AFRORMOSIA

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AFRORMOSIA

Afrormosia - also known as Assamela - is a rare wood, resistant to ageing and weathering. It is also very resistant against fungus and insect infestations, providing ideal conditions for indoor as well as outdoor use.

Description

Botanical name: Pericopsis elata
Overall character: Thanks to its color and shine, the fine porous surface of this wood can be very decorative. The appearance resembles teak wood.
Color and structure: The splint has a width of 2 to 3 centimetres and a white to light grey color. The yellowish brown to light olive tinted heartwood is sharply separated and the numerous dispersed pores are fine to medium-sized. However, the surface still has an even fine-porous appearance on the longitudinal plane.
Characteristics/features: Moderately heavy timber with strength properties comparable to Iroko and Afzelia. Fresh timber can be cut easily. Afrormosia has great staying power.
Areas of use: Because of its great characteristics, Afrormosia is used as a solid wood for face veneers and in indoor and outdoor areas. Thanks to the strength characteristics, it is especially suitable for spaces that are exposed to shifting weather conditions.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

ANGONGUI

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ANGONGUI

Angongui is a homogenous wood with a grey-pink tint. This wood is also known as Onzabili and has a coarse and felt-like structure.

Description

Botanical name: Antrocaryon klaineanum
Overall character: This simple and soft wood has moderate shrinking and good strength properties. However, it is not resistant to weather or insects.
Color and structure: There’s a minimal color difference between the heartwood and the sapwood: both are a greyish pink to light red, not clearly contrasted fom each other.
Characteristics/features: Angongui wood can be worked with all tools. It has proven itself to be a very elastic peeled veneer, and plywood panels made out of this material have great endurance.
Areas of use: As Angongui is a plain wood that’s not particularly decorative, it is mostly used indoors in areas that require medium strength construction woods. It is a peeled veneer similar to Okoume.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

ANIGRE

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ANIGRE

Anigre, which is also known as Aniegré, Aningré or Longhi, belongs to a group of woods that is divided in two shades: Anigre blanc (yellowish), and Anigre rouge (salmon).

Description

Botanical name: Aningeria robusta
Overall character: Anigre pores range from small to medium. They are spread out and the growth layers are slightly visible.
Color and structure: The heartwood of this timber has a yellowish to light red color. The color of the sapwood is visibly different.
Characteristics/features: Anigre wood is moderately hard and solid, not elastic, barely viscous and not durable. This wood is easily processable, sliceable and peelable.
Areas of use: Veneered wood for interior construction and the making of furniture. It is also used for the production of brushes and as a Walnut substitute in the plywood industry.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

AYOUS

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AYOUS

The light, almost white Ayous is one of the best-known kinds of imported timber from Africa. Because of its low weight and great staying power, Ayous has been used in indoor areas for decades. In Germany, Ayous also goes by other trading names, such as Obeche or Abachi. In the Ivory Coast it’s called Samba, whereas in Ghana it carries the name Wawa.

Description

Botanical name: Triplochiton scleroxylon
Overall character: Light, airy hardwood with a porous structure. The planed surfaces have a glossy appearance.
Color and structure: The splint and heartwood are light yellow to straw-colored. The splint can have a width of up to 15 centimetres. The unclear borders of the growth zones are identified by the fine. The borders of the growth zones are blurry in most cases, and can only be identified through very fine marginal parenchyma (ground tissue) and irregular porosity.
Characteristics/features: Pursuant to DIN-EN 350-2 (German Institute for Standardization and European Norms), Ayous is classified to have a class 5 durability. It is prone to fungus and insect infestation, and thus can’t be used outdoors without protection.
Areas of use: Appropriate for areas that require good form stability and low weight and no support. The solid wood can be used for ledges, concealed frames for paneled doors, model construction, sauna benches and packaging. Ayous is especially popular for sauna and theater construction.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

AZOBE / BONGOSSI

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AZOBE / BONGOSSI

Azobé (also: Bongossi) is among the hardest and most resistant construction timbers, and has successfully been applied in exterior construction for decades. This type of timber especially plays a major role in hydraulic construction.

Description

Botanical name: Lophira alata
Overall character: Very heavy dark wood with a porous yet even surface.
Color and structure: The splint has a width of up to 3 centimetres and a light auburn to grey color. The splint is separated from the violet heartwood through a pinkish-brown core layer that can be up to 7 centimetres long.
Characteristics/features: Very heavy timber with particularly high strength properties, which allow for efficient utilization thanks to the large size of the round wood. Despite having a hard feel while fresh, Azobe (Bongossi) can be easily processed with equipped tools. However, it takes more time and strength than other hardwoods.
Areas of use: Azobé is very popular and often used for outdoor construction exterior and hydraulic engineering. For particularly stressed building components with greater dimensional tolerance, Azobé is suitable for harbor construction, bridges, floating docks, cooling tower construction, treatment plants, noise and sight protection walls and fence systems.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

BAHIA

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BAHIA

Bahia, also known as Abura to German speakers, is a reddish wood, which is considered very valuable because of it’s distinct color and quality.

Description

Botanical name: Dalbergia decipularis
Overall character: Bahia consists of two wood types belonging to the genus Hallea, which is found in the African tropics. On moist grounds, this wood ensures stocks, so that a sustainable prvision is warranted.
Color and structure: No color difference between splint and core. Fresh, yellow and matte. Fine to medium dispersed porosity that is visible only on smooth surfaces.
Characteristics/features: The strength properties of Bahia ranges between those of Khaya and Dibetou. It’s moderately light to heavy in weight and easily processable in both its fresh and dried state.
Areas of use: Due to the fine uniform structure as well as the easy and versatile workability, Bahia can be used in many different ways. It can be used as veneer wood for interior construction, for ledges and staircases as well as for furniture construction.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

BETE / MANSONIA

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BETE / MANSONIA

Bete is an African broadleaved species that can be found in Western Central Africa. On the German log import market, Bete wood is also known as Mansonia or Bété.

Description

Botanical name: Mansonia altissima
Overall character: The pores of Bete wood are dispersed, which means that the existing vessels have no specific order. In most cases, the numerous vessels usually appear in radial groups of two to three pores. These narrow pore grooves are visible when a longitudinal section is done.
Color and structure: Bete timber has a white splint with a width of 4 centimetres. The color of the core varies depending on origin and provenience. It can be light to dark brown as well as violet-black, though the color can fade as a result of light exposure.
Characteristics/features: The heartwood is partly lined with matte reddish, purple or grey-green stripes. Due to the occasional violet-black color, the wood shows a significant similarity to that of the North American black walnut tree and is often mistakenly marketed as "African Walnut" in the veneer commerce.
Areas of use: Because of the similarity to the North American black walnut tree, Mansonia altissima wood is often used as a walnut tree substitute. It is also used for the production of musical instruments, especially for pianos.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

BILINGA

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BILINGA

Bilinga is a robust wood from Central and West Africa. Similar to Afzelia, this heavy wood’s strength properties outperform those of oak and Iroko timber.

Description

Botanical name: Nauclea diderrichii
Overall character: Visibly porous and mostly light wood with an often uneven fibre grain, but a plain optical appearance. ´
Color and structure: The splint is 3 to 5 centimetres wide and has a yellowish grey to light orange color. There’s a minimal contrast to the heartwood, which has a yellow tint with uneven pinkish stripes in the same trunk in some cases. This dry golden brown timber darkens when exposed to light.
Characteristics/features: Bilinga timber is heavy and has higher strength properties than oak and Iroko wood. They resembles Afzelia almost entirely. It is important to note that resistance to breakage is lower when the fibre flow is twisted.
Areas of use: Thanks of its great strength properties and high fungus resistance, Bilinga is especially used as a solid wood for building components under heavy strain, where subsequent fine cracking is not problematic. Some areas of application are framework, bedding, heavy construction, bridge construction, port engineering, heavy-duty flooring, sleepers and hydraulic engineering.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

BOSSE

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BOSSE

Just like mahagony, Bossé woods belong to the group of Meliaceae. Therefore, Bossé resembles mahagony wood in appearance and qualities.

Description

Botanical name: Guarea cedrata
Overall character: Depending on type and origin, the color can be a different shade of a reddish brown. This darkening wood has a slightly porous surface.
Color and structure: The pores are widely scattered and fine to medium-sized in Bossé claire timber, while they’re medium to large and less frequent in Bossé fonce. The vascular rays are merely fine reflections, and do not influence the overall appearance.
Characteristics/features: Bossé claire, in particular Guarea cedrata show signs of microscopically fine flint storage, which can require more strength during the processing of dry wood. Because of the reactivity of the grinding dust, it is important to ensure good suction.
Areas of use: All Bossé woods substantially resemble different kinds of mahagony and can therefore be used similarly; as solid wood, it can be used for small pieces of furniture, ship furniture, seating, vehicle equipment, pleasure crafts and their decks.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

CEDRELLA

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CEDRELLA

Since the beginning of overseas wood imports, Cedrella has been one of the most known kinds of wood. After the introduction of African timbers, its frequent use decreased. By promoting sawn wood imports, this interest can be fuelled again.

Description

Botanical name: Cedrela odorata
Overall character: Aromatic wood that varies in color and is visibly porous. Can resemble mahagony.
Color and structure: The sapwood is light grey or reddish grey and 3 to 5 centimetres wide. The heartwood has a pale yellowish brown to reddish brown color that darkens in the light. This slow-growing timber grows in higher areas and in areas South of the equator and generally has darker tones.
Characteristics/features: The qualities of the light Cedro wood, which is mostly found in lowlands, produce predominantly moderately light woods with strength characteristics similar to those of native pinewood.
Areas of use: Thanks to its easy workability, high fungus and insect infestation resistance and great staying power, Cedro is a very versatile wood.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

DABEMA

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DABEMA

Dabema is mostly found in the lower tropical rainforests in Western and Eastern Africa. It is very durable and has good staying power.

Description

Botanical name: Piptadeniastrum africanum
Overall character: The overall character of this timber is simple and the fibre flow is uneven. Consequently, slight stripes are visible on the surface.
Color and structure: The freshly harvested heartwood has a yellow-brown color. It oxidizes and develops a darker shade of brown. The 3 to 5 centimetre wide sapwood has a light grey to light brown tint and contrasts with the heartwood.
Characteristics/features: Due to crystal deposits in the timber, conventional tools can dull quickly. It is therefore recommended to use carbide tools. Holes for nails and screws should be drilled ahead imperatively.
Areas of use: This timber can be be used for a variety of purposes. As a construction wood, it is able to withstand medium to heavy stress indoors and outdoors.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

DIBETOU

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DIBETOU

Dibetou is not part of the walnut genus Juglans. Aside from the wood types of West African descent, there are two other Central and East African species with very similar woods. However, they do not have any supra-regional significance.

Description

Botanical name: Lovoa trichilioides
Overall character: Wood with a moderately porous surface, that partly resembles walnut trees in color. It usually has a typical tropical wood structure, which means it has luminous stripes, similar to the appearance of mahagony timber.
Color and structure: The splint is white to light grey and generally has a width of about 5 centimetres. The heartwood is grey-brown to yellowish brown and contrasts visibly with the splint. It darkens strongly in the light, but doesn’t lose it’s glossy finish.
Characteristics/features: Dibetou is moderately light to heavy. Its strength properties are comparable to American mahagony, Khaya and Tiama.
Areas of use: The color of Dibetou is often similar to that of the walnut, which is why it is mainly used as a substitute of it for the production of decorative veneers for furniture and audio furniture as well as for indoor expansion.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

DOUSSIE

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DOUSSIE

For decades, Doussie has been one of Africa’s most known import woods. Depending on region and distribution, the various types of the Afzelia species carry different names, such as Apa, Lingue and Papao. But only A. bipindensis is marketed as Doussie or Doussie rouge.

Description

Botanical name: Afzelia bipindensis
Overall character: When planed, this wood has a matte sheen. The color ranges from light to dark red-brown. It is very durable and has a structured, decorative surface.
Color and structure: Depending on its age and species, this wood has a yellowish-grey sapwood that can be 3 to 10 centimetres wide and clearly different in color from the yellow to light brown heartwood (when fresh). Depending on the species, the heartwood can darken intensively.
Characteristics/features: Doussie has an extraordinary resistance to fungus and insect infestation. It has a class 1 durability according to DIN-EN 350-2 (German Institute for Standardization and European Norms).
Areas of use: Due to its good physical and mechanical qualities and high durability, Afzelia is especially suitable for outdoor construction (with and without direct ground contact), in particular for frame construction.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

FRAKE / LIMBA

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FRAKE / LIMBA

Previously, this species was known to most consumers only as light wood that’s mostly imported from countries South of the equator. Recently, however, there’s been an increasing demand in Limba, which is a darker remarkable wood, mainly from countries North of the equator.

Description

Botanical name: Terminalia superba
Overall character: Light or variably dark wood with a moderately visible porosity.
Color and structure: The outer sapwood is up to 10 cm wide and has a pale yellowish grey color. It is hardly distinguishable from the inner area, which is also called bright Limba. However, timber of all provenances can, more or less frequently, have cloudy, star and band-shaped kernelly marks in an olive-grey to dark brown color on the cross-section.
Characteristics/features: Frake wood is of has a medium weight. Just like Limba wood, which has a variable weight (0.52 to 0.6 grams/cm for lighter qualities and 0.5 to 0.55 g/cm3 for more colored options), the processability of the timber may vary.
Areas of use: Frake is suitable for all kinds of indoor construction. Because of its low resistance to fungus when damp, it can not be used outdoors.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

FRAMIRE

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FRAMIRE

Framire, like the more known Limba, belongs to the same botanical species of Terminalia, but is part of another group within the species, that partly differs in characteristics.

Description

Botanical name: Terminalia ivorensis
Overall character: Mostly light and visibly porous timber. The color resembles Limba when crosscut, and light oak when cut lenghtwise.
Color and structure: The splint is a pale yellow color and about 2 to 4 centimetres wide. The greenish-yellow heartwood is barely distinguishable when damp. It darkens and develops a light golden yellow to light brown color when exposed to light. The pores are moderately coarse and large in quantity, influencing the appearance in all cutting directions.
Characteristics/features: Moderately heavy wood with relatively good bending and compressive strength. The wood can be worked easily using all tools using little effort. Slicing and peeling are easy, barely blunting the tools.
Areas of use: Thanks to its easy workability, high weather resistance, oak-like coloring and great staying power, Framire is a very versatile wood.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

GOMBE

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GOMBE

This wood from West Africa resembles red oak timber (Quercus rubru) physically as well as technologically. Gombe (Bondu) grows straight and cylindrical and can reach heights of up to 25 meters with a diameter of 1,5 meters.

Description

Botanical name: Didelotia idae
Overall character: Physically and technologically, this timber can be compared to red oak wood (Quercus rubru).
Color and structure: Gombo sapwood is reddish brown to pale brown and clearly contrasts with the heartwood. The heartwood is usually a pale reddish brown color with a green to olive tint.
Characteristics/features: Gombo (Bondu) is a straight and cylindric wood with a height of up to 25 metres for diameters of 1.5 metres.
Areas of use: Often used for veneers, plywood and fiberboards.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

ILOMBA / OTIE

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ILOMBA / OTIE

Ilomba wood grows in Western and Central Africa. Due to its distinctively straight fibres and light color, Ilomba has proven itself to be significant in various areas. It is especially successful in the production of fillets and rotary cut woods.

Description

Botanical name: Pycnanthus angolensis
Overall character: This tree has a mostly average diameter only and a light color. The structure is slightly porous and strikingly straight. The optical appearance is very simple.
Color and structure: The splint is yellowish white to pale pink; there is generally no distinction between heartwood and sapwood. Round wood is prone to pink-grey to brownish, bacterial discoloration in the the bark-free areas as well as during the drying of the sawn timber, especially under staple blocks and at the end of log cuts.
Characteristics/features: Moderately light wood with slightly lower strength properties than Limba, but higher than Okoume. The fresh wood is easily cuttable. It can tend to develop fibrous edges.
Areas of use: Due to its lack of resistance to fungus when wet, Ilomba is recommended for indoor use, only. Indoors, it can be used for a variety of purposes as solid wood in these areas, as long as high strain or a special appearance are not required
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

IROKO

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IROKO

Iroko is an excellent construction wood that is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It’s also known as Kambala in German-speaking countries. Iroko often substitutes Oak or Teak.

Description

Botanical name: Milicia excelsa
Overall character: Large pored, golden brown timber. Depending on the direction of the cut, the decorative texture can be semi-specular.
Color and structure: The splint has a medium width of 5 to 10 centimetres and a yellowish white to grey color, which contrasts with the color of the heartwood that can have a varying color (yellow to dark brown) in its fresh state.
Characteristics/features: Thanks to its extractives, Iroko heartwood is highly resistant to wood-destroying fungi and insect infestation. Class 1-2 durability according to DIN EN 350. Processing and treatment are easy.
Areas of use: Thanks to its high natural durability, Iroko is very well suited for outdoor use with and without ground contact. The wood is used in gardening and landscaping, for high-quality garden furniture as well as as a construction wood for windows, doors and winter gardens. It is a very popular timber used in the parquet industry.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

KHAYA / ACAJOU

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KHAYA / ACAJOU

For more than a century, this wood has been imported in large quantities from Africa (mainly the Ivory Coast). It’s look and characteristics resemble those of American mahagony.

Description

Botanical name: Khaya anthoteca, Khaya ivorensis
Overall character: Auburn colored, simple wood that varies in color and density.
Color and structure: The splint has yellowish grey to pink-grey color and is 4 to 6 centimetres wide. When fresh, the heartwood is pale pink to light auburn, and partly undistinguishable from the splint. When dry and exposed to light, the wood darkens quickly without losing its gloss.
Characteristics/features: This timber resembles Sipo. Previously, a heavier Khaya senegalensis (dry zone Mahagony) used to get imported.
Areas of use: Thanks to its easy workability, decorative color and great staying power, Khaya is a very versatile wood. As a solid wood, it’s used for furniture, pleassure crafts, façade elements and frames.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

KOSIPO

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KOSIPO

Though Kosipo is valued less than more established woods such as Sipo, Sapelli and Khaya from the same family of the Meliaceae, it is heavily over-used in the areas of origin.

Description

Botanical name: Entandrophragma candollei
Overall character: Visibly porous, intensely dark wood with a vibrant structure that is fit for decorative as well as construction purposes.
Color and structure: The sapwood is rarely wider than 8 cm, has a grey to pale brown color and is distinct from the core. The heartwood darkens to a dark reddish brown to violet brown color. The pores are large and partially filled with dark ingredients.
Characteristics/features: Moderately heavy wood with strength properties that are a little lower than those of Sapelli, but similar to those of Sipo. The trunk shapes allow for efficient utilization and large physical dimensions.
Areas of use: Kosipo is a load-bearing or non-load-bearing outdoor and indoor timber. It is especially suitable as a construction timber for exterior use without ground contact.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

KOTIBE

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KOTIBE

Kotibe wood often has a mahagony color and offers good technicalfeatures. It is especially prevalent in Western Africa. In Ghana, it’s also known as Danta.

Description

Botanical name: Nesogordonia papaverif
Overall character: A tasteful reddish timber with a homogenous structure and a smooth surface.
Color and structure: The sapwood is 3 to 6 centimetres wide and has a reddish grey to pale brown color. The heartwood is salmon-colored to reddish brown and freshly cut with a partly violet tinge, which, similar to Sapelli or Makore, fades to a brownish shade when exposed to light.
Characteristics/features: Medium weight wood with high strength properties similar to oak or Makore. It has a higher elasticity than ash. Kotibe can be treated with all kinds of tools while damp and dry.
Areas of use: Solid wood: due to its good strength properties, Danta is very versatile. It has a fine structure and fungus resistance, suitable for interior and exterior construction.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

KOTO

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KOTO

Species of the Pterygota genus are prevalent in the tropical regions of West Africa, Madagascar, South Asia, South East Asia and Central America. Globally, this off-white wood is particularly used for doors and other indoor construction.

Description

Botanical name: Pterygota macrocarpa
Overall character: Light, semi-specular wood with a medium density. The porosity is usually very noticable. It often has an emphasised tangential grain structure.
Color and structure: The heartwood is a yellowish white color when fresh and not clearly distinguished from the sapwood, as it only darkens slightly. Strong trunks can sometimes have a closed or veiny brown heart. The pores are rough, but not numerous.
Characteristics/features: The fresh timber (or dried wood that is rewetted) is prone to fungus and insect infestations and can quickly lose color and therefore its value.
Areas of use: Koto is mostly used as a solid wood for furniture and indoor use, as profiled wood for ceiling panelling and wall covering, and for picture frame strips. As a sliced veneer, it is also used as an areal element for walls, ceilings and doors.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

MAKORE

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MAKORE

Botanically, West African Makore and Douka wood are closely related; they look alike and have the same characteristics. They are often used for the same purposes and therefore can be grouped together. Moabi also belongs to these African cherry mahogony woods.

Description

Botanical name: Tiegemella heckelii
Overall character: Moderately porous and evenly auburn coloured wood with a smooth surface.
Color and structure: The splint is 4 to 8 centimetres wide, with a bigger width in young trees with smaller diameters. The color is pale pink. The heartwood has light red to reddish brown color and, in some cases, because of darker summerwood zones, can be partly grained and slightly streaky on radial surfaces.
Characteristics/features: Moderately hard, uniformly dense and elastic timber. It is comparable to Sapelli. The cylindrical and large trunk shapes allow for a efficient utilization and and large physical dimensions.
Areas of use: For stained or printed veneers, this timber is used as a Walnut substitute, Aninge, from the same family as veneer or as sawn timber for redwoods like Sipo and Sapelli.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

MOVINGUI

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MOVINGUI

Due to its yellowish and often shiny coloring, Movingui is also called African satinwood.

Description

Botanical name: Distemonanthus benthamianus
Overall character: Moderately porous wood with a light color and a visible gloss, similar to so-called satin timber.
Color and structure: The splint is a light yellow-grey color and 3 centimetres wide. The heartwood is clearly contrasted in color even when fresh, and has a pale yellow to glossy golden yellow/lemon color. Slightly darkens in the light.
Characteristics/features: Moderately heavy wood with strength properties that are mostly equivalent to those of oak or slightly superior in terms of heaviness.
Areas of use: Due to its good properties, Movingui can be used as solid wood in exterior and interior construction. It can also be applied as a decorative veneer for furnishing purposes.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

MUKULUNGU

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MUKULUNGU

Mukulungu is one of many wood types related to Makore and Douka. Its structure and color mostly resemble these kinds, but Mukulungu surpasses them in weight and strength properties.

Description

Botanical name: Autranella congolensis
Overall character: These light to dark reddish brown woods are heavy and slightly porous. They have no noticeable wood or medullary rays or visible signs of incremental structures.
Color and structure: The sapwood has a pale yellow to pinkish grey color and is usually 3 to 6 centimetres wide, though it can be wider in younger trees. The heartwood can be light red to violet colored. Its color resembles Makore and Douka or even Azobe/Bongossi.
Characteristics/features: Very heavy and hard timber, which is superior to all other native woods in their technical qualities. Because of the high density, processing is difficult even while damp. It needs to be air-dried and and has to be processed with extra strength using exclusively special steel.
Areas of use: Due toits exceptionally efficient technical and biological strength properties, Mukulungu can be used and heavily strained for outdoor use. It can be used for heavy duty foundations, ramps, sleepers, wagon and heavy duty floors. This species of wood plays an increasingly important role in terracing and decking in particular.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

MUTENYE

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MUTENYE

Mutenye is closely related to the Amazakoue wood species. The name derives from the color of its bark and is sometimes also falsely used for the related Anzem species from Gabon.

Description

Botanical name: Guibourtia arnoldiana
Overall character: The numerous dispersed pores with no specific array are clearly visible. This wood can look especially sophisticated when lubed.
Color and structure: The splint has a grey to dirty-grey color and often has a yellow tint while fresh, which fades with time. The heartwood can vary between a slight grey and yellow or a light olive and light brown color.
Characteristics/features: Mutende is relatively hard, but still easily sawable. Processing can often be difficult and requires a variety of fit equipment.
Areas of use: Mutenye is mainly used for veneers. Despite the tough workability, it is used as construction wood and solid wood in some cases.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

NIANGON

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NIANGON

In this case, the Niangon name only includes Heritiera (=Tarrietia) utilis timber from the coastal countries of Upper Guinea. However, the more Southern kind (Heritiera densiflora) also gets marketed as Niangon.

Description

Botanical name: Heritiera utilis
Overall character: This large-pored wood optically resembles mahagony, but doesn’t have the same even structure.
Color and structure: The splint is light grey and about 5 centimetres wide. The heartwood contrasts the splint, it is pink when damp and light to dark auburn once it dries. It has a glossy matte finish.
Characteristics/features: Moderately heavy wood with strength properties similar to the sawn timber of the native oak, but with slightly higher scores than Sipo. Damp as well as dry Niangon is easy to saw, if clogging and burning are avoided by using a saw blade with an appropriate tooth shape.
Areas of use: Solid wood: Niangon, especially in France, is one of the most commonly used exterior timbers, where it is mainly used as window construction frame timber. It is also used for façade elements, doors and gates, profiled boards of wall coverings, and for roof underlayments of wooden houses.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

OKAN

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OKAN

Okan wood comes from a tree species from the evergreen humid forests of West Africa. It grows everywhere from Sierra Leone Cameroon and Gabon. Okan trees reach a height of up to 60 meters and a trunk diameter of up to 200 cm. In Ghana, their wood is also known as Denya.

Description

Botanical name: Cylicodiscus gabunensis
Overall character: This wood has a simple and modest look. Its color and structure are usually homogenous, with a medium texture and particularly high density. The alternating spiral growth causes a glossy appearance.
Color and structure: The heartwood has a yellow to golden-brown color with an often green tint while fresh, that darkens to a copper/auburn color. The splint has a light reddish grey color.
Characteristics/features: This wood is very resistant to fungus and insect infestations. It is fit for long term outdoor use without additional care. It is sometimes also recommended for salt water use.
Areas of use: Used as an outdoor construction wood in areas that are mechanically and biologically challenged, but do not require special dimensional stability. E.g. bridges, sleepers, floating docks, bedding, ramps and hydraulic engineering.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

OKOUME

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OKOUME

Following introduction of the particle board and the use of other woods, Okoume wood has lost its significance, after previously being the most notable rotary cut timber.

Description

Botanical name: Aucoumea klaineana
Overall character: A consistently constructed and moderately coloured wood with a varied fibre flow.
Color and structure: The splint is light grey and 3 to 5 centimetres wide. The color of the heartwood varies depending on origin and age, but is mostly salmon-coloured to pink-grey with a glossy matte finish (when dry). Yellows in the light.
Characteristics/features: For all figures, a variance of ± 10% must be expected. These often depend on the habitat as well as the tree age. The timber, which is moderately light like poplar wood, can be dried using all available methods and, depending on the grain, has a satisfactory to good staying power.
Areas of use: Okoume is mainly processed as a peeled or sliced veneer for plates made out of veneers or veneer coated panels. It can also be used for veneer plates of various strengths and sizes, as well as for door panel decks and chipboards.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

OVENGKOL

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OVENGKOL

Ovengkol belongs to one of high-quality wood types of the Guibourtia species. It’s mostly widespread in West African coastal countries. Frequently, Ovengkol is also called Amazakoue, which in this case stems from the Ivory Coast.

Description

Botanical name: Guibourtia ehie
Overall character: This moderately porous wood often has a pronounced color striping, similar to the related Mutenye (Guibourtia aroldiana) wood and other high-quality decorative woods.
Color and structure: The sapwood is between 4 and 10 centimetres wide, has a yellowish grey tint and is distinct from the heartwood, which is yellowish brown to olive brown and darkens slightly in the light. It is characterized by dark brown to black color stripes or curled spots.
Characteristics/features: The great natural durability of the heartwood also allows for outdoor use (durability class 2 pursuant to DIN EN 350-2).
Areas of use: Due to its very decorative appearance, great strength properties, workability, and high natural durability, Ovengkol is versatile as a veneer and as a solid timber.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

PACHYLOBA

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PACHYLOBA

For decades, Pachyloba has been one of the most known import woods from Africa. The different kinds of timber of the Afzelia species have various names, depending on origin and spread.

Description

Botanical name: Afzelia Pachyloba, Afzelia africana, Afzelia bella
Overall character: When planed, this wood has a matte sheen. The color ranges from light to dark red-brown. It is very durable and has a structured, decorative surface.
Color and structure: The yellowish grey splint has width of 3 to 10 centimetres depending on age and species and contrasts with the color of the heartwood, which can be yellow to light brown while fresh. Depending on species, this color can darken intensively over time.
Characteristics/features: This wood is extremely resistant to fungus and insect infestations. Durability class 1 purusant to DIN EN 350.
Areas of use: Due to the very good physical and mechanical properties and the high natural durability, Pachyloba is especially suitable for exterior construction with and without ground contact. Furthermore, it can intensively be used for parquet.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

PADOUK

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PADOUK

Padouk is one of the most colorful and technically advanced wood types of Africa. Its most in demand kind of it is Pterocarpus soyauxii.

Description

Botanical name: Pterocarpus soyauxii
Overall character: Reddish violet wood with a decorative smooth lustrous surface and color striping.
Color and structure: The splint is light and can be narrow or wide, while the heartwood has a reddish violet-brown color with occasional dark striping. The color can fade to a brownish purple or yellow brown after being exposed to light.
Characteristics/features: Durability class 1 (very durable) pursuant to DIN EN 350, which allows for its outdoor use without any restrictions.
Areas of use: Because of the special coloring and great characteristics of the wood, Padouk can be applied extensively. It is often used as garden wood or decking.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

SAPELLI

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SAPELLI

Sapelli is among the most important export woods from Africa’s tropical forests. In the 1960s, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire were the main export countries for this type of wood. In more recent times, the Republic of the Congo, Central Africa and Cameroon have taken that place.

Description

Botanical name: Entandrophragma cylindricum
Overall character: Colored wood with slight pores on the surface that makes for a great decorative choice thanks to its structure, colouring and gloss.
Color and structure: The splint can be slim to wide and has a grey to yellow color. The heartwood starts out with a light pinkish brown color, then develops a deep auburn shade after drying.
Characteristics/features: Hard to moderately hard wood of a slightly higher strength than Sipo, comparable to oak. Pprocessing is possible with tools of all kind and even works on dry wood.
Areas of use: Sapelli is often used in furniture making as solid wood/veneer. It is also used for high-quality interior work, paneling, staircase material or parquet.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

SIPO

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SIPO

Sipo is also marketed as Sipo mahagony or Utile. Its most important areas of origin are Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo and Central Africa.

Description

Botanical name: Entandrophragma utile
Overall character: Auburn colored porous wood with excellent staying power and decorative surfaces against the cutting direction.
Color and structure: Medium width reddish grey sapwood. Light brownish red heartwood that darkens to a deep auburn shade as a result of drying and light exposure.
Characteristics/features: Pursuant to DIN EN 350, Sipo heartwood is part of the durability classes 2 to 3, which means it is (moderately) resistant to fungus and insects.
Areas of use: Being a decorative furnishing wood, Sipo is often used as a solid wood or as a veneer for furniture, paneling, parquet or in high-quality boat construction.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

TALI

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TALI

This widespreadAfrican hardwood is very heavy and durable. On the African West Coast its mostly known as Tali, whereas in Central and East Africa it’s called Missanda.

Description

Botanical name: Erythrophleum suaveolens
Overall character: A heavy, mostly reddish brown wood with moderate porosity and irregular fibre flow.
Color and structure: The splint is light grey to light brown and 3 to 6 cm wide. The heartwood has a reddish brown to intense copper or dark red-brown color, and can have wide areas with slightly differing depth of color. Smooth surfaces with a matte gloss.
Characteristics/features: Tali is one of the heaviest lumbers and has very high mechanical strength properties, similar to those of the Asian Yellow Balau. They are only slightly lower than those of the African Azobe/Bongossi.
Areas of use: Tali can successfully be used in areas where heavy loads and weather conditions affect the wood: parquet, bedding, heavily used floors, parts of bridges, quays and pontoons. In Asia, garden furniture is also made of Tali.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

TIAMA / EDINAM

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TIAMA / EDINAM

The entandrophragma species includes about 10 kinds, of which four are internationally relevant. Tiama is the kind with the smallest trading volume.

Description

Botanical name: Entandrophragma angolense
Overall character: Very decorative, reddish-brown wood with a porous surface and a slight golden glow.
Color and structure: The sapwood is wide and light reddish to grey. The reddish brown heartwood is clearly separated and darkens to a deeper brown shade under the influence of light.
Characteristics/features: Pursuant to EN 350-2, the natural durability of Tiama is moderately durable (class 3). Thanks to the delayed absorption of water, the wood can also be used outdoors, if no direct earth contact takes place.
Areas of use: Tiama can be applied both indoors and outdoors. In boat construction, it is favorited for the building of high-quality plywood. Its solid wood is also used as a mahogany replacement.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

WENGE

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WENGE

Officially, Wenge only includes wood of the Millettia laurentii species. It must not be confused with Panga-Panga (M. stuhlmannii), which derives from Eastern Africa.

Description

Botanical name: Millettia laurentii
Overall character: A very decorative dark wood with patterns rich in contrast in the cutting direction.
Color and structure: The slim sapwood (2 to 5 centimetres) is light yellow to grey. The freshly cut heartwood has a light brown-yellow color that darkens to a black-brown shade under the light and creates a clear contrast with the sapwood.
Characteristics/features: The heartwood has a good resistance to wood-destroying fungi, dry wood insects and termites and is also moderately resistant to marine wood destroyers.
Areas of use: Due to the particularly decorative properties, in recent times Wengé is almost exclusively used in high-quality interior design, especially for impactful veneers, parquet, furniture, woodturning or inlay work.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de

ZEBRANO

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ZEBRANO

Zebrano wood looks just the way it sounds: the typical zebra pattern makes this a very exclusive and interesting material. Zebrano is also known as Zingana.

Description

Botanical name: Microberlinia brazzavillensis
Overall character: The medium pores are dispersed and the wood has a light coloring with dark brown veins, bringing about the typical zebra look. The texture is coarse, but appears very ornamental.
Color and structure: The sapwood is usually uniformly grey, while the core has a bright golden yellow color with clear dark veins.
Characteristics/features: Zebrano wood is moderately heavy, but hard and elastic. In general, it is easy to work, but certain treatments, such as sawing can sometimes be difficult due to the characteristics of the wood.
Areas of use: Zebrano is mainly used as plywood for high-quality interior design, furniture making and vehicle equipment. The solid wood is often used for tabletops or exclusive solid wood furniture.
Sources: https://www.holzvomfach.de