African Mahogany
Khaya
Light red, fairly uniform colour. Timber exposed to air shifts into reddish brown. Some pieces are patterned, bringing out the silver figure or have a mottled aspect.
Origin: Gabon, Cameroon and Congo
Possible end-uses: Cabinet-making, furniture, millwork, joinery, boatbuilding
Marketing: Sawnwood
Physical and mechanical properties: Good elasticity, shock resistant, medium natural durability
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Osanga
Pteleopsis hylodendron
Yellow brown to greyish green colour. Not clearly demarcated sapwood, fine texture.
Origin: Cameroon
Possible end-uses: heavy carpentry, exterior joinery, bridges (in touch with ground or water), sleepers, exterior panelling, bottom panels for vehicles or containers
Marketing: Logs, Sawnwood, Joists, Decking
Physical and mechanical properties: Hard and dense with high resistance and durability for exterior uses
Download the CIRAD’s technical data sheet
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Pao Rosa
Swartzia fistuloides
The wood is white pinkish to light red with red brown veins.
Origin: Cameroon and Congo
Possible end-uses: furniture, veneers, flooring, cabinet-making
Marketing: Logs and Sawnwood
Physical and mechanical properties: Hard to very hard and nervous wood. Elastic with high splitting resistance. Naturally durable.
Download the CIRAD’s technical data sheet
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Okoumé
Aucumea klaineana
Natural colour: light salmon to dark pink, darkening when exposed to light. Fine to medium texture. Slightly interlocked to interlocked grain. Fine silver grain.
With its production of more than 220 000 m3 per year, ROUGIER is one of the world’s leading Okoume producers.
Origin: Gabon
Possible end-uses: plywood, furniture, veneer, joinery
Marketing: Sawnwood and plywood
Physical and mechanical properties: Widely recognised as one the world’s best materials for rotary cut veneers, Okoume timber is easy to work and is as suitable for the manufacturing of furniture as for interior joinery.
Moreover, it is a species of a very even colour, good bonding performances and good compatibility with finished products.Download the CIRAD’s technical data sheet
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Bossé
Guarea cedrata
The wood is uniformly pinkish brown. The fibre is usually quite curly, producing a nice mottled aspect. It can be quite oily due to resin exudation.
Origin: Cameroon and Congo
Possible end-uses: Cabinet-making, interior and exterior joinery, furniture, stairs
Marketing: Sawnwood and logs
Physical and mechanical properties: the wood is soft, moderately nervous and elastic with excellent shock-resistance.