Makore

Scientific Name:

Tieghemella heckelii

Other Names and Species:

Abacu
Aganokwe
African Cherry
Baku
Douka
Okolla

Origin:

Africa

Appearance:

The sapwood of makore is whitish to paler pink, while the heartwood ranges through the pink to red to lighter brown spectrum in color. The species has an straight, sometimes interlocked grain and is medium to very fine in texture.

Properties:

Makore has a natural resistance to decay and termite attack. The wood remains smooth under friction and is reported to have no odor. Makore dries at a slightly slower rate than some other species yet produces little degrade in the process.

Janka Hardness: 1100

As a flooring option, makore falls close to black walnut in hardness. It is nearly eighty-five percent as hard as red oak, is roughly seventy-five percent as hard as hard maple, about sixty percent as hard as hickory or pecan, and is half the hardness of santos mahogany’s ranking of 2200.

Workability:

The high silica content in makore creates a noticable resistance to cutting tools. Pre-boring is suggested since the wood can split when applying nails to it. Glue holds satisfactorilly well with makore flooring. This species sands fairly and takes an excellent stain after filling. When moist, exposure to iron may stain the wood’s surface blue. The dust raised from this working this product has been known to cause skin, nose, and throat irritation in some people so precautionary measures of some sort are advised.

Principal Uses:

Makore’s uses include flooring, kitchen cabinets, rustic furniture, tables, and shipmaking.