Tornillo Lumber in Houston – Overview

Tornillo Lumber

Specifications

  • Thicknesses (Commonly Stocked at Houston Hardwoods in): 4/4. We also offer custom milling to your exact specifications (e.g., 1×2, 1×4, 1×6, or other custom dimensions), as well as various options including S4S, S2S, S2S1E, and SLR1E.
  • Species: Cedrelinga cateniformis
  • Hardness (Janka): 1,020 lbf
  • Color: Heartwood is a distinctive reddish-brown, sometimes with a purplish cast or darker streaks. It can darken to a deep reddish-brown with exposure and age. Sapwood is yellowish-white to pale brown and distinct from the heartwood.
  • Grain: Typically straight, but can sometimes be wavy or interlocked. It has a coarse texture with a good natural luster, and prominent ray fleck on quarter-sawn surfaces.
  • Workability: Generally easy to work with hand and machine tools, especially for a hardwood, due to its moderate density. However, its high silica content can rapidly dull cutting edges, so carbide-tipped tools are recommended. It planes, sands, and finishes well, taking a good polish. Pre-drilling is often necessary for fasteners to prevent splitting.
  • Common Uses in Houston: Fine furniture, cabinetry, interior millwork, paneling, joinery, and boatbuilding.

What Makes Tornillo Unique

Tornillo offers a beautiful reddish-brown aesthetic with a coarse yet attractive grain, making it a compelling choice for projects that require a durable hardwood without the extreme density or working difficulties of some denser exotics. Its relatively lighter weight for a hardwood combined with good strength and dimensional stability makes it versatile. Tornillo’s unique characteristics, including its prominent ray fleck on certain cuts, provide a distinct visual appeal. It serves as an excellent alternative to more common woods, bringing an exotic touch and reliable performance to fine interior applications in Houston.

Why Choose Tornillo

  • Attractive Reddish-Brown Color: Its warm, rich hue deepens with age, adding elegance and character to interior spaces.
  • Good Workability: Relatively easy to cut, shape, and machine for a hardwood, making it user-friendly for a variety of projects.
  • Good Dimensional Stability: Exhibits reliable stability once properly acclimated, minimizing movement in finished pieces, important in Houston’s climate.
  • Good Strength-to-Weight Ratio: Offers a balance of strength and a manageable weight, facilitating handling and construction.
  • Takes a Smooth Finish: Sands well and can be brought to a high polish, enhancing its natural beauty and grain.

Why You Might Not Choose Tornillo

  • Dulls Tools Rapidly: Due to its high silica content, cutting edges can dull quickly, requiring frequent sharpening or the use of carbide-tipped tools.
  • Splitting Tendency: Can be prone to splitting when fastening or nailing, making pre-drilling essential for most applications.
  • Coarse Texture: While attractive, its coarse texture might not be preferred for every type of finish or fine detail work.
  • Dust Irritation: The sawdust can cause skin irritation or respiratory issues in some sensitive individuals, so good dust collection and personal protective equipment are advised in any Houston workshop.
  • Not for Exterior Use (untreated): Lacks the extreme natural resistance to decay and insects for prolonged outdoor exposure without chemical treatment.

Tornillo in the Houston Climate

Acclimation for Best Results

Tornillo’s inherent density and good dimensional stability make it well-suited for interior applications in Houston’s humid climate. Thorough acclimation to your workshop or the final indoor environment is recommended to ensure optimal performance. Given our city’s persistent high humidity and warm temperatures, allowing the wood to slowly stabilize before milling or finishing ensures minimal movement, warping, or checking, preserving the integrity and beauty of your finished Tornillo pieces.

Ideal for Interior Woodworking

This wood is an excellent choice for a wide array of interior projects across Houston’s homes and commercial spaces where a warm, inviting aesthetic and reliable performance are desired. Its appealing reddish-brown color and workability make it perfect for crafting custom furniture for traditional or transitional interiors, elegant cabinetry in upscale kitchens, or refined interior millwork and paneling. Tornillo provides a durable and attractive option for creating enduring pieces that complement the sophisticated tastes found throughout the Houston metro area.

Color and Grain Stability

The rich reddish-brown heartwood of Tornillo is generally very color-stable, and it tends to deepen gracefully with age and exposure to light, enhancing its inherent warmth and character. The typically straight to wavy grain is dimensionally stable once the wood is properly acclimated. Applying a high-quality finish will not only protect its surface but also intensely highlight its natural luster and varied coloration, ensuring your Tornillo projects maintain their beautiful and appealing appearance for many years across the Houston region.

Popular Tornillo Applications in Houston

Tornillo’s attractive color, ease of workability for a hardwood, and good stability make it a versatile material favored by Houston’s custom furniture makers, cabinet shops, and interior designers for creating elegant and durable interior pieces.

Popular Applications Include:

  • Fine Furniture: Crafting custom dining tables, coffee tables, cabinets, and chairs where its warm color and grain provide a sophisticated and lasting appeal to homes in areas like the Heights and Sugar Land.
  • Custom Cabinetry: Used for high-end kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and built-in shelving, offering a refined and inviting look.
  • Interior Architectural Millwork: Employed for interior doors, window frames, custom moldings, and wall paneling, adding warmth and architectural detail.
  • Joinery: Its good working properties make it suitable for various joinery applications in furniture and interior construction.
  • Decorative Items: Ideal for picture frames, jewelry boxes, and other handcrafted items where its beauty and finishing properties are important.
  • Paneling and Veneers: Used for decorative wall paneling or as veneer for larger surfaces, showcasing its attractive grain and color.

Current Design Trends Featuring Tornillo:

  • Transitional and Traditional Interiors: Its classic reddish-brown hue fits seamlessly into designs that balance traditional warmth with modern sensibilities.
  • Custom Home Furnishings: A popular choice for unique, custom-designed furniture pieces that offer both aesthetic appeal and durability.
  • Warm and Inviting Spaces: Incorporated into designs that seek to create comfortable, elegant, and timeless living environments.
  • Alternatives to Traditional Woods: Chosen by clients looking for an exotic yet manageable hardwood with a distinct appearance for their projects.

Looking for Tornillo for Your Next Project?

We stock this wood in 4/4 thickness and can custom mill to your exact needs. Our team is always here to help you select the perfect lumber for your project.

Visit Houston Hardwoods or contact us to inquire about Tornillo, request a quote, or discuss your project plans.