Family: Rosaceae, the Rose family. Latin name, Pyrus Communis.
Origin: Pearwood grows throughout Europe, the United States, and temperate regions worldwide.
Common Names: Common Pear, Peartree, Swiss Pear, European Pear, Wild Pear, Choke Pear.
The Tree: The Pear tree is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 66 feet tall with shiny gray branches and covered in bark that is gray and checkered. The flowers of the pear tree have five white petals in an umbel-like arrangement with reddish stems.
Appearance of Wood: Swiss Pear is known for its fine, straight grains and smooth, consistent texture with slight pink coloration ranging from pale to light to medium. Once Pearwood is cut, it tends to oxidize, and the wood hues intensify. Commonly, Swiss Pear is steamed to provide a more smooth and consistent color. Steaming the wood relieves stress within the wood so it dries flat. Heartwood can range in color from pale pink to light reddish-brown. Sapwood is paler in color and not as distinct as the heartwood. Pearwood can be dyed black as a replacement for ebony.
Density: Average reported specific gravity ranges from .52 to .69. Average dried weight of 43 pounds per cubic foot. Janka Hardness is 1,660 pounds of force. The structure of pearwood is hard, so hard that it takes the sharpest tools when working with the wood. Pearwood allows you to cut the finest details and form the most delicate shapes whatever your project may be.
Drying and Shrinkage: Pearwood is known to dry slowly and is prone to checking. Generally, figure a year per inch for the air-drying process. Average reported shrinkage values are 3.9% Radial, 11.3% Tangential, 13.8% Volumetric.
Working Properties: Pearwood is easy to work with due to its consistent texture and color. Pearwood has excellent machining, gluing, and finishing properties.
Durability: Pearwood is decidedly non-durable regarding decay resistance. All applications should be confined to the interior.
Uses: Pearwood is commonly used as a veneer, architectural millwork, marquetry, inlay, carving, musical instruments such as flutes and violins, furniture, cabinetry, and turned objects.
Availability: Pearwood is considered a premium hardwood in Europe but is only available in limited quantities in the United States. This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.