Karin: Reddish Tones and Grain in a Traditional Decorative Timber
WOOD DICTIONARY
Karin timber is familiar as a material with reddish to brown tones. Although it shares its Japanese name with a fruit-bearing tree, the meaning in the timber market is different. Start by separating the trade name from the botanical name.
The photographs are examples of the color and grain associated with each wood or figure. Every piece of natural wood is different; the sheet you receive will not have exactly the same color or grain as the photographs.
Names and basic facts
- Name
- Karin / Trade names including padauk and pradoo Hokusan: Karin
- General classification
- A name used for Pterocarpus timber in the Fabaceae (legume) family Hokusan: Karin / Kew Pterocarpus macrocarpus
- Representative associated species
- Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz (Burma padauk). This is not a single-species identification of the wood offered. Kew Pterocarpus macrocarpus
- MORI KOUGEI sheet
- A4 (210 × 297 mm), approximately 0.25 mm thick, backed with industrial washi paper MORI KOUGEI: A4 Veneer Sheet Product Information
Understanding karin as a wood name
Hokusan introduces karin as a Southeast Asian timber in the legume family, alongside the names padauk and pradoo. One associated species is Pterocarpus macrocarpus, also listed by Kew under the name Burma padauk. It is more helpful to understand karin as a timber trade name than to assume that only this one species is used under it. Hokusan: Karin / Kew Pterocarpus macrocarpus
One name can include a range of colors
Our shop introduces karin as a red-toned veneer. Hokusan’s general description, meanwhile, mentions pale yellowish-brown heartwood and dark stripes. This range of descriptions is a reminder not to fix karin to one shade of red, but to select by the tones and contrasts of the material. Planning where lighter and deeper areas will fall in a project can also guide the layout. MORI KOUGEI: A4 Veneer Sheet Product Information / Hokusan: Karin
A small amount of reddish wood can become a pattern or accent within a light surface. If covering an entire area, consider a simple form with restrained decoration that leaves the direction and density of the stripes visible. We recommend comparing real offcuts side by side to decide whether the strong color should lead the piece or blend with surrounding woods.
Grain and the finished surface
Some karin timber has interlocked grain, and luster on a polished surface is also noted in general descriptions. Interlocked grain means the fibers do not simply run straight in one direction; their direction changes through successive layers. Even with a thin sheet, checking the pattern and its response to light helps you plan a layout that makes use of its character. Hokusan: Karin
Using paper-backed veneer
MORI KOUGEI A4 sheets measure 210 × 297 mm and are approximately 0.25 mm thick. They combine natural wood veneer with industrial washi paper and are bonded to a substrate for marquetry motifs, furniture edges, or the decoration of small objects. Descriptions of the weight or hardness of solid wood should not be treated as equivalent to the durability or ease of working of the sheet itself. MORI KOUGEI: A4 Veneer Sheet Product Information
When cutting intricate shapes, use templates to check the form and position, and allow the margins needed for the work. The final color also depends on coatings and bonding conditions, so test an offcut before proceeding. Rather than looking for exactly the color and pattern of one photograph, finding the area you want to use within the supplied sheet helps make the most of natural variation. MORI KOUGEI: A4 Veneer Sheet Product Information
Explore related woods
This article draws on publicly available sources from Japan and abroad, with AI used to support research and organization.