Afrormosia
Pericopsis elata · hardwood · West Africa · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 1,560 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 43 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.61 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 6.4%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.1 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes A teak substitute that is harder and more affordable than the real thing, with modest movement. CITES-listed — buy from documented sources.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for afrormosia across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.082″) | 1/32″ (0.039″) |
| 12″ | 5/32″ (0.165″) | 1/16″ (0.077″) |
| 24″ | 11/32″ (0.329″) | 5/32″ (0.154″) |
| 36″ | 1/2″ (0.494″) | 7/32″ (0.231″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to afrormosia:
Typical swings:
Afrormosia questions
How much does afrormosia move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn afrormosia board moves about 5/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/16″. Its tangential shrinkage is 6.4% and radial 3% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is afrormosia?
Afrormosia rates about 1,560 lbf on the Janka scale — in red oak’s hardness neighborhood (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 43 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is afrormosia good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.1:1 makes flatsawn boards prone to cupping — choose quartersawn stock for wide glue-ups, alternate growth rings, and fasten tops so they can slide.
Similar species
Honeylocust · Pin Oak · Sweet Birch · Sugar Maple (Hard Maple) · Black Locust · Sapele
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.