- NAME/S
- Swiss Pear (Pyrus Communis)
- SUB NAMES/S
- The name Fruitwood has been used in the past in conjunction with Apple mainly in connection with furniture making.
- TRADE NAME/S
- The name Swiss Pear is in fact a trade name given to the veneer form of the steamed wood.
- ORIGIN
- Europe and western Asia, though much of the timber currently comes from western Europe.
- APPEARANCE
- The natural timber is white to pinkish/brown in colour and fine textured. Colour is generally uniform throughout but occasionally darker heartwood is present.Swiss Pear is very much a fashion wood in great demand as veneer. In this form it is invariably steamed which causes the colour to darken to a warmer tone of red/brown.The growth rings give rise to a discreet figure that can display movement resulting from irregular grain formation. Swiss Pear is regarded as an elegant wood.
- MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
- The timber from the Pear tree has a density of 720 kg/m3 and though it is strong it does not have a constructional role due to its very limited availability.
- AVAILABILITY
- The veneer has become very fashionable during the last 10 years. Due to high demand, Swiss Pear veneer is in short supply and this is reflected in the high prices it fetches.
- USE AS TIMBER CUTS FEATURES
- This dense, fine textured timber is very suitable for turning and is used for fancy goods, drawing instruments, inlays and cabinetwork.
- USE AS VENEER CUTS APPEARANCES
- Swiss Pear veneer is usually crown cut due to the relatively small size of the logs. The colour is generally consistent within each bundle though it is likely that some features will arise. These can include elements of darker heartwood. Some hair like rays will often be present.The matching specification on larger schemes should be carefully planned.
- RELATIVE COST/of 10
- 5-7
- PROPERTIES-MACHINING, FINISHING
- Swiss Pear provides a tight, close surface which takes polish well.
- SEASONING
- Pear seasons slowly with a tendency to warp.
