 Bubinga (Guibourtia spp.)
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Common Name(s): Bubinga Scientific Name: Guibourtia spp. (G. demeusei, G. pellegriniana, G. tessmannii, etc.) Distribution: Equatorial Africa Tree Size: 130-150 ft (40-45 m) tall, 3-6 ft (1-2 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 58 lbs/ft3 (925 kg/m3) Hardness: 2,610 lbf (11,610 N) Rupture Strength: 25,100 lbf/in2 (173,100 kPa) Elastic Strength: 2,717,000 lbf/in2 (18,740 MPa) Crushing Strength: 11,030 lbf/in2 (76.1 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 5.8%, Tangential: 8.4%, Volumetric: 13.0%, T/R Ratio: 1.4 |
Color/Appearance: Heartwood ranges from a pinkish red to a darker reddish brown with darker purple or black streaks. Sapwood is a pale straw color and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood.
Grain/Pore: Has a very fine texture and small pores. Grain is often interlocked. Bubinga is very frequently seen with a variety of figure, including: pommele, flamed, waterfall, quilted, mottled, etc.
Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; medium pores in no specific arrangement; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; mineral deposits occasionally present; growth rings distinct due to marginal parenchyma; rays faintly visible without lens; parenchyma vasicentric, aliform, confluent, and banded (marginal).
Durability: Ranges from moderately durable to very durable depending upon the the species. Bubinga is also reported to be resistant to termite and marine borer attack.
Workability: Easy to work overall, though depending upon the species Bubinga can have silica present, which can prematurely dull cutting edges. Also, on pieces with figured or interlocking grain, tearout can occur during planing or other machining operations. Gluing can occasionally be problematic due to Bubinga’s high density and natural oils. Turns and finishes well.
Scent: Bubinga is reported to have an unpleasant scent when the lumber is still wet, which disappears after the wood is dry.
Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Bubinga has been reported to cause skin irritation and/or skin lesions in some individuals. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Price/Availability: Should be moderately priced for an import. Figured grain patterns such as waterfall, pommele, etc. are likely to be much more expensive.
Comments: Bubinga has a close resemblance to rosewood, and is often use in place of more expensive woods. Yet Bubinga also features a host of stunning grain figures, such as flamed, pommele, and waterfall, which make this wood truly unique. Bubinga also has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio.
Common uses for Bubinga include: veneer, inlays, fine furniture, cabinetry, turnings, and other specialty items. Since Bubinga trees can grow so large, natural-edge slabs of the wood have also been used in tabletops and other specialized projects.
Scans/Pictures: A special thanks to Steve Earis for providing the turned photo of this wood species.
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Bubinga (sanded) |
 Bubinga (sealed) |
 Bubinga (endgrain) |
 Bubinga (endgrain 10x) |
 Bubinga (turned) |
 Bubinga (finished) |
August 12th, 2011 at 8:52 am
In my experience with bubinga, as I took my pieces down to finished size, I had some slight to moderate warping in the wood. I don’t know if humidity was a factor or not. Or maybe the wood didn’t fully dry before I bought it, but would suggest approaching the finished size gently and allowing the freshly cut wood fibers to adjust accordingly.