Is koa the same as Acacia?

The first thing to know is that acacia wood and koa wood are very similar. In fact, acacia is in the same family as koa and sometimes when shopping for an acacia wood ukulele, you will see it called “koa acacia.” There are about 1300 different kinds of acacia wood!

Is acacia wood in Hawaii?

Acacia is a hardwood harvested from trees ​60 to 100 feet​ in height native to Australia and Hawaii. It also grows as thorny shrubbery in temperate and tropical climates.

How do I identify Koa wood?

You can identify Koa by examining three primary attributes; color, grain, and origin. Koa is generally reddish gold to dark brown in color. Its acute interlocking wood grain produces a highly curly or figured appearance. Its origin is always Hawaii.

Why is Koa wood so valuable?

Koa wood is special because of three primary reasons, its beauty, rarity, and symbolic meaning. The beauty of Koa is rooted in its unique grain patterns and a variety of colors. It only grows in Hawaii and has played a significant role in ancient Hawaiian history.

Is Koa wood only in Hawaii?

Koa wood is endemic to Hawaii.

The species Acacia Koa grows only in Hawaii and no place else in the world. Sure, other species of the acacia family grow in other parts of the world.

REVEALED! Differences between KOA wood ukuleles and ACACIA wood ukuleles!

Is Koa wood hard or soft?

Koa is a hardwood and has high crush resistance and shock absorbance. It is often compared to walnut, however, it weighs about 25% more and its interlocking grain makes for an exceptional figure. It's thin, light-colored sapwood surrounds the hardwood that woodworkers describe as lustrous, swirled marble.

What is special about Koa wood?

Koa Wood is legendary in Hawaii. Not only is this amazing wood native to Hawaii but it is known for the deep rich colors and varied grain pattern. Koa has honored heritage in Hawaii and is highly revered and sacred. Koa in battle.

What is Koa wood worth?

A koa tree—prized for its use in hand-crafted furniture—can be worth upwards of $50,000 in today's market. In theory, you could score $2,500 from a single tree.

What koa means?

The name Koa is primarily a male name of Hawaiian origin that means Warrior, Brave One.

What is made from koa wood?

Fortunately, after years of conservation efforts, koa is making a comeback to this native forest. Today, koa wood is harvested responsibly and used for making high-end furniture, ornaments and musical instruments, such as the guitar or ukulele.

Is acacia wood the same as teak?

The oil content in Acacia is much lower than in Teak and therefore would require some finishing work (as compared to Teak which has a natural finish because of the rich inherent oils). Teak (Tectona Grandis) is considered as the king of Timber. It's rich oils and tight grain makes it naturally termite resistant.

Is koa a good tone wood?

Lightweight, rigid, yet bendable, Koa is a great material for guitar manufacturers to work with. When paired with the right soundboard, it also has a wonderful tonal quality.

How does koa wood sound on a guitar?

Due to its density, a new koa guitar tends to start out sounding a little bright and tight, somewhat like maple. But the more a koa guitar is played, the more the sound opens up, expanding the midrange and rewarding the player with a richer, sweeter, more resonant tone.

What does koa wood smell like?

Warm Hawaiian Koa wood and white cedar mixed with island passion fruit, juicy pineapple, and sweet coconut, complimented with pure amber and musk.

What did Hawaiians use koa for?

Koa is the largest native tree species in the Hawaiian islands, reaching heights of approximately 115 feet. Historically, Koa wood was used by early Hawaiians to build ocean-going canoes, surfboards, spear handles, and ukuleles. Koa was considered the wood of Hawaiian royalty.

Is Koa wood rare?

Koa trees grow on the Hawaiian Islands at elevations of 2,000-7,000 feet. Needless to say, that makes koa trees pretty rare. To avoid excessive harvesting, the Hawaiian government has made strict rules about who can harvest the wood and how much can be sold in a year.

Where do koa trees grow?

These trees grow naturally in the upland forests of Hawaii, and when grown in yards and gardens are prized for shade and screening. In its natural setting, an Acacia koa tree can grow to over 100 feet (30 m.) tall.

What kind of wood is acacia?

Acacia wood is known for its natural wood grain variation and distinct beauty. Acacia wood derives from the Australian-native trees and shrubs and produces a solid, durable hardwood that is most commonly used in long-lasting furniture goods.

Is acacia wood considered tropical wood?

In fact, there are over 1,000 varieties of acacia. Two are predominantly imported into the United States for wood use: acacia koa (or Hawaiian koa), and cacia blackwood (also known as Australian blackwood). Acacia trees are commonly found in temperate, tropical, and desert areas.

What kind of word is acacia wood?

What is Acacia Wood? The name acacia comes from a Greek word that means a “thorny Egyptian tree.” The wood is derived from acacia trees native to Australia, now also found in Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa, and parts of the Americas.

Can you grow Acacia Koa in California?

I am one of three people that I know of in Sonoma County, California (USDA zone 9, Sunset Zones 14 and 15) who are successfully growing dozens of Acacia Koa trees outdoors year round in the ground! Our lowest lows are between 18 and 22 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is acacia wood similar to?

Acacia looks a lot like teak , and is often recommended as a substitute due to the high cost of teak, but has similar hardness and durability. The Janka score for acacia wood is between 1700 – 2200 compared to teak wood 1070, so in conclusion acacia wood is harder than teak wood.

What is so special about acacia wood?

Acacia's durability means it isn't scratched easily, too, while its water-resistant properties means it won't warp readily and is highly resistant to fungus. Like many types of wood, acacia is naturally antibacterial, and is therefore safe to use for preparing or serving food.