A long board with a warm brown finish can look very different from the rough timber that first arrives at a factory. Iroko is a good example. The photographs here show our material before final machining: stacked boards and thicker sections, with visible differences in colour and surface condition. For a manufacturer, this is where decisions about cutting, matching and finishing begin.

At SENHEDA WOOD, Iroko forms part of our African hardwood supply to timber importers, furniture manufacturers and joinery businesses. Its appeal is easy to understand: a warm natural appearance and durable heartwood, with uses ranging from furniture to exterior joinery.

Iroko sawn timber in covered storage at SENHEDA WOOD.

A useful timber in its own right

Iroko is sometimes sold as “African teak”, although it is a different timber. The trade name covers Milicia excelsa and Milicia regia. It is better to specify Iroko by name than to assume that a comparison with teak means identical performance.

The timber industry association ATIBT identifies exterior joinery, outdoor furniture and flooring among its applications. Its heartwood is rated durable to very durable against decay. That makes it worth considering for doors, window components and garden furniture, with the grade and construction details chosen for the intended exposure. Sapwood should be assessed separately from heartwood.

Colour is part of the selection

Iroko heartwood ranges from yellow and golden tones to brown, and tends to darken with time. On a finished piece of furniture, some variation can be attractive. Across a set of cabinet doors or a large panel, a closer match may be preferable. It helps to decide how much variation is acceptable before cutting the boards.

The photographs show both broad faces and stacked board ends. They offer a useful view of the material, but the final colour is best judged after surface preparation and a trial with the intended finish. A small finished sample gives the buyer and the workshop a clearer reference than a photograph alone.

Long Iroko sections showing board faces and natural colour variation.

From sawn boards to finished components

Iroko can be machined to a good finish, though its interlocked grain requires attention during planing. For a new production run, a trial piece is a sensible place to establish the cutting and finishing settings before processing the full lot.

The long sections in our photographs are useful for discussing component sizes. A workshop making door stiles will have different length requirements from one producing short furniture parts. Send the finished dimensions as well as the rough sizes you normally buy, so the quotation can allow for trimming and planing.

Iroko supply from SENHEDA WOOD

SENHEDA WOOD has more than fifteen years of timber trading experience, serving markets including Vietnam, China, India and the Middle East. Our team coordinates African sourcing, quality requirements, packing and export arrangements. We can discuss available Iroko sizes and share material photographs for the order under consideration.

For an Iroko quotation, send your thickness, width and length requirements, drying condition, quantity and destination port. Let us know what you plan to make, and we can check the available supply against the sizes that matter to your production.

Contact Virat Meng | WhatsApp: +86 17727554471
Email: virat@shdwood.com | www.shdtimber.com

Further reading: SENHEDA WOOD — Get to Know Iroko Wood