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Learn About Mahogany Wood

Vigilant's choice of wood is mahogany for a multitude of reasons. Mahogany is one of the most user-friendly woods available and brings impeccable quality and beauty to every wine cellar, wine rack, wine cellar door or wine cabinet we build.

Mahogany has excellent workability, and is very durable and resistant to rot. These properties make it the most favorable wood for boat making, as tradition has shown, as well as for furniture making and upholstery, musical instruments and other durable objects.

Hardwood vs. Softwood

As a general rule, softwoods are used for construction, while hardwoods are used for furniture, cabinetry and floors. Pine, cedar, fir, and redwood are the most common softwoods, although cypress, hemlock and spruce are sometimes used. Among hardwoods, grain and color are the most prized qualities. Mahogany is one of the darkest hardwoods, usually a deep red in color. Mahogany, cedar and redwood are frequently used for exterior construction in decks or fences, because of their naturally rot-resistant qualities. Mahogany takes stain better than any other wood and over time the characteristics and profile of the wood will age beautifully allowing for characteristics of the wood that were not there originally to show.

Mahogany Facts:

• A fine grain hardwood.
• Resistant to rot, decay, and infestation.
• Height of 150' with trunk diameters as large as 6'.
• Mahogany prefers dry forests and can also be found in high elevation stands.
• Harvested from Government regulated & managed permanent forests in Malaysia.
• Mahogany has been the choice of boat builders and furniture makers around the world for hundreds of years.
• Seasons/weathers well with minimal shrinkage and checking.
• Takes stain exceptionally well and the profile of the wood beautifies over time.
• In Malaysian Government tests, this wood was found to last up to 30 years when stakes of Meranti were driven into the ground.
• As a hardwood it holds fasteners well.
• It is environmentally non-toxic.