FSC® 100% East African brown padauk

East African brown padauk (Pterocarpus angolensis) is lighter in weight than the more common deep red coloured African padauk found in West / Central Africa. The wood is very stable with limited movement in service and it shares many working characteristics with popular species such as:

  • Teak (Tectona grandis)
  • African mahogany (Khaya spp.)
  • Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum)

 

  • Construction Construction
  • Decking Decking
  • Doors and Windows Doors and Windows
  • Exterior Furniture Exterior Furniture
  • Interior Furniture Interior Furniture
  • Flooring Parquet Flooring Parquet
  • Guitars and other Stringed Instruments Guitars and other Stringed Instruments
  • Household Products Household Products
  • Knives Knives
  • Turning Turning

Other names: mninga jangwa (Swahili), muninga, kiaat, African teak, African bloodwood, mukwa, umbila

Uses: The species is relatively unknown outside of Africa but it is highly prized in Southern and Eastern Africa for windows and doors, construction, flooring, furniture, carvings and boat building. Limited use of East African padauk outside of Africa has included backs and sides for acoustic guitars by Martin Guitars.

Average dried weight: 500-700kg/m3 at 12% MC

Janka hardness: 1,360 lbf (6,050 N)

The Wood Database recently published an article titled, The Ten Best Woods You’ve Never Heard Of, and East African padauk was included, but unfortunately listed under the uninspiring trade name, muninga. This name originates from the local Swahili name for the species, mninga jangwa.

East African padauk is also sometimes called African bloodwood due to the red sap that emerges soon after cutting - see image at the top of the page.