Interwood Forest Products

Redwood (Sequoia, sempervirens)

Trade Names:  Sequoia, Coast Redwood, Vavona

Origin:  USA

Range:  West coast of USA, in the coastal regions with the heaviest rainfall and in Southern Oregon.

Uses:  Veneer, especially rotary cut for plywood, grained pieces as face veneer for furniture, paneling and lining, construction lumber for interior and exterior work. However, these usages are more common in the USA and Far East. Less used in Europe. The burl wood is known as ”Vavona Burl“.

Properties:  The heartwood is light red to brownish-red, frequently in shades of violet and darkens in time. It is one of the best commercial lumbers in the world because it is free of knots. Average height of a 100-year-old tree is approx. 230 feet. Sequoia trees can live to be up to 4,000 years old. The ”Founders Tree“ is considered to be the largest tree, 360 feet high, with a diameter of 46 feet.

Machining:  Works easily and well with all hand and machine tools. Very smooth surfaces for a soft wood can be achieved, even when molding.

Seasoning:  At the beginning drying has to be slow because of the high moisture content but is possible without any major difficulties. The wood is almost completely free of inner tension.

A typical specimen for Redwood (Sequoia, sempervirens)