In my day job as a public information officer, I work closely with our local media outlets – TV, radio and print. And, over the years, I have heard a lot of jokes about our friends who work in the media and the media industry in general.

But, my all time favorite is one that I heard back in second grade:  What’s black and white and read all over? A newspaper!  Of course, when you see the joke in print, it loses some of its punch, with read and red being homophones and all…

Recently, though, my friend Eric Poirier at Bell Forest Products told me about a wood that’s black and red all over… and it’s a relative newcomer to the lumber scene.

Known as red zebrawood or ebiara, it’s a handsome wood that comes from western Africa where the trees grow up to 90 feet tall, with a fairly narrow trunk. These trees can often be found shading coffee plantations. Think about that before you suck back your next cuppa joe…

The wood has a coarse texture, and, for the most part, has a straight grain habit. There are areas of the board, however, where that grain is interlocked, so some care should be exercised when hand planing.

As with zebrawood, it features bold, dark striping on a lighter background. As you might guess, the lighter background wood is more red tinged than that of zebrawood, leading to its naming.

Unlike many other tropical woods from the area, red zebrawood is not known to cause allergic reaction, and isn’t oily, meaning that standard gluing and finishing procedures can be used.

What can red zebrawood be used for? Just about anything, really. Cabinetry, marquetry, veneers, furniture, instruments … the stuff is even used to build boats and to make railroad sleepers back in Africa. It turns beautifully and takes a beautiful polish, making for some stunning pieces.

Sure, red zebrawood may be relatively new to the woodworking community, but one look at it, and you’ll want to share the news about it as well!