The heartwood of Wenge is dark brown with near black veining. Grain is straight with a medium texture and low luster.

BOTANICAL NAME: 

Milletia Laurentii

ORIGIN: 

Found in Central Africa, especially throughout the Congo and southern regions of Tanzania and Mozambique.

COMMON NAMES: 

Wenge, Awong, Mpande, Panga-panga

JANKA HARDNESS:

1630

DIMENSIONAL STABILITY:

.00201

RELATIVE ABUNDANCE: 

This species is reported to be rather secure with very little threat to its existence within most of its growth range including the Congo, but it is officially classified as either extinct, endangered or rare in Cameroon.

INTERESTING FACTS: 

The bark from the Wenge tree is used for its toxins to stun fish for harvest. It is also used in parts of Africa for mask carving. The Wenge tree grows to heights of 60 to 90 feet with a trunk diameter of 3 to 4 feet.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: 

When freshly cut, the heartwood of Wenge, Millettia Laurentii is a yellow-brown color, but then in a few months it darkens to a deep, uniform brown, almost black, with alternate layers of light and dark tissue, forming a decorative figure. So it is important to buy well-aged wood before laying the floor. Clearly demarcated from the heartwood is the yellowish-white sapwood. This coarse-textured wood has a straight grain. A related species from East Africa, Panga-Panga, Millettia Stuhlmannii has similar graining but does not darken as much as Wenge. One of the best known of the exotic dark woods, Wenge is used primarily where a bold dark color or contrasting light and dark accent strips are desired.

COLOR CHANGE: 

Wenge exhibits a large degree of color change with pronounced darkening from the yellowish color it is when freshly milled to a deep chocolate black brown when aged. This process happens within a few months.

MAIN USES: 

Because of its great resistance to abrasion, Wenge is very suitable for flooring that will receive high use and traffic. It is principally used for parquet and strip flooring, general construction, joinery, and for specialty items. It can be substituted for hickory in decorative veneers and in sporting goods.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:

Wenge is very hard, heavy, and durable, with an excellent dimensional stability. Actual installations may show significant movement in use, however.

WORKING PROPERTIES:

Because of its hardness, Wenge is difficult to cut and machine. Carbide tooling is recommended due to rapid dulling of tools and cutting edges. This wood sands well and has good holding ability; because of its hardness, however, pre-boring nail holes is recommended. Some solvent-based stains do not dry well when applied to this wood.