What Is Paulownia Wood Used For? Features, Specifications & Price

Paulownia trees are tree species that are noticed among many tree species with their different and interesting characteristics.

Paulownias, which have been able to attract attention with their magnificent appearance in urban forests, provide a relaxing place for people by creating a cool and shady atmosphere.

What is a Paulownia tree?

Paulownia is one of the fastest-growing trees in the world, capable of producing commercial yields within ten to fifteen years.

It is native to Southeast Asia but is used worldwide. Its potential applications range from construction, recreational and sports equipment to furniture and woodworking, making it highly versatile due to its exceptional properties.

Where and how does it grow?

We have compiled information about the properties and uses of Paulownia wood.

The wood of the Paulownia tree is soft, light and smooth. which is very light and dries easily in the open air.

paulownia tree price

Paulownia, a fast-growing tree with premium class lightweight hardwood demanded in shipbuilding, furniture and construction industries.
Planted in May 2020 in the EU/Romania

€49.00

The most important applications of Paulownia wood:

what is paulownia wood used for?

• Paulownia wood has many uses in various industries. Paulownia wood is a very valuable wood in the industry of furniture making, making musical instruments, boat making and airplane making, etc.
• It is used in pencil making, cabinet making, box making, matchmaking and paper making.
• It is used in the manufacture of musical and sports equipment such as surfboards and skis, sports rackets, toothpicks, ice cream sticks, and airplane industries.
• Paulownia wood is mainly used for building houses.
• Its advantage is that it dries quickly without deformation and has a high resistance to breakage. Timber, ceiling, flooring, window frames, doors, as well as any type of furniture, are produced from Paulownia wood. Paulownia wood is an excellent material that carpenters are very happy to process because of its softness.

read more: Wood Slabs

Characteristics of Paulownia wood

• As you walk near the paulownia wood panels, you will notice the beautiful rays on the surfaces. By placing your hands on the wooden surface, you can get a softer feeling like silk but warm.
• Due to the fact that water does not penetrate easily from the outer surface into and inside the wood, the high resistance of Paulownia wood against moisture is considered one of its special characteristics.
• Due to its anti-heat and fire properties, paulownia wood is used to prepare charcoal.
• Paulownia is a light wood, with a soft honey to light gray color. Its surface is characterized by a silky shine. The surface of the wood is quite noticeable due to the rings indicating the age of the wood.
• The heat tolerance threshold of Paulownia wood is 420°C, which is higher than normal forest wood (270°C).
• Due to its low density, wood has a relatively smooth surface. This feature is considered an advantage, but in some cases it can cause damage and minor scratches.

Everything about the Paulownia tree

Paulownia is currently known mainly to amateur gardeners, and this is due to the beautiful flowers that bloom in May, with large, even 70 cm long, fluff-covered leaves. The greatest growth of the Paulownia tree is observed in the first years of its life. With age (starting from the fifth year) it grows slowly and the diameter of the trunk increases by one centimeter every year.

Crown width and shape: 3-6 meters, it is scattered and circular.

Undoubtedly, Paulownia has important decorative and aesthetic values. Even when not blooming, its large leaves attracts attention from afar. Paulownia is praised by many for growing a large tree from a seedling in just a few years, creating a new green space like an old garden that has been well cared for over the years.

Paulownia impresses with its growth rate, and under favorable conditions, a tree can grow to two meters in a year after planting.

read more: Wood Plastic Composite

Paulownia tree has different characteristics. Among the characteristics of the Paulownia tree, the following can be mentioned:

• It is resistant to dehydration.
• The tree species is wide-leaved and grows fast.
• In the first year after becoming a seedling, it grows in the range of 4-6 meters.
• It creates an important alternative in global timber production.
• It is preferred in beekeeping because its flowers contain a lot of nectar.
• It is resistant to calcareous and chalky soils.
• It is resistant to soils with poor drainage.
• It is highly compatible with the air of industrial and smoky areas.
• Paulownia is good for wood and firewood.

The origin of the tree goes back to China and Japan. Since 2600 BC, Paulownia has been considered a sacred tree and a symbol of good luck. In Asian countries, the tradition of planting this amazing tree was created after the birth of a girl in the family. After that, on the day of the girl’s wedding, the trunk of the tree was cut and a wooden box was made from it to carry the girl’s furniture. Foresters point to Paulownia’s resistance to temperature as well as attacks by parasites and insects.

However, the wood and energy industries seem to be most interested in Paulownia.

Due to the strong and deep roots of paulownia, it grows quickly after cutting, which means that even several harvestings from the wood of one seedling are possible.

In addition, this wood is high quality, durable and lightweight.

The achievements of Paulownia affect the industry, assuming that 2000 trees are planted per hectare, after about 5-7 years, about 200-300 tons of wood with qualitative parameters can be harvested.

The thermal value of Paulownia is similar to birch, about 15.5 MJ/kg (wood moisture: 20%).

Optimistic forecasts says that under favorable weather conditions, a 5 to 7-year-old farm can produce about 100 tons of Paulownia wood per year.

It is not surprising that not only the business world, but also the scientific world is interested in this plant and its huge potential.

Japanese Paulownia Wood

Japanese Paulownia Wood (kiri wood):

Paulownia Tomentosa (Kiri in Japanese) is a deciduous tree that native to central and western China. It grows a lot in some of Asian countries, Australia, and North America.

It has some common name such as Paulownia, Royal Paulownia, Princess Tree, and Kiri.

This tree is a fast-growing tree, it can grow up to 4 meters in the first year. It has a pinkish-lavender color flower that blooms in April.

Kiri wood have a light color, and known as a strong and fine-grained wood.

Considerations:

Paulownia wood has attracted many fans from all over the world due to its unique features such as lightweight and high resistance to heat. Paulownia grows naturally from north to south China, and different figures vary according to specific climatic and ecological tolerances in this vast region. As a result, the density or specific weight of wood is different according to the variety and growth conditions.

If you are looking for very beautiful and light furniture, the furniture made from the wood of this tree will certainly surprise you because this wood is the lightest and strongest type of wood in the world. It is odorless and naturally resistant to fire, salt water, termites and rot.

What do you think about this wood?

An Attractive Material: 8 Facts About Paulownia Wood

1. Kiri tree, from the fast-growing paulownia family, is the fastest-growing tree in the world, and its wood is among the lightest. It weighs only 250 to 350 kilograms per cubic meter, which is roughly one-third the weight of oak per cubic meter. Paulownia’s low weight makes it an ideal construction material where every gram matters: boat and shipbuilding, tiny houses and caravan sections, interior furnishings, packaging, and sports equipment like surfboards and skis.
2. This wood has a honeycomb-like cellular structure, which makes it incredibly strong relative to its weight, giving it exceptional stability. Hence, paulownia wood is known as the “aluminum among woods.”
3. Unlike many other types of wood, paulownia wood is highly suitable for outdoor use. Its special properties mean that it dries very quickly, helping prevent the growth of moss, fungi, and mildew. Burckhardt Institute at the University of Göttingen conducted months-long experiments confirming that even after long-term exposure to weather, paulownia wood does not split, warp, or crack.
4. As the tree grows, it traps a relatively large amount of air within its cells, giving the wood excellent insulating properties. Paulownia wood’s insulating ability is approximately twice that of oak (thermal conductivity for paulownia: 0.09, oak: 0.2). This makes it ideal for constructing saunas, houses, engine rooms, doors, windows, curtains, and even for cladding the facades of buildings.
5. Paulownia wood is dimensionally very stable, even in environments with fluctuating humidity. It has very minimal expansion and contraction.
6. The wood has a light color, with a fine and consistent grain pattern, and its surface is notably smooth and pleasant to touch. Only grade one paulownia wood from European farms is placed in the KIRITEC range. Their very straight trunks are virtually branch-free, providing exceptionally high-quality, smooth-looking wood. This is why high-grade paulownia wood is particularly suitable for use in places where appearance matters, such as furniture making, coffins, and musical instruments. In Japan, it’s traditionally used to make kimono wardrobes.
7. Paulownia wood has a relatively high ignition point: it only ignites at temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius. In comparison, a pine tree’s ignition point is only 225 degrees Celsius.
8.  Processing paulownia wood, whether by hand or mechanically, is very easy and versatile, whether as plywood, glued boards, solid wood boards with a wood core, wood chips, or three-layer boards. The boards and products made from paulownia do not splinter but absorb paints and stains well.”

Paulownia timber for sale

Finland Wood Company, with years of experience in selling paulownia lumber, is ready to provide services to customers. Paulownia lumber is very lightweight, easy to nail and screw, no cracks.

How strong is Paulownia?

Paulownia is a durable wood and has high strength compared to other woods. If we want to compare this wood with balsa wood, we can confidently say that Paulownia is stronger than balsa.

Do Paulownia trees grow in Australia?

Paulownia is a tree that needs a suitable environment to grow. Areas that have summer rainfall and are dry in winter are the perfect environment for Paulownia tree to grow. Therefore, Australia has these conditions. The soil of Australia is fertile and has a suitable substrate for the growth of the Paulownia tree

Is Paulownia wood waterproof?

Paulownia wood is highly resistant to moisture. Therefore, it is a suitable wood for outdoor flooring.

What is the price of paulownia wood?

We cannot accurately say the value of Paulownia wood. But its price range is 300 to 600 euros. Paulownia is the most valuable hardwood tree in the world.

Is paulownia wood toxic?

Paulownia wood is non-toxic. So far, there has been no report about this tree being toxic.

What is Paulownia wood used for?

Paulownia wood is odorless and suitable for making furniture, toys, musical instruments, plywood, and building wooden houses.

Is Paulownia wood fire resistant?

One of the important points about this wood is that it is flame retardant. It does not catch fire easily and this is an important feature for building a wooden house.

What is the density of paulownia wood?

Paulownia is considered to have one of the lowest densities among the wood species with an air dry density of approx. 0.25–0.3 g/cm3