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Some of the purpleheart instruments I've built (mostly dulcimers) have remained vibrant purple for years, and some faded a bit over a few months. I built a dresser out of purpleheart, and a section of one of the boards in the top turned brown almost immediately. When first assembled it looked fine.
A good finish with UV protection is Captain's varnish:
https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/p ... detail/100
Rather expensive. Being a spar varnish it has good elastic properties. I would use it on the back and sides and use something else for the top.

There seems to be a lot more than one wood that is sold as Purple Heart--many different subspecies. I've had some boards that stayed pretty purple, and others that went browner after a period of time.

Dave

So when I cut it sand it it sun brown…ish… over a few days it turns purple. If I sit something on it it turns brown again
The reason I’m asking is:::: will a finish on the wood cause it to brown out and looks the purple color?
Is it oxygen? Uv?
B

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Author:	SnowManSnow [ Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:34 am ]
Post subject:	Purple Heart color
So when I cut it sand it it sun brown…ish… over a few days it turns purple. If I sit something on it it turns brown again The reason I’m asking is:::: will a finish on the wood cause it to brown out and looks the purple color? Is it oxygen? Uv? B Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Author:	bcombs510 [ Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:45 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Purple Heart color
https://www.wood-database.com/purpleheart/ https://www.wood-database.com/wood-arti ... tic-woods/ The purpleheart guitar I built around 6 years ago is more of a rusty color now. It has endurovar on it. I'm not sure endurovar would do anything to slow UV. Maybe look at one of the UV inhibiting finishes (I don't know what they are ).

Author:	Clay S. [ Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:21 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Purple Heart color
Some of the purpleheart instruments I've built (mostly dulcimers) have remained vibrant purple for years, and some faded a bit over a few months. I built a dresser out of purpleheart, and a section of one of the boards in the top turned brown almost immediately. When first assembled it looked fine. A good finish with UV protection is Captain's varnish: https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/p ... detail/100 Rather expensive. Being a spar varnish it has good elastic properties. I would use it on the back and sides and use something else for the top.

Author:	SnowManSnow [ Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:28 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Purple Heart color
Clay S. wrote: Some of the purpleheart instruments I've built (mostly dulcimers) have remained vibrant purple for years, and some faded a bit over a few months. I built a dresser out of purpleheart, and a section of one of the boards in the top turned brown almost immediately. When first assembled it looked fine. A good finish with UV protection is Captain's varnish: https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/p ... detail/100 Rather expensive. Being a spar varnish it has good elastic properties. I would use it on the back and sides and use something else for the top. Well my thought concerning UV eas maybe that’s what KEEPS it purple, since if I turn a board down that side browns Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Author:	ballbanjos [ Tue Nov 16, 2021 7:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Purple Heart color
There seems to be a lot more than one wood that is sold as Purple Heart--many different subspecies. I've had some boards that stayed pretty purple, and others that went browner after a period of time. Dave

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Author:	Darrel Friesen [ Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:41 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Purple Heart color
ballbanjos wrote: There seems to be a lot more than one wood that is sold as Purple Heart--many different subspecies. I've had some boards that stayed pretty purple, and others that went browner after a period of time. Dave You could be right Dave. I've only used it once for binding a tenor uke. Seems to be just as purple as it was 15 years ago.

Author:	Tai Fu [ Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Purple Heart color
SnowManSnow wrote: So when I cut it sand it it sun brown…ish… over a few days it turns purple. If I sit something on it it turns brown again The reason I’m asking is:::: will a finish on the wood cause it to brown out and looks the purple color? Is it oxygen? Uv? B Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I guess it's UV... I made a Purpleheart guitar a while back but used HS grade 2K poly on it, with UV protection, and it never changed color at all.

Author:	SnowManSnow [ Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:23 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Purple Heart color
When I get time I’ll experiment w this. I’m also an amateur marine biologist and have salt water reef aquarium. As a result I have some lights that target the UV spectrum Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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