Iroko

Iroko (Chlorophora excelsa)

Description

A wood produced from the Chlorophor excelsa tree native to Africa. Iroko is a medium weight wood with an open-grain texture. The color is a brown with yellow streaks. Iroko has been used for structures, ship building, cabinets, and furniture.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Chlorophor excelsa; mvule; African teak; iroko (Fr.); câmbala (Port.)

Risks

• Susceptible to wood borers.
• Skin contact may cause irritation.

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Heartwood is yellow to golden with dolor darkening over time; sapwood is a clearly paler yellow
• Grain is interlocked with open pores and a medium to coarse texture
• Wood is durable and sometimes used as a substitute for teak
• Density = 41 ppcf

Working Properties

• Generally easy to work, with the exception of its interlocked grain, which may cause some tearout during surfacing operations
• Deposits of calcium carbonate are sometimes present, which can have a significant dulling effect on cutters
• Glues and finishes well.

Resources and Citations

• The Wood Database: Iroko

• F. H. Titmuss, Commercial Timbers of the World, The Technical Press Ltd., London, 1965 Comment: 41 ppcf

• Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979

• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980 Comment: density=61 ppcf (0.98 g/cm3)