Amazonian Wenge

Scientific Name:
Millettia laurentii (wenge)

Origin:
Found in South America especially Brazil, Peru & Colombia

Appearance:
When freshly cut, the heartwood of wenge is a yellow-brown color, but darkens to a deep, uniform brown, almost black, with alternate layers of light and dark tissue, forming a decorative figure in a few months. Well-aged wood is necessary prior to laying a floor. One of the best known of the exotic dark woods, wenge is used primarily where a bold dark color or contrasting light and dark accent strips are desired.

Properties:
Wenge is very hard, heavy, and durable, with an excellent dimensional stability.

Janka Hardness: 1630
Wenge makes for a hard and durable wood floor. It is nearly twenty-six percent harder than red oak, is just under twenty percent harder than white oak, about twelve percent harder than hard maple, and is roughly eighty-nine percent the hardness of either hickory or pecan.

Principal Uses:
Because of its great resistance to abrasion, wenge is very suitable for flooring that will receive high use and traffic. It is principally used for parquet and strip flooring, general construction, joinery, and for specialty items.