Swiss pear, also known as European pear, is an exotic wood primarily used in architectural millwork when it has no figure and for furniture when it exhibits a mottled or pommele figure. Supplies of European pearwood are available from
Swiss pear, also known as European pear, is an exotic wood primarily used in architectural millwork when it has no figure and for furniture when it exhibits a mottled or pommele figure. Supplies of European pearwood are available from a limited number of U.S. exotic wood dealers in two species, the pear trees that grow in orchards (Pyrus communis) and the trees that are found in the wild (Pyrus sorbus).
European pear primarily grows in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and is among Europe’s hottest woods. In this country, it is sold in both solid and veneer form. But it’s not always easy to find in the United States, and obtaining decent widths can be difficult because of the size of the tree.
“There are two species,” explains Rick Hearne of Hearne Hardwoods in Oxford, Pa. “Pyrus sorbus grows wild out in the woods — like black cherry — [producing] straighter and longer trees. Pyrus communis is used for domestic pear eating and they prune the trees to keep them low to the ground so they can pick the pears.”
Pear trees are normally about 20' to 30' tall, but those in the wild can reach 50'. Mature logs can run up to 8' to 12' long, with widths normally 4" to 8", but sometimes as wide as 18". The heartwood is pinkish-red and the sapwood is a pale yellow. Most of the pearwood imported to the United States is steamed to accentuate the pinkish-red color and reduce stress in the drying process.
“Pearwood is very nondescript,” says Steve King of All Righteous Woods, a retailer in Rowley, Mass. “We sell it mostly for architectural jobs. It’s very consistent in color and figure. It’s usually used as is; not stained. It’s steamed so it stabilizes and also to allow the color to blend into a very uniform color. Typically the logs run from 10" in diameter up to 2', and they’re usually from working orchards. The typical log is nothing over 8'. If there is anything decent over 8', it’s sent to a veneer mill; not necessarily the best stuff, but the longest.”
“We’ve sold quite a bit of pear in years past,” says Greg Engle, sales manager for Certainly Wood, a veneer dealer in East Aurora, N.Y. “They use pear in Europe like we use cherry here. On the veneer side, long, straight-structured logs are primarily what most people are requesting. A nominal width, ranging only from about 6" up to 10", is what you’d expect in a pearwood log.”
Swiss pear is used for fine furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments, tool handles,