Post #219544 by Benzart on Wed, Mar 8, 2006 10:53 AM

Spaulting is the term used for the coloring that wood gets as it is drying out. Usually is is only greyish streaks running through the wood, but some woods develop a Beautiful coloring made up of reds, yellows, blues and greens all in various shades. You can never tell what the pattern will be. It happens when mold spores begin the deterioration process of the wood. the spaulting gets deeper and covers more of the wood as time goes on, until the piece of wood is no longer good. The Podocarpus posted above is a totally light tan wood. All the coloring you see there is from spaulting. This dolphin is ficus, normally a creamy white wood, but spaulting gives it these colors

Hope this answers your question.