Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Millettia laurentii Trade Name Wenge Family Name Papilionaceae Common Names Anong, Awong, Awoung, Bokonge, Bwengu, Dikela, Kiboto, Mboto, Mibotu, Monkonge, Mukonde mutshi, Mundambi, N'gondou, N'toka, N'toko, Nson-so, Nsou-so, Otogo, Palissandre du congo, Pallissandre, Tshikalakala, Wenge, Zai-wenge Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zaire Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Excelsior, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Office furniture, Organ pipes, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Piano keys, Pianos , Plywood, Posts, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Status unknown in parts of its range Secure in many areas of its range Little or no threat to its population Extinct, Endangered, Rare, or Vulnerable within some parts of its original range. Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview The natural growth range of the species is the open forests of Zaire, Cameroon, Gabon, the southern regions of Tanzania, and Mozambique. It is also found in the swampy forests of the Congo region. Heartwood Color Yellow White Red Green/grey Brown Orange Pink Dark brown Color variation is moderate Black Alternating bands of light and dark tissue Sapwood Color Red Yellow White White to yellow Well defined Grain Straight Figure Even Distinct (figure) Interlocked Straight Distinct figure Straight to roey Interlocked The appearance of the wood has been described as expressive Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Coarse Medium Medium coarse to coarse Fine Luster Low Natural Growth Defects Brittleheart is sometimes present Bore holes occasionally Bore holes tend to reduce the volume of quality material from logs Natural Durability Moderately durable Durable Perishable Non-durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Very durable Durable Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Heartwood resistant to decay Heartwood resistant ot marine borers and termites Good weathering properties Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Dermatitic effects Respiratory effects Poisonous Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5 T6 - D2 (4/4) US T3 - D1 (8/4) US Drying Defects Checking Slight end splitting Severe surface checking Distortion (twist/warp) is likely Ease of Drying Thick Stock Requires Care Reconditioning Treatement Requires special attention Difficult Dries slowly with severe degrade in uncontrolled conditions Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is misshapen Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Bole length is 0-10 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced regularly but it is exported only in low volumes. Wenge is always in limited supply on the US market. Some reasons for this are low yield from logs because of high waste from mulot or heavy worm infestation, supply problems from sources in Africa, and less demand on the market for darker colored woods. The wood is used almost exclusively for architectural purposes such as paneling and furniture pieces. Suppliers are reported to to be offering Wenge more frequently in recent years. Prices are often in the high range. Substitutes Wacapou (Vouacapoua americana), Aramatta (Diplotropis purpurea) and Pao rosa (Swartzia fistuloides) Comments Exposure lightens color of wood General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory Lumber is occasionally left in the sun on purpose to lighten the color (sometimes requested by importers of Wenge) Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is slight Medium effect Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Easy Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Cleanly but slowly Gluing Difficult to glue Easy to glue Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to mortise Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to mould Movement in Service Small Fairly stable There are reports of significant movement in use in actual installations. Nailing Difficult to nail Possible if prebored Holds nails well Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to plane The timber is fairly easy to work with machine tools. Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Sapwood is permeable Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Difficult to machine Good response Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Fair sanding qualities Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to turn Poor results Good results Good results Veneering Qualities Too heavy for plywood manufacture Diifficult to veneer Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Poor results Satisfactory results Requires a filler Rather difficult to polish Varnishing Weathering properties are very poor Solvent-Based stains may dry with difficulty Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Max. crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = very high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Weight = very high Strength properties vary with density Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Hardness (side grain) = medium Hardness (side grain) = hard Density = very high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 14684 22019 psi Density 54 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2235 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 7355 11021 psi Shearing Strength 2840 psi Stiffness 2071 2379 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.65 0.83 Weight 57 55 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1032 1548 kg/cm2 Density 865 kg/m3 Hardness 1013 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 517 774 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 199 kg/cm2 Stiffness 145 167 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.65 0.83 Weight 913 881 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References Bois et Forets des Tropiquies,1952,Wenge,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.25 pp.329-332 Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Fouarge, J.,1970,Essais Physiques,Mecaniques et de Durabilite de Bois de la Republique,Democratique du Congo,I.N.E.A.C. Belgium Serie Technique,No.76 France - C.T.F.T.,1966,Bois Tropicaux,C.T.F.T. Publ.,12 HMSO. 1972. Handbook of Hardwoods. 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Hughes, J.F.,1971,The Principal Timber Trees of Cameroon,Unpublished data ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. Jay, B.A.,1968,Timbers of West Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Kaiser, J. 1990. Wenge:The Dark, Exotic Wood from Africa. Wood of the Month Annual, Supplement to Wood and Wood Products, September 1990, Page 24A. Kline, M. 1979. Millettia laurentii - Wenge. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portlend, Maine. 1994. Page 238. Lebacq, L., Dechamps, R.,1967,Contribution a un Inventaire de Forets du Nord-kasai,Musee Royal de L'Afrique Centrale Belgium Annals Series 8 No.5 Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. NWFA. 1994. Wood Species Used in Wood Flooring. Technical Publication No. A200. National Wood Flooring Association, Manchester, MO. Pieters, A.,1977,Essences Forestieres du Zaire,R.U.G. Gent Belguim Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Revue des Bois et de ses Applications,1957,Wenge (Millettia laurentii,Revue des Bois et de ses Applications,No12(5, p35 Saint-Aubin, G. de,1963,La Foret du Gabon,CTFT Publ., No.21 Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T Sallenave, P.,1964,Proprietes Physiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux (Premier Supplement,C.T.F.T. Publ.,no.23 Scott, M.H.,1950,Notes on the more Important African Timbers Imported into the Union with,Special Ref. to Port. E.A. Species,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No.19,pp18-62,[South,African Forestry Journal] Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7 Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13