Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon)

Obeche is an imported hardwood

Location

Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon) trees of west-central Africa reach a height of 50 m (150 ft) or more and a diameter of up to 2 m (5 ft). The trunk is usually free of branches for a considerable height so that clear lumber of considerable size can be obtained.

Characteristics

The wood is creamy white to pale yellow with little or no difference between sapwood and heartwood. The wood is fairly soft, of uniform medium to coarse texture, and the grain is usually interlocked but sometimes straight. Air-dry wood weighs about 385 kg/m3 (24 lb/ft3). Obeche dries readily with little degrade. It is not resistant to decay, and green sapwood is subject to blue stain. The wood is easy to work and machine, veneers and glues well, and takes nails and screws without splitting.

Primary Uses

The characteristics of obeche make it especially suitable for veneer and corestock. Other uses include furniture, components, millwork, blockboard, boxes and crates, particleboard and fiberboard, patterns, and artificial limbs.

*Much of the base wood information presented here is made available by the USDA FPL FS. If you are interested in a much more technical description of wood properties, I encourage you to visit the source.