Utile

Durability:

The wood is durable; the sapwood liable to attack by powder post beetle, and the heartwood is moderately resistant to termites in West Africa. It is extremely resistant to preservative treatment and resistant to decay.

Mechanical Properties:

This heavy density wood has only medium bending strength, and a high crushing strength with low stiffness and resistance to shock loads. It has a very poor steam bending classification as it buckles severely.

Seasoning:

The wood dries fairly rapidly with a tendency for twisting to occur. If allowed to dry moderately slowly the degrade is not severe. Original shakes tend to extend. There is medium movement in service.

Uses:

  • Furniture and cabinetmaking, counter tops, high-class exterior and interior joinery, flooring, boat building and planking, musical instruments, sports good, and general construction work
  • Selected material used for plywood manufacture and sliced for decorative veneers
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Description

The heartwood matures from a pink-brown when fresh cut to deep red-brown. The grain is interlocked to rather irregular, producing a wide irregular striped figure on quartered surfaces. Weight varies from 550-750 kg/m³ (34-47 lb/ft³), but averages 660 kg/m³ (41 lb/ft³); specific gravity .66. Texture, uniformly moderate.

Additional information

Latin Name

Entandrophragma utile

Family Name

Meliaceae

Distribution

West and East Africa.

Also know as

Tshimaje rosso (Zaire); mebrou zuiri (Ivory Coast); kosi-kosi (Gabon); afau-konkonti (Ghana)

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