Mesquite

Mesquite
Appearance
COLOR: Heartwood is creamy white to light reddish brown; sapwood is pale to creamy white.
GRAIN: Closed, subdued grain, with medium figuring and uniform texture. Occasionally shows quilted, fid-dleback, curly or bird’s-eye figuring. Figured boards often culled during grading and sold at a premium.
VARIATIONS WITHIN SPECIES AND GRADES: Black maple (B. nigrum) is also hard; other species are classified as soft.

Properties
HARDNESS (JANKA): 1450; 12% harder than Northern red oak.
DIMENSIONAL STABILITY: Average (change coefficient .00353; 4% more stable than red oak).
DURABILITY: Dense, strong, tough, stiff; excellent shock resistance — often used in bowling alleys and athletic facilities. Markedly resistant to abrasive wear.