Led astray by YouTube!

[Munty Scruntfundle]

For some time now I have believed the word Saple, or Sapele, was used to describe stored wood where bacteria had left the beautiful lined patterns we're all mesmerised by. I'd seen this described on Youtube and stupidly believed the bloke instead of researching further.

But, of course Sapele is a mahogany. Nice wood.

So what is the correct name/word/term I should be using for wood patterned by bacteria activity and decomposition?

Thank you.

 

[CHJ]

Spalted

 

[novocaine]

I read this as "Light Emitting Diode Ashtray by Youtube!"

I was a bit confused.

 

[gog64]

Isn’t it fungal?

If you like that, you might like brown oak as well. I was lucky enough to have a lovely plank of that in a batch bought earlier this year.

 

[MikeG.]

Isn’t it fungal?.....

No, that's the cause of the spalting. "Spalted", as CHJ has pointed out, is the term our OP is after.

 

[Alpha-Dave]

I read this as "Light Emitting Diode Ashtray by Youtube!"

I was a bit confused.

That got me too.

Spalted is definitely the term needed, I believe it is fungal and larger areas of colour change are due to the wood being consumed, and the dark ‘ink lines’ are where different colonies meet and they are effectively battle lines.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.wood-database.com/sapele/

is a useful site.

 

[gog64]

Isn’t it fungal?.....

No, that's the cause of the spalting. "Spalted", as CHJ has pointed out, is the term our OP is after.

Mike, that just goes to show how rubbish I am at communicating! Chas had already correctly answered the OP, I was just gently correcting him that it was fungal, not bacterial action that causes the effect.

It's interesting that it's the "imperfections" in wood that sometimes makes us like it even more. I seem to have had lots of spalted wood this year; alder, sycamore, elm, chestnut. Some looks lovely, some fit only for the wood burner!

 

[Munty Scruntfundle]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Why my browser decided my title should be about an LED Astray, I have no idea. Don't think I've ever viewed an LED Astray. Probably pilot error, who knows!