 Afrormosia (Pericopsis elata)
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Common Name(s): Afrormosia, Afromosia, African Teak Scientific Name: Pericopsis elata Distribution: West Africa Tree Size: 150 ft (46 m) tall, 3-6 ft (1-2 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 45 lbs/ft3 (715 kg/m3) Hardness: 1,560 lbf (6,940 N) Rupture Strength: 15,500 lbf/in2 (106,900 kPa) Elastic Strength: 1,590,000 lbf/in2 (10,970 MPa) Crushing Strength: 9,730 lbf/in2 (67.1 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 3.0%, Tangential: 6.4%, Volumetric: 10.7%, T/R Ratio: 2.1 |
Color/Appearance: Heartwood is typically a yellowish brown, occasion will have an either reddish or olive hue. Color tends to darken with age.
Grain/Pore: Afrormosia has a fine texture and small pores. The grain is usually straight, though it can also be interlocked.
Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; small to medium pores in no specific arrangement; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; heartwood deposits occasionally present; growth rings may be distinct due to seemingly marginal parenchyma; rays not visible without lens; paratracheal parenchyma vasicentric, aliform (winged or lozenge), and frequently confluent.
Durability: Rated as very durable regarding decay resistance, and is also resistant to termites and other insects.
Workability: In nearly all regards, Afrormosia is easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though surfacing boards with interlocking grain may cause tearout. Other downsides include a slight blunting effect on cutting edges, and the development of dark stains if left in contact with iron in damp conditions. Afrormosia turns, glues, stains, and finishes well.
Scent: Afrormosia has a distinct odor while being worked.
Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Afrormosia has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. Afrormosia has also been known to cause nervous system effects, as well as splinters having an increased chance of getting infected. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Price/Availability: Although Afrormosia is considered to be a Teak substitute, it is still an exotic hardwood, and its price can be rather high. Afrormosia can sell for about the same price as Zebrawood: another imported African hardwood.
Comments: Along with Iroko, Afrormosia is sometimes referred to as “African Teak,” though it is not closely related to genuine Teak (Tectona grandis). Afrormosia does look somewhat similar to Teak, has similar working and mechanical properties, and is extremely durable in outdoor applications; for these reasons, it’s used with a fair degree of success as a substitute for Teak.
Some common uses for Afrormosia include: boatbuilding, veneer, flooring, and furniture.
Scans/Pictures: A special thanks to Justin Holden for providing the wood sample of this wood species.
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Afrormosia (sanded) |
 Afrormosia (sealed) |
 Afrormosia (endgrain) |
 Afrormosia (endgrain 10x) |
 Afrormosia (curly) |
January 31st, 2011 at 3:09 am
I wanna use Afromosia elata as project
March 21st, 2011 at 10:19 pm
I’m working on Afrormosia as my project right.pls helpme out with informations.
June 23rd, 2011 at 6:05 am
I am working on Afromosia too and as my project,pls can u help me with informations,its a little urgent.Thanks.