African Zebra Wood

The zebra like appearance is due to the light colored sapwood in contrast with the dark colored grain.

African zebra wood.

Zebrawood is an exotic wood native to the western african countries of cameroon and gabon. The alternating hard and soft material creates working difficulties but zebrawood takes a clear finish without issue. Zebrawood lumber has heartwood that is light brown or cream color with dark blackish brown streaks vaguely resembling a zebra s stripes. It s black and creamy striped timber fetches high prices from the international market and is subsequently a target for selective logging.

This has led to the local extinction of the species from the foothills of mount cameroon. It is a hard wood with a medium to coarse texture. Depending on whether the wood is flatsawn or quartersawn the stripes can be either chaotic and wavy flatsawn or somewhat uniform quartersawn. Grain is usually wavy or interlocked.

In the 20th century the most important source of zebrawood was microberlinia brazzavillensis also. Depending on whether the wood is flatsawn or quartersawn the stripes can be either chaotic and wavy flatsawn or somewhat uniform quartersawn. The name zebrawood is used to describe several tree species and the wood derived from them. Has a fairly coarse texture and open pores.

The african zebrawood is also of high economic value. Heartwood is a light brown or cream color with dark blackish brown streaks vaguely resembling a zebra s stripes. Zebrawood is excellent for wood turning veneer furniture pens and knife handles.