{"id":366,"date":"2009-01-03T18:53:56","date_gmt":"2009-01-04T00:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wood-database.com\/?p=366"},"modified":"2023-05-11T04:33:10","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T09:33:10","slug":"african-mahogany","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wood-database.com\/african-mahogany\/","title":{"rendered":"African Mahogany"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a> > Hardwoods<\/a> > Meliaceae<\/a> > Khaya <\/a>> <\/strong>spp.\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"<\/a>
African mahogany (Khaya ivorensis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Common Name(s):<\/strong><\/a> African mahogany, khaya, acajou d’Afrique<\/p>

Scientific Name:<\/strong><\/a> Khaya spp.,<\/i> (primarily A. anthotheca<\/em> and A. ivorensis;<\/em> see notes below<\/a>)<\/p>

Distribution:<\/strong><\/a> Tropical Africa<\/p>

Tree Size:<\/strong><\/a> 100-200 ft (30-60 m)<\/span> tall,<\/p>

                     3-6 ft (1-1.8 m)<\/span> trunk diameter<\/p>

Average Dried Weight:<\/strong><\/a> 33.9 lbs\/ft3<\/sup> (545 kg\/m3<\/sup>)<\/span><\/p>

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC)<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span> 0.46, 0.54<\/p>

Janka Hardness<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span> 850 lbf<\/sub> (3,800 N)<\/span><\/p>

Modulus of Rupture<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span> 11,730 lbf<\/sub>\/in2<\/sup> (80.9 MPa)<\/span><\/p>

Elastic Modulus<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span> 1,410,000 lbf<\/sub>\/in2<\/sup> (9.72 GPa)<\/span><\/p>

Crushing Strength<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span> 6,570 lbf<\/sub>\/in2<\/sup> (45.3 MPa)<\/span><\/p>

Shrinkage<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span> Radial: 3.4%, Tangential: 5.7%,<\/p>

                          Volumetric: 9.3%, T\/R Ratio: 1.7<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> More images<\/strong><\/a> | <\/i> Identification<\/strong><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Color\/Appearance:<\/strong><\/a> Heartwood ranges from pale pink to a deeper reddish brown, sometimes with streaks of medium to dark reddish brown. Colors darken with age. Quartersawn surfaces exhibit a ribbon-stripe appearance.<\/p><\/blockquote>

Grain\/Texture:<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Grain is straight to interlocked, with a medium to coarse texture. Good natural luster and a high degree of chatoyancy.<\/p><\/blockquote>

Rot Resistance:<\/a> <\/strong>Rated as moderately durable;\u00a0moderate to poor insect\/borer resistance.<\/p><\/blockquote>

Workability:<\/strong><\/a> Generally easy to work, though tearout can be a problem if the grain is interlocked. May stain and react with iron-based fasteners in damp conditions. Glues, turns, and finishes well.<\/p><\/blockquote>

Odor:<\/a> <\/strong>No characteristic odor.<\/p><\/blockquote>

Allergies\/Toxicity:<\/strong><\/a> Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, African mahogany has been reported as a sensitizer<\/a>. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity<\/a> and Wood Dust Safety<\/a> for more information.<\/p><\/blockquote>

Pricing\/Availability:<\/strong><\/a> Available in a variety of lumber sizes, as well as plywood and veneer. Prices are moderate for an imported hardwood.<\/p><\/blockquote>

Sustainability:<\/strong><\/a> African mahogany is listed in CITES Appendix II under the genus-wide restriction of all Khaya <\/em>species from Africa. Additionally, all the primary Khaya<\/em> species of African mahogany\u00a0are on the IUCN Red List. They are each listed as vulnerable due to a population reduction of over 20% in the past three generations, caused by a decline in its natural range, and exploitation.<\/p><\/blockquote>

Common Uses:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Veneer, plywood, turned items, furniture, boatbuilding, and interior trim.<\/p><\/blockquote>

<\/a>Comments:<\/strong> There are currently five accepted Khaya<\/em> species, four of which are harvested and sold as African mahogany. The fifth species, K. madagascariensis, <\/em>is native to Comoros and northern Madagascar and yields mahogany-like wood, but isn’t commonly exported.<\/p>

Of the four commercial species, there is considerable variation in density and heartwood color. The two lightest species, K. ivorensis<\/em> and K. anthotheca,<\/em> are represented here on this page. The heaviest species, K. senegalensis,<\/em> is sometimes called dry zone mahogany and has markedly higher density and has been given its own entry. Lastly, K. grandifoliola<\/em> occupies a middle-ground in terms of density, sometimes being mixed and sold with the former two lighter species, and sometimes grouped with the heavier K. senegalensis<\/em>.<\/p>

According to Plant Resources of Tropical Africa,[1]<\/sup><\/a>Louppe, D., Oteng-Amoako, A. A., & Brink, M. (2008).\u00a0Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 7 (1). Timbers 1<\/i>. PROTA foundation.<\/span><\/span>