A - B

see Utile

Tree of 18 to 23 meters height found in the Amazonian basins and in the Tocantins. Its wood is used for furniture, and in heavy construction. It has a fine texture. 910 kg cu m Durability low Natural resistance

see Sapele

Equatorial Africa

Light brown timber with occasional pinkish tinge, varaible grain.

working is variable with some samples very abrasive and hard to plane.

see Black Locust

see Black Locust

see Mahogany (So. Amer) see Mahogany, African

White Afara, Limo clair, Limo Noir

Heartwood is of pale yellow to brown colour and may have olive or grey streaks

Irregular grain with moderately open texture.

works well, planing needs care and liable to split when nailed

Closely related to Idigbo

Other common names: Peterebi. 
Distribution: Grows in Southern Brazil, Argentina 
Tree Data: Partly as a result of growing conditions, woods in the Cordia genus are exceptionally variable in terms of color, texture and density. 
Timber Properties : The timber shows variable in relation to color and density. Darkly pigmented stock has better decay resistance  Argentine Afata tends to be golden brown in color, with a spicy scent and moderately coarse texture. Comparable in density to North American red oak. 

see Utile

See Koto

see Blackwood, African

see African Padauk

see Ebony, African

Other common names: barwood, comwood, corail, African coralwood, muenge, mbe, mbil, mututi, ngula, vermillion, and yomo.  
Distribution: Grows in central and West Africa and is extremely widespread 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Timber has straight to interlocked grain with a moderately coarse texture and large pores. fairly rough grain Rich red to purple red heartwood and pale-beige sapwood. bright coral red sometimes dark veined that browns in the light Straight grain with light countergrain.  African Padauk undergoes an extreme degree of color change with pronounced darkening from the vivid orange color when freshly milled to a dark red almost black color when fully aged/oxidized. Oil finishes hasten this process and allow the full color change to occur while water based finishes inhibit the full color range. Hard, heavy, and strong with exceptional decay resistance and dimensional stability. Not suitable for steam bending. 900 - 1 000 kg / m3   
Working Characteristics: Works well with hand and machine tools. Glues easily and holds nails and screws well. Finishes to a beautiful sheen without the need for stain.  
Common Uses: This fairly hard wearing and resistant variety is used in many ways including decorative interior joinery and for parquet flooring alternating with lighter coloured varieties to create a particularly pleasant visual contrast. Major cabinet making. Sliced veneers.

Other common names:  
Distribution: It is grown in West Africa, primarily Ghana and the Ivory Coast. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Afrormosia closely resembles teak and is so often used as a teak substitute that it is sometimes referred to as African teak. It is prized for more than simply its resemblance to teak - it is also valued for character and properties all its own. Wood is heavy and dense, has high bending strength, medium stiffness, high crushing strength, moderate bending classification. The wood may distort during steaming. Afrormosia is one of the most uniform in color range woods, with a golden tan teak color when freshly milled. Heartwood is yellow brown turning to a dark brown on exposure; sapwood is narrow; lighter in color and clearly demarcated.  Afrormosia undergoes a large degree of color change over time with pronounced darkening from a golden tan color when freshly milled to a uniform medium brown when fully aged. Afrormosia is a heavy and dense wood that is extremely durable and very resistant to termites. It contains tannin, a substance that has a tendency to cause blue stains. If used near metals in wet conditions, such as in boatbuilding, it will cause corrosion or dark staining. Sawdust from afrormosia can be an eye irritant. Work this wood in conditions that provide good ventilation. Heartwood is rated as very durable and highly resistant to termite attack. Dark stains liable to appear if in contact with iron under damp conditions. 
Working Characteristics: Afrormosia dries slowly with little degrade and small movement in service. The wood has medium resistance to tools. Experts recommend a 20 degree cutting angle to avoid raising the grain when planing. Tungsten carbide-tipped saws are recommended to avoid tool wear. Prebore for nailing and screwing. Afrormosia glues well and finishes excellently. Works well with hand and machine tools, finishes cleanly, turns satisfactorily, good gluing, moderate steam bending properties. 
Common Uses: Afrormosia is suitable for many applications, among them veneers, paneling, boat building, stairs, flooring, high-end joinery, cabinetmaking, farm implements, decks and marine piling.

Other common names: doussie, chanfuta, apa, aligna, mkora, mbembakofi, and many other names but sold as single commercial timber. 
Distribution: Grows in Africa. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Doussie exhibits a medium range of color variation between golden tans to darker orange/browns. Doussie undergoes substantial color change with pronounced darkening from a light orangey brown to a deeper mahogany color over time. Timber has a coarse texture with often irregular, interlocked grain, pale straw colored sapwood with brown heartwood.  
Working Characteristics: Heavy, very stable in use, high strength and durability, moderate stiffness. Somewhat difficult to work and glue. Finishes to a high polish although grain filling sometimes desired. 
Common Uses: Highly valued for interior/exterior joinery, window frames, floors, staircases, ships' rails, heavy construction, school and office furniture, laboratory equipment, and chemical containers. A favorite among locals for decorative doors and chests. It is one of the most popular imported flooring species used in Europe

Other common names: egba, nitola, ntola, tola, white tola, moboron, mutsekamambole, and Nigerian cedar. 
Distribution: Grows in tropical west Africa, primarily Nigeria, Angola, and Zaire. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Timber has a fine texture with a straight to mildy interlocked or wavy grain. Pale straw to reddish brown hearwood and lighter-colored, indistinct sapwood. Heartwood bears a resemblance to mahogany. Natural pink yellowish brown colour that darkens with exposure to light Medium to coarse texture. Straight grain to slight countergrain. Fine silver grain Light and relatively soft with low stiffness, low shock resistance, moderately low strength, good stability in service and high decay resistance (heartwood). 750-850 kg / m3 
Working Characteristics: Steam-bends moderately well. Turns, planes, bores, routs, and otherwise works well although gum may accumulate on cutting edges. Glues, screws, and nails easily. Stains and finishes well, particularly if grain filler used 
Common Uses: Top notch wood for interior joinery, paneling, table and chair parts, desks, handles, dowels, and other turned items. Other uses include mouldings, coffins, toys, flooring, exterior joinery, boat and vehicle frames, marine plywood, and decorative veneers. 
General: This variety, with its yellowish brown colour, is fairly widespread in Central Africa and is soft and easy to work. It is perfectly suited to all interior joinery work, responds well to rotary cutting (plywood) and provides pleasant looking mouldings..

see Mahogany (So. Amer)

Other common names: Tree-of-heaven Distribution: Originally from southern china, now grows throughout the east central US. Tree Data: This fast-growing tree originated in Asia and was introduced into the US around 1750 Timber Properties : The wood is ring-porous and moderately soft, with figure and color similar to ash. works well, but has relatively poor stability. Working Characteristics:  Common Uses: General :

Other common names: Amendoim, Viraro (Argentina), Pau fava (Brazil)  Very frequent in Chiquitanía and Guarayos 
Distribution:  
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Sapwood color Brown yellowish Odor Distinctive Luster Bright Heartwood color Brown redish Taste Indistinct and slightly bitter Grain Interlocked Texture Medium. 810 kg cu m 
Working Characteristics: Easy sawing and planing. Good finishing Low durability specially in contact with soil. Drying is slow but steady. 
Common Uses: 
General : 
 

(Red Oak) From Japan An evergreen oak. Wood is harder and more durable than that of Q. myrsinaefolia and has the same uses.

Japanese Red Pine) From Japan Attains a height of 150 feet and diameter of 16 feet. A dry soil tree. Wood is tough and strong and used for houses, bridges, barrels, wood rope, fuel and naval stores. 

see tree daisy

see Mahogany, African

Sapwood is light greyish brown, and merges gradually with the heartwood which is deep reddish brown. White coloured streaks of resin canals on the surface are conspicuous. Grain is slightly interlocked. Used for heavy and medium construction, boat construction, flooring, interior finishing, panelling, furniture and joinery.  

see  Cedar,  Alaska

see  Cedar,  Alaska

see  Cedar,  Alaska

Other common names: okuro, ayinre, and sifou. Includes heavy albizia, red nongo, and white nongo (over 30 species). 
Distribution: Grows in southern half of Africa. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Timber has a coarse texture with irregular, often interlocked grain. Heartwood is red-brown to chocolate-brown, at times with a purplish tinge.  Fairly heavy, low stiffness and shock resistance, high crushing strength, moderate bending strength, and low movement in service. 
Working Characteristics: Can be challenging to work due to fine dust, blunting effects on tools, and irregular grain. Pre-drilling recommended for screwing or nailing. Finishes ok although filling of grain required for a smooth surface. 
Common Uses: Has many uses including marine construction, flooring, vehicle bodywork, various furniture components, boxes, crates, beams, joists, interior construction, and veneer 
General :

see Albizia

see Alder, Common