Current Hardwoods Stock List

HARDWOODS

African Utile

Please note if FSC/PEFC certified wood is required
please specify at time of placing an order.

Sapwood Colour
Light brown and distinct from the heartwood

Heartwood Colour
Fairly uniform reddish or purplish-brown

Grain
Interlocked and rather irregular. The stripe figure of quartered stock is less marked than in Sapele.

Texture
The texture is more open than in Sapele owing to the larger size of the pores.

Strength
Comparable to European Beech

Ease Of Drying
Dries at a moderate rate. Tendency for original shakes to extend and for distortion in the form of twist to develop, but distortion is not generally severe.

Movement In Service
Medium
Moisture content in 90% relative humidity – 20.5%
Moisture content in 60% relative humidity – 13.5%
Corresponding tangential movement – 1.6%
Corresponding radial movement        1.4%

Natural Durability
Sapwood liable to attack by powder-post beetles. Reported to be moderately resistant to termites in West Africa.
Heartwood Durable. Extremely resistant to preservative treatment.

Blunting Effect On Cutters
Moderate

Planing
A cutting angle of 15 degrees required to avoid tearing of interlocked grain.

Sawing
Satisfactory

Boring Qualities
Twist-fluted drills most suitable. A tendency to charring. Support required at drill exit.

Gluing
Good

Nailing
Satisfactory

Staining and Polishing
Satisfactory when filled

Wood Bending
Buckles severely when bent to any appreciable extent. Classification – Very poor.

Uses:
A reddish-brown timber, similar in appearance and properties to sapele, but less liable to distort during drying and in subsequent use. Suitable for furniture and cabinet work, and interior and exterior joinery and construction work.

 

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