Cherry decorative items are high in demand and available in the market at a good price.
Wood Color/Appearance
Santos Mahogany Wood Color
Santos mahogany color can range from a light golden brown to a deep purple-red or burgundy. There may be color variation between the boards of Santos Mahogany.
Like many other hardwoods, the color tends to turn more red/purple with age. This process can be slowed down by staining.
Brazilian Cherry Wood Color
Brazilian Cherry’s heartwood can range from a light orange-brown to a deep reddish-brown, while the sapwood is a pale brownish-yellow.
Wood color tends to darken upon exposure to light or with age.
Working with Santos Mahogany and Brazilian Cherry Wood
Mahogany and cherry hardwoods are not as easy to work with as softwoods. The high density and oiliness make this wood somewhat difficult to work with and staining or gluing can sometimes be problematic.
Working experience with this wood is fair to poor because it has a noticeable blunting effect on cutting edges. Because of its high density and its interlocked grain patterns.
Brazilian Cherry tends to be difficult to plane without tear-out due to its interlocking grain. But both these woods glue, stain, twist and finish well. Steam responds well to bending.
Rot Resistance
Both Santos Mahogany and Brazilian Cherry are very durable in regards to decay resistance. It performs better in moisture and outdoors than other hardwoods.
Santos mahogany wood is susceptible to insect attack while Brazilian Cherry is great rot-resistant, and is also resistant to termites and most other insects.
Pricing
Most species of mahogany are rare and expensive. because it is grown only in tropical locales and has to be imported compared similarly to other exotic hardwoods used in flooring, such as Ipe.
Cherry wood is one of the most premium woods in hardware and can get expensive. It is an imported wood.
Santos Mahogany and Brazilian Cherry woods are available in satisfactory sizes and widths as lumber, and also available as flooring planks.
By the way, the price of wood depends on many things, such as the size of the board and the quality of the wood. Buying from the native place of wood can be cheap for you.
Allergies/Toxicity
No serious problems have been observed while working with Santos Mahogany and Brazilian Cherry.
But reported causing skin and respiratory irritation. Therefore, while working on wood, cover your exposed skin and wear glasses. Asthma patients should take special care.
Conclusion
Santos Mahogany and Brazilian Cherry are both durable, rot-resistant, and stable hardwoods. Mahogany can be more expensive than Cherry wood. But both kinds of wood are justified at their own price.
Source: Santos Mahogany and Brazilian Cherry