Sandstone

Purple Wood

Purple Wood is a Chinese sedimentary sandstone from Ju County in the city area of Rizhao in Shandong province, with a warm rosé-lilac mauve ground mass and very fine, evenly parallel layered banding that is a deceptively convincing likeness of figured wenge wood. Also traded internationally as Purple Wood Grain, Purple Wooden, Purple Wenge Sandstone and, in the Chinese market, as Zi Mu Wen Shayan; used for wall and façade claddings, interior floors, stairs, window sills and prestige wall accents with the character of wood in stone.

Sandstone China

Available as: Slabs

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About Purple Wood

Purple Wood is among the most extraordinary sandstone grades in the world, because its sedimentary layering produces a deceptively convincing likeness of wood grain. The ground tone is a warm rosé-lilac mauve with subtle transitions to dusty purple and old-rose tones. Across the entire slab surface run very fine, evenly parallel horizontal bandings of darker violet-brown and paler creamy rosé layers — the sedimentation strata of the original sand deposition process have become visible through the fine-grained structure as regular, almost wavy lines. The picture is astonishingly reminiscent of figured wenge or mahogany wood with a warm purple-red tinting — hence the international trade names “Wood Grain” and “Wenge Sandstone”. Here and there subtle darker mineral streaks or paler quartz zones set fine additional accents. The slab picture looks warm, organic and naturally grown overall — the stone offers a material aesthetic that mediates between the look of natural wood and a fine mineral sedimentary structure.

Geologically, Purple Wood is a Chinese quartz sandstone from Ju County in the city area of Rizhao in Shandong province, east of Beijing on the Yellow Sea. The quarries are located specifically in the Sangyuan Town region and are known for the production of purple sedimentary rocks with a characteristic wood-grain look. In the Chinese market the material runs under the name Zi Mu Wen Shayan (紫木纹砂岩), literally “purple wood-grain sandstone”. In international trade the synonyms Purple Wood, Purple Wood Grain, Purple Wooden and Purple Wenge Sandstone circulate. The Shandong origin and the range of aliases are consistently documented in the international market.

Technically, Purple Wood shows the typical values of a moderately porous sandstone: bulk density 2,500–2,650 kg/m³ and water absorption 0.5–0.8 percent by weight. Sandstones of this type usually show compressive strengths between 60–120 MPa and flexural strengths of around 8–15 MPa. The Mohs hardness is 3–4 (through the quartz binder) — markedly lower than with granite or quartzite. Sandstones are fundamentally acid-sensitive (particularly with a carbonate binder), but largely stable with a silicate binder.

At ROSSITTIS we carry Purple Wood as a raw slab in 20 mm thickness with the standard finish honed C220 (a matt, finely rough grinding stage), in tiles for floor and wall applications, as tread and riser for stairs, window sill, skirting and for project-specific cutting. The stone is also well suited to exterior façades, pool surrounds and paving with correct planning — the wood-grain look brings an exceptionally warm note into modern architecture. The typical slab thickness of 20 mm is standard. The surface finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.

Compared with classic warm-toned sandstones such as desert stone, red Main sandstone or Sahara Yellow, Purple Wood brings a dramatically different note of colour — the rosé-lilac mauve tinting is rare within the sandstone range worldwide. Compared with other Chinese wood-grain sandstones such as Yellow Wood Grain, Brown Wood or Grey Wood Grain Sandstone, Purple Wood is the most expressively warm and most unusual version with the most intense depth of colour. For architectural projects with an unusual staging of material — wall claddings with the character of wood, Japanese or Asian-inflected interiors, façades with a warm character, spa areas, pool surrounds, stone-and-wood combinations — Purple Wood is a very exclusive and expressive choice. Important in planning: sandstones are not high-performance hard stones; for intensively used kitchen worktops, dense quartzites or granites are the more robust choice, while in wall, façade and prestige floor applications Purple Wood plays its exceptional visual strength to the full.

In stock

Current availability from our warehouse.

24 slabs in stock · plus 1 block

Thicknesses: 2 cm · Finishes: Honed C220 · Available as: Slabs

Updated daily from our live stock.

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Finishes

Purple Wood is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.

Honed C220

Matt appearance created by fine honing with a C220 grit — the level surface has a calm look, and light honing marks are possible. More maintenance-intensive than polished, but with a characterful, natural appearance. A choice for sandstone floor areas and wall claddings that call for a matt Mediterranean effect.

Care & fabrication

As a sandstone, Purple Wood is markedly more care-intensive than dense hard rocks such as granite or quartzite. With a Mohs hardness of 3–4, moderate water absorption (0.5–0.8 %) and an acid sensitivity that varies with the type of binder, the stone requires deliberate care and careful impregnation. These points should be consciously taken into account when choosing the material.

For interior applications we recommend a careful impregnation on a silane or polysiloxane basis at first installation, applied in two coats for sufficient depth of penetration. The surface finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down. Impregnation protects against deep penetration of oil, grease, pigments and water marks — on the pale rosé-lilac ground mass, discolouration can otherwise settle visibly.

Daily care is done with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft cloth or microfibre mop. Clear warm water is usually enough. Acidic cleaners (vinegar, citric acid, sanitary cleaners, limescale removers) are to be avoided with sandstones with a calcitic binder, because they attack the binder and can damage the surface permanently. With a pure quartz binder, acids are less critical. Film-forming care products and abrasive pads are to be avoided in every case.

For kitchen worktops, Purple Wood with its lower Mohs hardness (3–4) is markedly more sensitive than granite or quartzite — it is not fully resistant to cuts and scratches. Hot pots should not be set down directly (use trivets), and you should react promptly to sharp knives, acids and strongly colouring foods (beetroot, turmeric, red wine). For intensively used professional kitchens we recommend alternative hard stones; for a warm, characterful designer kitchen with a deliberate material effect, however, Purple Wood can be very effective with good care.

For exterior applications a slip-resistant textured finish is obligatory — on smooth exterior surfaces there is a high risk of slipping when wet. Before exterior façades, pool surrounds or level exterior applications we recommend a project-specific data sheet check on frost resistance. In areas with frequent salt contact (de-icing salt, pool chlorine) we recommend an additional annual refresh of the impregnation; Chinese sandstones sometimes react sensitively to freeze/de-icing salt cycles.

Durable care rests on consistent impregnation, prompt reaction to stains and the avoidance of aggressive cleaners. Anyone who observes these care notes is rewarded with a material effect that no other stone offers in this form — the character of wood grain in natural stone.

Frequently asked questions

What makes Purple Wood so special?

Purple Wood is one of the few natural stones worldwide whose sedimentary layering produces a deceptively convincing wood-grain look. The combination of a rosé-lilac mauve ground mass and fine, parallel layered bandings is astonishingly reminiscent of figured wenge or mahogany wood — hence the international trade names “Wood Grain” and “Wenge Sandstone”. In this form no other natural stone offers a comparably warm, wood-like character with a lilac-violet tinting.

What is Purple Wood geologically?

Purple Wood is a Chinese quartz sandstone from Ju County in the city area of Rizhao in Shandong province, Sangyuan Town region. In the Chinese market the material runs as Zi Mu Wen Shayan (紫木纹砂岩, “purple wood-grain sandstone”). Geologically it is a sedimentary quartz sandstone with characteristic fine layered bandings, coloured differently by varying iron oxide and manganese mineralisations.

Which synonyms are there for Purple Wood?

In international trade, Purple Wood also runs under the designations Purple Wood Grain, Purple Wooden, Purple Wenge Sandstone and, in the Chinese market, as Zi Mu Wen Shayan. All designations refer to the same sandstone from Shandong province with its characteristic wood-grain look.

Is Purple Wood suitable for kitchen worktops?

Suitable with reservations, and with clear restrictions. At a Mohs hardness of 3–4, Purple Wood is markedly more sensitive than granite or quartzite — it is not fully resistant to cuts and scratches, is acid-sensitive (particularly with a calcitic binder) and needs intensive impregnation. For intensively used professional kitchens we recommend alternative hard stones. For a warm, characterful designer kitchen with a deliberate material effect and careful maintenance, however, Purple Wood can be very effective — particularly for vintage or wabi-sabi concepts with a deliberate acceptance of patina.

Is Purple Wood suitable for exterior use?

Yes, with several points to observe. A matt, textured surface finish is obligatory for slip resistance. Before large-area exterior applications we recommend a project-specific data sheet check on frost resistance. In regions with salt loading (de-icing salt, pool chlorine) an additional annual refresh of the impregnation makes sense. With correct planning, Purple Wood is particularly attractive for façades with a warm character, pool surrounds, exterior stairs and areas in which the wood-grain look is used in design terms.

How do I clean and care for Purple Wood?

Purple Wood requires deliberate care: first installation with a two-coat silane or polysiloxane impregnation, daily care with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a microfibre cloth. Acidic cleaners (vinegar, citric acid, sanitary cleaners) are to be avoided with a calcitic binder. Refresh the impregnation every 3–5 years (in heavily used areas every 2–3 years). Film-forming care products and abrasive pads are to be avoided.

Which finishes are there for Purple Wood?

The surface finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block on this page.

How does Purple Wood differ from other wood-grain sandstones?

In the Chinese market there is a whole family of wood-grain sandstones — Yellow Wood Grain (yellow-brownish), Brown Wood (brown-mahogany), Grey Wood Grain (grey-anthracite), Red Wood Sandstone (warm red) and Purple Wood (rosé-lilac mauve). Purple Wood is the most expressively warm and visually most unusual version with the highest colour intensity. For designer projects looking for a warm, unusual wood character with the quality of sandstone, Purple Wood is the most expressive choice.

What does Purple Wood cost?

The price depends on the batch, thickness, surface finish and fabrication — with natural stone there is no serious flat rate per square metre. Business customers see prices once their B2B account is activated; private customers receive a complete quote through a fabricator near them.