About the wood we use

Here at BespokeDesigns.shop we work with a variety of woods. Listed below are common ones we use. Species listed here can be used for planchette bodies and inlays. Most of these we can also get as a veneer. TIP: click the name of the wood for a link to The Wood Database's page that describes the wood in detail.

Please note that wood is a natural product, and is subject to variations in color, tone, density, and grain patterns. These variations are not defects but rather enhance the beauty and uniqueness of each product.

If you are looking for something that's not included here, we can special order almost anything.

Alder

Alder is a soft, light wood with a subtle grain and warm, reddish undertones. Traditionally associated with protection and guidance, alder has Celtic roots as a sacred tree. Its gentle energy makes it ideal for tools used in communication and introspection.

Ash

Ash is strong, flexible, and light in color with a pronounced grain. In Norse mythology, the World Tree Yggdrasil was an ash, symbolizing connection between realms. Ash is excellent for planchettes intended for spiritual grounding and ancestral work.

Alder

Basswood

Basswood is soft, light, and easy to carve, making it ideal for intricate inlays or engraved designs. It carries a neutral, open energy—perfect for those seeking clarity and openness in their spiritual practice.

Beech

Beech is dense and pale with a fine, even grain. It has been historically linked to wisdom and learning—early books were inscribed on beech tablets. A beech planchette may support intellectual and spiritual exploration.

Black Limba

Black Limba features dramatic dark streaks through a golden base. It has a mysterious, grounding energy and is often used in ceremonial instruments. Its bold appearance makes it ideal for tools used in shadow work or deep spiritual inquiry.

Bloodwood

Deep red and richly colored, Bloodwood is visually striking and symbolically powerful. It’s often associated with vitality, sacrifice, and life force. A Bloodwood planchette may be suited for intense spiritual work or energy channeling.

Bubinga

Bubinga is dense, reddish-brown, and highly figured. Known for its strength and resonance, it’s often used in sacred instruments. Bubinga carries a regal, stabilizing energy—ideal for tools used in ritual or structured spiritual practice.

Butternut

Light and soft with a warm, golden tone, Butternut is sometimes called "white walnut." It has a gentle, nurturing energy and is perfect for those seeking comfort, healing, or emotional connection in their spiritual work.

Canarywood

Canarywood is vibrant and multicolored, ranging from yellow to red streaks. It brings a lively, uplifting energy and is ideal for creative or expressive spiritual practices, such as automatic writing or divination.

Cherry

Cherry darkens beautifully with age and has a smooth, warm grain. It’s associated with love, renewal, and the cycles of life. Cherry planchettes are ideal for heart-centered spiritual work and connecting with emotional truths.

Curly Maple

Curly Maple features a shimmering, wavy grain that seems to move with the light. It symbolizes transformation and spiritual awakening. Its dynamic appearance makes it a favorite for tools used in visionary or intuitive practices.

Hard Maple

Hard Maple is pale, dense, and durable. It offers a clean, focused energy that supports clarity and precision. Ideal for those who value structure and discipline in their spiritual practice.

Leopardwood

Leopardwood has a striking spotted pattern, resembling the coat of its namesake. It carries a bold, protective energy and is well-suited for tools used in boundary-setting or spirit protection rituals.

Mahogany

Rich and reddish-brown, Mahogany is a classic wood associated with strength, stability, and wisdom. It’s often used in sacred furniture and instruments. Mahogany planchettes are grounding and ideal for deep, meditative work.

White Oak

Oak is a symbol of strength, endurance, and sacred knowledge. Revered in many traditions, it’s often linked to the divine and the ancestors. Oak planchettes are perfect for ancestral communication and long-term spiritual growth.

Osage Orange

Bright yellow and extremely durable, Osage Orange has been used in Native American spiritual tools. It carries a protective, radiant energy and is ideal for tools meant to shield or illuminate.

Padauk

Padauk is a vivid orange-red wood that darkens over time. It’s associated with vitality, creativity, and passion. A Padauk planchette may energize your practice and help unlock expressive or emotional blockages.

Pine

Pine is light, aromatic, and spiritually significant in many traditions. It symbolizes purification, peace, and connection to higher realms. Pine is an excellent choice for beginners or those seeking a gentle, uplifting energy.

Poplar

Poplar is soft and pale with subtle greenish hues. It has a quiet, neutral energy that makes it a versatile base for spiritual tools. Ideal for those who want a blank slate for their own energetic imprint.

Purpleheart

Purpleheart is a deep violet wood that darkens with age. It’s associated with spiritual insight, transformation, and higher consciousness. A Purpleheart planchette is perfect for those exploring mysticism or psychic development.

Sapele

Sapele is a reddish-brown wood with a shimmering, ribbon-like grain. It offers a refined, balanced energy and is often used in sacred music instruments. Sapele tools are ideal for harmonizing the spiritual and material.

Black Walnut

Walnut is dark, rich, and elegant. It symbolizes wisdom, introspection, and the hidden self. Walnut planchettes are ideal for shadow work, dream interpretation, and deep spiritual reflection.

Wenge

Wenge is dark, dense, and textured, with a grounding, protective energy. It’s often used in ritual tools and is excellent for shielding and anchoring spiritual work.

Yellowheart

Bright and cheerful, Yellowheart brings a radiant, solar energy. It’s associated with joy, clarity, and personal power. A Yellowheart planchette may support confidence and positive transformation.

Zebrawood

Zebrawood features bold, striped patterns and a strong, assertive energy. It’s ideal for those seeking to make a statement or channel bold, clear messages from the spirit realm.

Note: some species of wood are exceptionally hard and/or have high silica content that makes them more difficult to work with and also increases the wear and tear on our equipment and consumables (especially bits, blades, and sandpaper). To offset our increased cost in time and materials, these species will incur an additional cost when used as the main body or as an inlay. Veneers of these species will not incur additional costs:

Bloodwood
Leopardwood
Osage Orange
Purpleheart

Sapele
Wenge
Zebrawood