Does Bubinga Fade in Bright Sunlight?
Sunlight doesn't lighten Bubinga wood — it darkens it. April 4, 2011
Question
I have a project coming up that I am considering bubinga for that is in a room with a lot of windows. Probably 12' x 6' on the south and west side each. Although the south is shaded by several holly trees, the west is pretty exposed. I have used this wood on several projects back through the years, but always back in darker settings, and none have faded. I know it is not a dalbergia, or true rosewood, which I think most would surely fade here. Will bubinga (guibourtia tessmannii) do the same?
Forum Responses
(Architectural Woodworking Forum)
From contributor S:
The bubinga I have used turned brown.
From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
Without water, it will darken rather than bleach.
From the original questioner:
Thanks Gene. That was what I was hoping to hear, although I would like to know more about the water part. Does that mean that a glass of ice left on it will leave a light circle?
From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
Water will often cause the chemicals in the wood to migrate to the wet spot and that will leave a dark ring when the water evaporates and leaves the heavy concentration of chemicals behind. A few woods, due to the presence of tannic acid will leave dark rings if there is any iron in the wood (oak is most commonly found to do this). UV light and water tend to breakdown the wood and the chemicals are leached out or washed away, leaving a bleached appearance. Specifically, for bubinga, I do not know what a glass of water will do.
