Okoume

Origin: Africa.

Latin name.
Aucoumea klaineana Pierre

Natural vegetation area.
It is relatively small and includes the forests of Gabon, of Equatorial Guinea and of the western part of the Congo Basin.

TRUNK CHARACTERISTICS.
The tree is very big, sometimes up to 60 m tall, with a diameter at breast height around 2 m; the trunk is not always regular in terms of growth habit, and at the base it features root buttresses of varying size. It often features strong internal stresses.

WOOD APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS.
The thin greyish sapwood can be clearly distinguished from the heartwood featuring the characteristic salmon pink colour, sometimes with grey or reddish shades; the root sections look shiny and bright. High content of very fine mineral particles inside the cells.

Specific weight.
In the fresh condition: 650 kg/m3 on average; after normal seasoning: 440 kg/m³.

Histological structure.
Medium texture; grain with considerable differences among trunks: sometimes it is straight, sometimes it is wavy or even cross-grain.

Shrinkage.
Moderate.

Mechanical characteristics.
Axial compression strength 40 N/mm² on average; bending strength 80 N/mm²; hardness variable among trunks, but generally moderate. The impact behaviour is low.

Modulus of elasticity.
7.500 N/mm².

Most frequent structural defects and alteration.
Internal stresses causing a brittle heart; irregular grain; presence of very fine mineral particles in the texture; small blackish galleries (piqûres noires) created by Platypodidae and Scolytidae in the sapwood.

Durability.
Fair and in any case greater than one would expect considering its light specific weight.

Texts taken from: “Manuale tecnico del legno”, FNALA CNA LEGNO LEGNO, by Prof. Ing. Guglielmo Giordano.

Species available for the following products: