Freshly sawn padauk has an attractive coral red colour. The grain is straight, but is sometimes interlocked. Exposure to light rapidly discolours the heartwood, which takes on a black brown colour. The wood has a medium coarse to coarse texture. Padauk is easy to machine. Pre-drilling is necessary; surface treatment is difficult due to the presence of resin in this wood. Padauk does not take long to dry. Generally, there is a possibility of fine cracks.

Padauk is preferably used for manufacturing interior and exterior façades as well as door and window frames. This high-quality wood is also suitable for manufacturing furniture, stairs and parquet floors.