West Penn Hardwoods Discovers “Tree of a Lifetime” in Brazil!
We’ve all seen trees throughout our lifetimes, and from time to time there’s a tree that stands out in our mind for whatever reason. It could be the type of tree, its shape, how tall it is or any number of things. Rocky Mehta, co-owner of West Penn Hardwoods, a company that specializes in exotic wood, discovered his “Tree of a Lifetime” while looking for wood in Brazil.
About West Penn Hardwoods
Rocky and his wife Kim own West Penn Hardwoods and have been in business 23 years. Rocky grew up in India and moved to the U.S. in 1991. He met Kim while working in a restaurant, and they later married.
Kim’s father taught Rocky about the domestic lumber business, which is what he specialized in. Rocky took that knowledge and later diversified by offering exotic wood from other countries. Rocky and Kim started West Penn Hardwoods in 1995, and it has continued to grow. In fact, three years ago, they moved their company from New York to Conover, North Carolina, into a larger facility and to an area that is closer to southern shipping ports. Now offering over 100 different wood species, West Penn Hardwoods takes pride its operation and wood products. Continually scanning the globe, the Mehtas are able to obtain some pretty amazing wood
1,000+ Year Old Pequiá Tree – A Tree Of A Lifetime!
Now, back to that “Tree of a Lifetime.” Rocky travels extensively in foreign countries to find exotic wood. Last year, while traveling in Brazil, he saw a large, dead tree in the middle of 15-20 acres of swamp land on a farm in the jungle. He found out from talking with the local people that this Pequiá tree had been dead for at least 60 years. The tree was also partly hollow and had been burned in certain areas.
So, how large was the tree? The trunk measured 10’ 9” in diameter, but the local sawmill could only cut up to 52”, so It had to be cut into sections. The cutting process revealed that the wood was completely covered in burls and was absolutely beautiful!
Here are some images of the massive Pequiá tree before and after being cut in Brazil.
The Pequiá slabs are burled throughout. Each slab is unique. The rustic and burned edges are beautiful.
However, before the tree could be cut, the Mehtas had to wait six months to receive the proper permits. Rocky said doing due diligence when getting permits and checking paperwork is of utmost importance to West Penn Hardwoods when dealing with wood, especially in other countries. The Pequiá Tree was cut into 189 slabs and brought back to the U.S., where the slabs can now be purchased exclusively through Woodcraft.
Check Out The Video About This 1,000+ Year Old Pequiá Tree
You Can Buy These Pequiá Slabs at Woodcraft!
Woodcraft is now selling these amazingly beautiful burled Pequiá Slabs at Woodcraft retail stores and online at woodcraft.com.
How cool would that be to make a table or special project out of a slab like this? It would certainly be beautiful, plus have a special story behind it like no other. Who knows, you might even make the “Project of a Lifetime.”
The slabs were sent through a planing and sanding process at the West Penn Hardwoods warehouse.
We’re thankful to Rocky and his crew for combing the world to get special wood for our projects. Rocky commented that he has the best job in the world. Through his job, he enjoys learning about different cultures and has learned many languages. Most of the time, he interacts with the Mayans or the Indians in Brazil, Mexico and Guatemala.
He said it’s also gratifying to know that the wood he obtains is later made into treasures by woodworkers around the world. Rocky said part of the pleasure of his job is knowing that the end users are so happy with his products.
Let Us Know What You Make Out Of These Slabs!
Woodcraft would love to see what you create with your Pequiá slabs. Please send us a note with some pictures to custserv@woodcraft.com. We would like to share them with the Woodcraft audience.
