I recently bought some purpleheart lumber for the first time and noticed it has a strong, unpleasant smell that reminds me of cat urine. Is this typical for purpleheart, or could there be another reason it smells like this?
2 Answers
Yeah, I've bought purpleheart lumber before, and I think the smell can be a bit off-putting. I wouldn't describe it as smelling like cat pee, but when you cut it, it can have a strange odor—sort of like farts, honestly. It might just be the way different people perceive the scent, though. Just a heads up, watch out for those splinters; purpleheart can be pretty gnarly!
I've worked with purpleheart a bunch, and I've never encountered that kind of smell while cutting or sanding it. Though I have to say, other woods like redheart have a rubbery scent when you work with them. Maybe check if something else was on the wood?
Lol, no kidding about the splinters! I've had a few bad experiences myself. But the smell is definitely one of those things you get used to over time.