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Blunting Effect
Boring
Certified Source
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Light-Induced Color Change
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Afzelia africana

Trade Name
Afzelia

Family Name
Leguminosae

Synonyms
Afrafzelia africana


Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Adja, Adya, Afzelia, Ahanta, Aja, Akpalata, Akpela, Aligna, Alinyan, Apa, Appa, Arachi, Ariyan, Ayan, Azza, Baa, Bachi, Balawao-kudu, Balawo-kudu, Beyo, Bilinga, Bodjembo, Bolengo, Bolengu, Counter wood, Douissie, Doussie, Fok, Gayo, Gayohi, Gbende, Gbleteo, Gongo, Hol, Kakala, Kapalaga, Kawo, Kinkalaga, Kontah, Kpa-kpa, Kpalga, Kpaliga, Kpendei, Kpendi-deli, Kpendi-guli, Kpendi-kpoli, Kuanguli, Kukpalik, Lengko, Lengue, Lingue, Liwamba, M'banga, Mahogany bean, Mahogany bean tree, Mbokora, Mboro, Meli, Mkola, Mussacosa, N'kokongo, Nenko, Ngboro, Olombi, Opapao, Opapeh, Pai, Papao, Papao-baum, Papawe, Papoa, Pau contra, Pau konta, Pauconta, Pepe, Rhodesian mahogany, Upa, Uvala, Wokpa, Yada, Yoruba bilinga

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Congo, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Beams, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chemical containers, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Cooperages, Decks, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Factory construction, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Marine construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: percussion, Paneling, Particleboard, Piling, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Tables, Tool handles, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative, Wharf construction

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure
Globally secure
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center


Distribution Overview
This widespread species occurs in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda and Zaire. In Ghana, the species is usually found in dry forest, especially in the forest-savanna borders. It tends to be scattered in areas with rocky soils. It can also be found in dense evergreen forests, especially from Senegal to Sudan, but by also be present in the east African coastal forests.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
Yellow
Orange
Purple
Tan
Reddish brown
Pale brown
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Brown
Turn reddish brown upon exposure
Light brown
Distinct in color from sapwood
Creamy tan


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
White to yellow
Well defined
Whitish
Pale straw
Clearly differentiated from the heartwood

Averages about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in width

Grain
Interlocked
Figure
Distinct (figure)
Straight
Other (figure)
Even
Irregular
Weak (figure)

Interlocked
Distinct and very fine figure
Straight
Other figure
Distinct figure
Weak figure
Straight to interlocked
Irregular


Texture
Coarse
Medium
Even or uniform
Uniform
Coarse
Medium coarse to coarse
Moderately coarse
Even textured


Luster
Low
Medium
Dull
Lustrous
Medium


Natural Growth Defects
Yellowish deposits in vessels
Whitish deposits in vessels
Gum and mineral deposits


Natural Durability
Very durable
Resistant to termites
Resistant to marine borers
Susceptible to insect attack
Resistant to powder post beetles
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Very durable
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack from marine borers
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles
Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Moderately resistant to attack by termites

Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles

Odor
No specific smell or taste


Light-Induced Color Change
Darker


Toxicity
Some toxic effects
Unspecified toxicity
Respiratory effects
Sawdust can cause irritation in some individuals
Dermatitic effects


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow


Drying Defects
Checking
Distortion
Extension of Existing Shakes
Ring Shakes
Slight surface checking
Slight checking and cracking
Shakes may become extended
No twisting or warping
No end splitting
Distortion (twist/warp) is likely


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Slowly
Reconditioning Treatement
Little degrade
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Easy
Radial and tangential shrinkage from 1-2%
Moderate
Dries slowly with little degrade


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly
Very slow
Drying rate is slow
Very slow (>28 days for boards < 32 mm, to >84 days for boards >= 63 mm)


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is buttressed
Bole/stem form is unknown
Bole/stem form is straight
Bole/stem form is not buttressed
Bole/stem form is misshapen


Tree Size
Tree height is 10-20 m
Tree height is 30-40 m
Sapwood width is 5-10 cm
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Bole length is 10-20 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Bole length is 0-10 m


Product Sources
Exported on a regular basis.

Certified Source
Certified Source


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

The wood contains a yellow dye-stuff (afzelin) which can stain textile materials under moist conditions

Blunting Effect
Moderate
High to severe
Blunting effect on machining is moderate
Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe
Medium effect
Blunting effect on sawing green wood is severe
Blunting effect on machining is severe


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Easy


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Moderate to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult
Difficult to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate
Cutting edges are dulled rapidly


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Easy to glue
Difficult to glue


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Easy to mortise
Difficult to mortise


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Easy to mould


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Small
Stable
Small movement in use


Nailing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Pre-Boring Recommended
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Difficult to nail
Holds nails well
Possible if prebored
Pre-boring recommended


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Easy to plane
Difficult to plane
Planes well, to a good finish

Reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees to prevent torn grain.

Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Permeable sapwood
Heartwood is extremely resistant
Sapwood is moderately treatable
Sapwood is moderately resistant
Sapwood is extremely resistant
Heartwood is resistant


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Responds Poorly
Moderate working qualities
Difficult to machine