Search for

Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. 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 Schedules Luster 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 Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Lovoa trichiliodes Trade Name African walnut Family Name Meliaceae Common Names African walnut, Alona wood, Anamenila, Apopo, Benin walnut, Bibolo, Bombulu, Congowood, Dibetou, Dubin biri, Embero, Eyan, Ghana walnut, Lifaki muindo, Lovoa, Lovoa wood, Mpengwa, Nigerian golden walnut, Nigerian walnut, Nivero, Noy Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zaire Common Uses Bedroom suites, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Office furniture, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stools, Tables , Turnery, Utility furniture, Veneer, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center This species is secure within its growth range in most areas including Cameroon, Congo, and Sierra Leone, but it is classified as Endangered in Liberia and Vulnerable in the Ivory Coast. Its current environmental status is listed as unknown due to lack of information in Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, and Zaire Distribution Overview This species occurs in Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire. African walnut occurs in evergreen and deciduous forests, preferring moist sites and tends to be gregarious. It shows a strong preference for acidic, base poor soil. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow The heartwood is a bronze shade of yellowish brown and is sometimes marked with dark streaks or veins. Dark gum lines are typical and add to the attractive appearance of the timber. The color and appearance of the wood is reported to bear a strong resemblance to Walnut (Juglans) Sapwood Color Yellow Brown Orange The sapwood is narrow, up to 3-inches (7.5 cm) wide. It is often well differentiated from the heartwood, and is buff or pale brown in color. A narrow transition zone is occasionally present between the sapwood and heartwood Grain Figure Even Interlocked Straight Distinct (figure) Ribbon (figure) Growth rings (figure) With distinct light and dark bands Stripe figure on quartersawn surfaces Straight to interlocked Straight occasionally Ribbon figure Interlocked Distinct figure Alternating zones of darker and lighter colored wood tissue or a stripe figure on quartersawn surfaces. Texture Coarse Fine Medium Uniform Fine Luster The wood is highly lustrous, almost sparkling Natural Growth Defects Brittleheart is often frequent and extensive Natural Durability Very durable Durable The heartwood is moderately resistant to decay, but is susceptible to attack by dry wood termites. The sapwood is readily attacked by powder-post beetles Odor Has an odor No distinct taste A scent similar to that in the cedars is present. Kiln Schedules Schedule E (4/4); United Kingdom 6 - D2 (4/4); T3 - D1 (8/4) US Drying Defects Existing shakes tend to extend slightly during drying. Some distortion may also occur. Material containing heart-shakes may split during drying Ease of Drying Thick Stock Requires Care Reconditioning Treatement Material dries fairly rapidly and easily, with little degrade, except when heart shakes are present. Shrinkage Values (Green to 12% MC) Radial = 2.0% Tangential = 5.0% Tree Size Buttresses are usually small, and boles are clear and cylindrical for 60 to 90 feet (18 to 27 m) above buttresses Product Sources Supplies are rather plentiful in both lumber and veneer forms, and prices are typically in the moderate range. The ITTO reports that the species is a regular source of timber which is exported frequently. Certified Source Certified Source Comments The species is NOT a true walnut, and its timber is reported to resemble that of African mahogany. Its strength properties are close to those of members in the true Walnut family. It is a medium-weight timber and is used primarily for decorative applications Blunting Effect The timber is reported to dull cutting edges slightly. Boring Use very sharp cutting edges to prevent grain from tearing Sharp cutting edges are necessary to maintain a good finish on end-grain Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cross cutting is easy, with only slight tearing on bottom and back edges. The timber is reported to cut cleany with the grain in band sawing, but bottom edges may tear out when working against the grain Gluing Fair to Good Results Good gluing propeties Moulding Moulding qualities are generally good, but care is required to prevent pick-up in quartersawn material Movement in Service Small The material has good dimensional stability after seasoning Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Tends to split during nailing Easy to nail Large sized stock holds nails well. Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Interlocked grain tends to affect most machining properties, but the wood works fairly easily, with very little waste during conversion. Planing is satisfactory, but a reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees has been recommended to prevent tearing Resistance to Impregnation The heartwood is very difficult to treat with preservatives, and the sapwood can be treated with moderate difficulty Response to Hand Tools Respond well to ordinary tools in carving, with moderate blunting effect on cutting edges Care is needed to avoid pick-up in quartersawn stock Routing & Recessing End-Grain material requires sharp cutting edges for best results Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing and screw-holding qualities are rated as good, but the wood may split Turning Turning properties are good, but it requires very sharp cutting edges for smooth surfaces Veneering Qualities The timber is reported to slice into very attractive face veneers for plywood and decorative veneers for paneling, cabinets, and marquetry Steam Bending Moderate The material is occasionally brittle Painting Priming or filling required for best results Polishing The wood polishes to yield a smooth finish after filling Staining Finish is generally satisfactory Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7634 11079 psi Density 32 lbs/ft3 Hardness 921 lbs Impact Strength 30 25 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4064 6576 psi Shearing Strength 1250 psi Stiffness 1111 1405 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.36 0.46 Weight 43 32 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 536 778 kg/cm2 Density 512 kg/m3 Hardness 417 kg Impact Strength 76 63 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 285 462 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 87 kg/cm2 Stiffness 78 98 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.36 0.46 Weight 689 512 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % References Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R. H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. (Shrinkage data). Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Kline, M. 1982. Lovoa trichilioides - Tigerwood. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co, Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 214-215. Lavers, G. M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.