Root Wood vs. Driftwood vs. Burl
Three natural materials that look similar from across a room. Up close, they are very different.
Names get blurred. Knowing the difference helps you understand what you are buying.
Summary
- Root wood comes from the underground part of a tree.
- Driftwood is wood shaped by water over time, and burl is a growth on the trunk or branch.
- Each has its own character and uses.
Key takeaways
- Root wood is dense and twisted from growing underground.
- Driftwood is weathered and often lighter.
- Burl is a distinctive growth with swirling grain, and is a different material from root.
In the world of natural objects, three terms get used loosely: root wood, driftwood, and burl. They overlap in people's minds, but they refer to different things.
Root wood
Root wood is the wood from the roots of a tree. It grows underground, and its shape is determined by the soil, stones, and obstacles the root meets. The grain tends to swirl and twist, and the wood is often dense.
Our pieces are made from root balls, the thick mass at the base of old coffee trees.
Driftwood
Driftwood is wood that has been carried by water, a river or the sea, and worn by it over time. It is typically smooth, bleached, and weathered, with a silvery or gray surface. It may come from any part of a tree, and often has a hollow or brittle quality.
Driftwood is beautiful in its own way, and makes lovely decor. But its shape comes from erosion, and its surface is the result of weather, not of a living tree's growth.
Burl
A burl is a rounded growth that forms on a tree, usually on the trunk or a branch. It is often caused by stress, injury, or infection, and it produces a dense mass of twisted grain, full of small knots and swirls. Burl wood is highly prized for veneers, bowls, and furniture.
A burl is above ground, while a root is below. Their grain patterns can look similar, with swirls and eyes, but the wood has a different origin.
How to tell them apart
If a piece is smooth, silvery, and light, with a weathered look, it is probably driftwood. If it has a dense, rounded mass with tightly packed knots and swirls, it may be burl. If it has an irregular, branching form with swirling grain and a dense feel, it may be root wood.
In practice, makers and sellers sometimes blur these terms, so it helps to ask where a piece came from.
What makes ours different
Our material is neither driftwood nor burl. It is root wood from old coffee trees, a species not usually used for this purpose. Its pale body and dark mineral-like streaks are distinctive. You can read about the material in What Is Root Wood, and Why Coffee Root Is Different.
Common questions
Is root wood the same as burl?
No. Root wood grows underground, while a burl is a growth on the trunk or branch. Their grain can look similar.
Is driftwood stronger than root wood?
Not generally. Driftwood has been weathered by water and is often lighter and more brittle.
Keep reading
Every piece is one of one.
Browse the specimen archive and acquire the piece that speaks to you. Each is catalogued once and sold once.