African mahogany

Khaya spp. · Hardwood · West Africa

African mahogany (Khaya spp.) wood and tree photograph
Janka 830 lbf≈26 lb/ft³ dried (est.)Durable

Properties

Janka hardness830 lbf (3,692 N)
Average dried weight (est.)26 lb/ft³ (420 kg/m³)
Specific gravity0.42
Modulus of rupture10,700 psi (73.8 MPa)
Modulus of elasticity1.40 million psi (9.65 GPa)
Crushing strength6,460 psi (44.5 MPa)
Shrinkage — radial2.5%
Shrinkage — tangential4.5%
Shrinkage — volumetric8.8%
Shrinkage T/R ratio1.8

Values at 12% moisture content, clear-wood averages. Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 5-5b p. 5-23; shrinkage Table 4-4 p. 4-9.

African mahogany is the trade name for Khaya species shipped mainly from west-central Africa, led by Khaya ivorensis, the most widely distributed and plentiful species of the genus. It is used for much the same purposes as American mahogany — principally furniture and cabinetwork, interior woodwork, boat construction, and veneer.

Appearance & grain

The heartwood varies from pale pink to dark reddish brown. The grain is frequently interlocked, and the texture is medium to coarse, comparable with that of American mahogany.

Durability

Rated moderately durable — generally classed as moderately resistant to decay, below the durability rating given to American mahogany.

Workability

The wood is easy to dry, though its machining properties are rather variable. Nailing and gluing properties are good, an excellent finish is readily obtained, and the wood is easy to slice and peel for veneer.

Common uses

  • Furniture
  • Cabinetwork
  • Interior woodwork
  • Boat construction
  • Veneer

Conservation: listed in CITES Appendix II · IUCN Red List: Vulnerable (checked 2026-10-24).

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Photo: Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (France). Programme Bois. Producteur d'un fonds d'archives · Public domain (source)

Property data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, FPL-GTR-282 (2021).