The Five Most Expensive Woods in the World

Have you ever wondered why there’s so much difference in pricing when it comes to furniture that’s made from different woods? A lot of it has to do with how rare the wood is in the first place.

While some furniture is made from relatively commonplace wood, other pieces are made from wood that is not only extremely hard to find, but in many cases, difficult to work with.

These particular pieces are frequently made with rare kinds of wood because it makes the pieces more unique. In many cases, it also makes the furniture far more durable.

The takeaway from that is that you end up paying more for each piece of furniture, but you’re also more likely to have it for a much longer period of time. If you’re interested in knowing more about the five most expensive types of wood in the world, keep reading.

1. Dalbergia – $16 per foot

This is a wood that most people have never even heard of before. That’s because it mostly grows in India and it’s extremely hard to get to, because it has a tendency to grow in forests that are so dense they’re almost impossible for anyone to traverse.

The wood is extremely difficult to work with, making it something that most people won’t even attempt to handle. However, for those few individuals that do choose to take on this project, truly beautiful products are usually made.

It makes the wood most popular for making fine pieces of furniture, largely because the whole project is completely transformed once it’s polished. It costs around $16 per foot.

2. Pink Ivory – $8 per foot

This wood comes from a unique, beautiful looking tree that grows mostly in Zimbabwe. It’s hard to secure a great deal of Pink Ivory wood at any one time, largely because there just aren’t that many trees available to supply a large demand.

With that being said, this is a unique looking wood that is somewhat pink in color, hence its name. As such, it is used for all kinds of projects, including furniture, trinket boxes, and other unique gift items.

The wood has a truly beautiful hue to it, making it widely sought after. Typically, this wood costs approximately $8 per foot.

3. Ebony – $10,000 per kilogram

Chances are, you’ve seen this wood in different types of furniture. The wood itself is a dark, rich chocolate brown or black color that is striking to look at.

It’s an extremely hard type of wood, making it a good choice for different types of furniture projects. Ebony is able to stand up to a lot of punishment without showing any signs of wear.

It’s also extremely dense, so much so that if you put this wood in a body of water, it will quickly sink to the bottom. The only thing that equals its beauty is its price, as it sells for about $10,000 per kilogram.

4. Sandalwood – $20,000 per kilogram

This is another type of wood that is used for fine furniture as well as other types of high-quality gifts. It’s relatively rare and it’s not the easiest type of wood to work with in the world, to say the least.

It has a rather remarkable color that almost looks like a cherry stain with a slight pinkish hue. It also emits a rather pleasant smell, making it equal to pine or cedar wood in that particular respect.

It’s extremely expensive, so it’s not used often. In fact, it sells for $20,000 per kilogram, putting it well outside the range of what most people are willing to spend.

5. African Blackwood – $10,000 per kilogram

This is probably one of the rarest types of wood on the planet. It’s typically used to manufacture musical instruments, and anyone that is capable of purchasing one of those instruments is going to pay a pretty penny for it. The wood itself sells for approximately $10,000 per kilogram, although the price can go up considerably in certain cases.