Source

Acajou is available in the forests of Precious Woods, located in the Congo Basin of Gabon. The tree has attains heights up to 55m and diameters of 80 – 100 – 150 cm (sometimes 180 cm). The trunks are straight and cylindrical and often have buttress root boards.

Appearance

The different species of the Khaya-group are difficult to distinguish. Depending on the growing conditions, the appearance and the properties can vary. The heartwood of freshly sawn Acajou has a pink color. After exposure to light the color changes to pinkish red or brown red. After years, the color could be somewhat irregular. The 30-80 mm thick sapwood is yellowish to light pink. When fresh, the colour difference between sapwood and heartwood is not great, but after exposure to the light, it becomes much clearer. The wood structure is often irregular and interlocked. The texture is medium fine to coarse.

Processing properties

The machining of Acajou can be done easily. Pre-drilling is recommended. The gluing and properties are good, but the finishing requires additional measures (e.g. filling of the pores). It dries moderately slowly, sometimes with risks of cracking and deformation.

Application

Acajou (Congo-Khaya) is mentioned on the SKH publications 99 – 05, which means that the timber is approved for production of KOMO certified door and window frames, doors and windows. Furthermore it can also be used for facades, garden timber, panelling, furniture and upscale interiors.  Acajou is also used for the panelling of (small) luxury yachts.

Technical data (PDF)

For more information, please contact us: sales@preciouswoods.com