Doussie wood is no doubt familiar to those who love interior design. Doussie wood, also known as Afzelia, is a tropical hardwood native to Central and West Africa. It is a hard, dense wood with a beautiful orange-brown to golden-brown color. With its outstanding beauty and durability, Doussie timber is a popular wood all over the world. If you are looking for a high-quality, durable, and aesthetically pleasing wood, Doussie wood is a perfect choice. Let’s find out about the characteristics and uses of this wood with K-TIMBER in the article below.
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Doussie Wood General information
Doussie wood, whose scientific name is Afzelia Africana or Family Caesalpiniaceae, is a type of hardwood originating from tropical Africa – a place that is said to be a treasure trove of woods.
Doussie trees (scientifically known as Afzelia Africana) are large, deciduous trees belonging to the legume family (Fabaceae). They typically grow to an average height of 25-37 meters and a trunk diameter of 1-1.5 meters. The bark is gray-white and rough. Doussie trees are shade-loving, slow-growing, and have a high drought tolerance. They often grow in forests in the tropical regions of Africa, especially in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, etc
Doussie wood is known to be a rare and precious wood with high durability, beautiful grain, and excellent rot resistance, making it a popular choice for outdoor furniture, exterior woodwork, and flooring. It is in the same category as rosewood, agarwood, ebony, and sandalwood.
It is precisely because of its rarity and high economic value that Doussie timber mining activities are almost restricted. African countries, which have abundant Doussie timber resources, have enacted many regulations to protect this precious wood. Accordingly, Doussie timber mining activities can only be carried out by companies that have been granted CITES licenses and must comply with strict environmental protection regulations.
Among them, K-TIMBER is one of the suppliers of quality Doussie wood that is harvested from sustainable tropical forests. Along with its good cooperative relationship with the government of Angola, K-TIMBER commits to providing customers with high-quality Doussie lumber products, ensuring clear origin and legal exploitation.
Doussie Wood Properties
Color and Texture
Doussie wood is a high-value exotic hardwood known for its beautiful color and grain. The heartwood is a rich orange-brown to golden-brown color that darkens to a reddish-brown with dark streaks over time. The sapwood is clearly defined from white to pale yellow and is about 8 cm wide. Doussie wood has straight to slightly interlocked grain and a medium to coarse texture. It has a medium luster and a slightly rough but even feel.
Density and strength
Doussie wood is a very dense and sturdy wood. It has a density of about 805 kg/m3 (50 lbs/ft3), equivalent to the density of oak. Doussie timber is also very hard, with a Janka hardness of 1810 lbf (8050 N). This makes it very resistant to dents and scratches.
Besides, Doussie wood is also highly appreciated for its durability with moderate resistance to termites and stem borers.
Workability
The interlocking grain of Doussie wood makes it more difficult to work and can cause tear-out during machining. Doussie wood has good resistance to acids and alkalis. This means that Doussie lumber is not corroded by chemicals commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms.
Doussie wood also has good nailing and screwing properties. However, due to the high hardness of Doussie timber, sharp tools, and moderate nailing and screwing force should be used to avoid cracking the wood. In terms of finishing, Doussie wood has good bonding and finishing properties. However, some species of Doussie timber contain water-soluble yellow residues in the pores. This can make it difficult to stain or finish with water-based products.
Doussie Wood Technical Properties
| TECHNICAL PROPERTIES | VALUE |
| Average Dried Weight | 50,1 lbs/ft3 (805 kg/m3) |
| Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC) | 0,67, 0,80 |
| Janka Hardness | 1.810 lbf (8.050 N) |
| Modulus of Rupture | 17.740 lbf/in2 (122,3 MPa) |
| Elastic Modulus | 2.094.000 lbf/in2 (14,44 GPa) |
| Crushing Strength | 10.750 lbf/in2 (74,1 MPa) |
| Shrinkage |
Radial: 2.3% Tangential: 3.9% Volumetric: 6.3% T/R Ratio: 1.7 |
Doussie Wood Advantages
Doussie lumber stands out as one of the hardest and most resilient timber types, boasting exceptional compactness and resistance that make it an ideal choice for flooring in any setting, even those subjected to heavy foot traffic. Its remarkable versatility extends to both indoor and outdoor applications, including bathrooms and kitchens, thanks to its inherent qualities and characteristics.
In terms of aesthetics, both Doussie’s wood grain and color are highly appreciated, with its dark wood colors and sharp wood grain lines being popular with many people.
Doussie Wood Disadvantages
Alongside the many advantages mentioned above, Doussie timber still has some disadvantages related to price. It is precisely because of these outstanding advantages that the price of wood is also more expensive than the average. In addition, Doussie timber also has a larger weight. So the processing of finished products or the manufacture of handicrafts will also take quite a lot of time and effort, affecting the cost of the finished product.
Although Doussie wood has not had any rare serious reactions, Doussie afzelia has been reported to cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation as well as sneezing in some reports.
Doussie Lumber Uses
Doussie’s superior durability and moisture resistance make it an ideal choice for shipbuilding applications. It is often used for hulls, planks, and decking due to its ability to withstand the harsh conditions of the marine environment. Additionally, Doussie wood is also widely used in applications such as interior and exterior furniture, flooring, sliced veneer, or in heavy industrial applications.
Learn more: Iroko Wood: Properties, Characteristics & Uses
Where to buy Doussie Wood in Bulk at the Best Price?
Doussie is one of the rare types of wood and brings high economic value. The wood is dark red in color with prominent black veins, creating a luxurious and sophisticated beauty that makes it an increasingly sought-after material among all types of wood.
Where should we source quality Doussie wood?
K-TIMBER – Leading African wood supplier
K-TIMBER is a leading African wood supplier, with the number 1 quality Doussie wood source on the market. With the goal of becoming the TOP 10 leading large wood companies in Africa, K-TIMBER always strives to provide customers with standard wood sources from sustainable tropical forests in Africa.
Outstanding quality, clear origin
K-TIMBER’s Doussie wood is carefully selected from the best trees, ensuring outstanding quality. In addition, K-TIMBER’s woods have clear origins and are FSC certified, ensuring that the wood is sustainably harvested.
Competitive prices, and professional service
With a supply capacity of 15,000 m3/month, K-TIMBER is committed to meeting all of your interior and exterior projects. In addition to Doussie, K-TIMBER also provides a variety of hardwoods and softwoods at the most competitive prices on the market, up to 20%.
If you are looking for a place to buy Doussie wood in bulk at the best prices on the market, K-TIMBER is the top choice for your carpentry projects!
