OBECHE WOOD: What is it?
Obeche wood color ranges from creamy white to pale straw yellow. Its texture is consistent with uniform fine grain lines. Obeche Ribbon grain is chatoyant. Additionally, it’s known for its light weight, pale color and high luster polish.
Harvested primarily in central-West Africa, obeche wood is also known as Ayous lumber, Samba, African Whitewood or Wawa timber. The common names are regional. For example, in the United States, most hardwood lumber companies and woodworkers call it Obeche.
Ayous wood is ideal for model-making, wood joinery, furniture manufacturing, wood slats, table tennis paddles, picture frames, wood carvings, ping pong paddles, interior millwork and guitar building or luthiery.
Obeche wood has interlocked grain. Additionally, it’s grain is slight, similar to Aspen, Poplar or Jelutong. However, Quartersawn Obeche has beautiful ribbon grain chatoyance, similar to African Mahogany or White Limba lumber.
Obeche wood Technical Information
- Scientific name: Triplochiton scleroxylon
- Alternative Names: Obeche, Wawa, Samba, African Whitewood, Avachi, Sambawawa
- Region of Origin: West Africa (central)
- Average Dried Weight: 23 LB/cubic foot
- Janka Hardness Rating: 430
- Specific Gravity: .38
- IUCN Red List: No
- CITES wood: No
Is Obeche a Hardwood?
Yes. Ayous/Obeche is a true hardwood specie. Despite it’s relatively soft density and lightweight, it is a dicot tree.
Similar to Paulownia in weight, density and specific gravity, it too, is a “soft” hardwood lumber specie. Additionally, trees grow large and relatively quickly. Thus, it’s a popular wood for both plywood veneer and timber plank production.
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