Afrormosia
From Africa – 20% Harder than Oak 50% Less Movement in Surface
Afrormosia is a West African wood, growing from Ghana south to Cameroon. It is often referred to as “African Walnut”. It’s color ranges from a light yellow-brown, when freshly milled, to a beautiful dark Walnutbrown over time. Chosen for Christie’s in New York, Georgio Armani stores worldwide, a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired home in Wilmington, NC, and many others, Afrormosia’s exceptional beauty, hardness, and minimal movement in service make it our flagship flooring wood.
- Description:
- Heartwood yellow brown turning to a dark brown on exposure; sapwood narrow; lighter in color and clearly demarcated.
- Mechanical Properties:
- Janka side hardness about 1,560 lb. for dry material. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 3.0%, tangential 6.4%; volumetric 10.7%
- Working Properties:
- Works well with hand and machine tools, finishes cleanly, turns satisfactorily, good gluing, moderate steam bending properties. Sawdust reported to be an eye irritant, good ventilation needed.
- Durability:
- 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.
- Uses:
- Boat building, joinery, hardwood flooring, decorative veneers, considered an excellent teak substitute.
The preceding information comes from “Tropical Timbers of the World”, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook Number 607, September 1984. Martin Chudnoff, Forest Products Technologist (retired), Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis.
