Some woods are incredibly expensive while some are extremely rare. By the way, sandalwood is generally considered expensive, which costs between Rs 3,000 and Rs 6,000 per kg, but you will be surprised to know that there is a kind of wood in the world which is much more costly than sandalwood.
Even the rich will think twice before buying it.
The name of this wood is African Blackwood. It is one of the most valuable materials on earth. It cost around £8,000 per kilogram or £7,000 per log or more than seven lakh rupees.
African Blackwood trees are relatively short in comparison to other trees – growing to about 25 – 40 feet high. The distinctive trunk of an African Blackwood tree makes it easy to identify thanks to the irregular tubular grooves that run around its circumference.
African Blackwood is found in 26 countries in central and southern Africa.
It takes 70-100 years for these trees to attain timber size. The trees are prematurely pruned due to illegal trafficking of timber in countries like Kenya and Tanzania. This has drastically reduced the number of blackwoods, making them rare.
The timber itself is incredibly dark, with little or no visual grain, with a very fine, straight and even grain. It’s an incredibly hard, stiff, tough and stable wood that can be difficult to work with due to its dense and heavy physical properties. Blackwood polishes well, leaving a stunning lustrous finish.
The wood of African Blackwood is mostly used in making musical instruments such as clarinet, flute and guitar. Apart from this, strong and durable furniture is also made from this wood, but they are quite expensive.