IROKO
THE TREE
IROKO IS AN IMPORTANT AFRICAN WOOD, USED THROUGHOUT ITS WIDE DISTRIBUTION FROM THE IVORY COAST TO ANGOLA, FROM THE SUDAN TO MOZAMBIQUE AND IN EUROPE. IT IS A VERY LARGE TREE, UP TO 50m HIGH, AND YIELDS FINE, CYLINDRICAL LOGS, WHICH FOR EXPORT, MAINLY FROM WEST AFRICA, ARE USUALLY SQUARED OR HAVE THE SAPWOOD REMOVED.
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THE WOOD
YELLOW-BROWN TO DEEP-BROWN IN COLOR, IROKO HAS A DISTINCTIVE APPEARANCE DUE TO THE PALE, SOFT TISSUE ASSOCIATED WITH ITS VESSELS. THE GRAIN IS TYPICALLY INTERLOCKED AND SOMETIMES IRREGULAR. IROKO IS SOMETIMES LIKENED TO TEAK BUT IT IS COARSER IN TEXTURE, A LITTLE LIGHTER, AND LACKS THE DISTINCTIVE ODOR AND GREASINESS TO THE TOUCH CHARACTERISTIC OF TEAK. WHITE STONY DEPOSITS SOMETIMES OCCUR IN CAVITIES IN ITS WOOD.
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TECHNICAL PROPERTIES
THOUGH IT IS NOT QUITE SO STRONG, IROKO COMPARES FAVORABLY WITH TEAK IN ITS OTHER PROPERTIES. IT HAS THE SAME OUTSTANDING DURABILITY AND IN ITS STABILITY IN USE IS SLIGHTLY SUPERIOR, IF THE DIRECTION OF THE GRAIN IS STRAIGHT. IT SAWS AND MACHINES WELL, THOUGH STONY DEPOSITS CAN DAMAGE SAW TEETH AND CUTTERS.
USES
IROKO HAS A USEFUL COMBINATION OF PROPERTIES, AND IS COMPARATIVELY INEXPENSIVE. IT IS SUITABLE FOR MANY OF THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH TEAK IS USED. IT IS USED IN SHIP AND BOAT-BUILDING, FOR HIGH-CLASS JOINERY, COUNTER AND BENCH TOPS, FOR PARK AND GARDENS SEATS AND FOR PARQUET FLOORING, EVEN WHERE UNDERFLOOR HEATING SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED.
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SOFT WOODS:
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