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Clean, pale domestic alternative for furniture and utility builds.
View optionObeche Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Imported specialty hardwood
Obeche is best understood by how it looks, how it works, and where it should be used. This guide explains the practical buying details before sending you to the right Kingma products.
Scientific nameTriplochiton scleroxylon
Janka hardness440 lbf
Average dried weight23.8 lb/ft³
Best fitVeneer
Overview
Why choose Obeche?
Obeche is a imported specialty hardwood associated with Tropical West Africa. It is useful when the project calls for veneer, plywood, carvings, furniture, and interior millwork, as well as beams, posts, and planks in local house construction
For SEO and customer usefulness, this page separates the science from the buying decision: appearance, working behaviour, durability, project fit, and then the right Kingma shopping path.
Scientific nameTriplochiton scleroxylon
DistributionTropical West Africa
ShrinkageRadial: 3.1%, Tangential: 5.3%, Volumetric: 8.7%, T/R Ratio: 1.7 More images | Identification
DurabilityRated as non-durable; poor termite and borer resistance.
Obeche colour, grain, and figure
Expect heartwood tends to be a pale yellow, with the sapwood not clearly differentiated from the heartwood. Colors darken slightly with age.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain tends to be slightly interlocked (though sometimes straight), with a medium to coarse texture and good natural luster.
Working notes
In the shop, generally easy to work, though interlocked grain can cause some rough surfaces in some machining operations. Carves, stains, glues, and finishes well.
Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, obeche has been reported as a sensitizer .
Obeche should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Obeche
Best projects
Veneer, plywood, carvings, furniture, and interior millwork, as well as beams, posts, and planks in local house construction
Use caution
Avoid specifying it by name alone; confirm board size, moisture, colour, figure, and the project environment before buying.
Finish strategy
Test finishes on offcuts first, especially when colour, blotching, outdoor exposure, or grain filling matters.
Buying note
Choose boards, slabs, plywood, blanks, or posts based on the project rather than species name alone.
Shop path
Buying Obeche from Kingma
Start with the direct species match when Kingma sells it. If stock rotates, use the closest live collection or a clearly explained alternative.
Live edge slabs
Use when the customer cares more about slab format and visual impact than this exact species.
View optionSimilar woods and alternatives
If Kingma does not have an exact match online, use the buying links below as practical alternatives only when the colour, grain, hardness, or project environment makes sense.
Obeche FAQ
What is Obeche best used for?
Obeche is best considered for veneer, plywood, carvings, furniture, and interior millwork, as well as beams, posts, and planks in local house construction. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Obeche beginner friendly?
It depends on density, grain direction, and tooling. Test cuts on offcuts first, and choose Maple, Cherry, Walnut, or Poplar when easier machining is the priority.
Does Kingma sell Obeche?
Use the buying section on this page. If an exact product is not listed, the linked alternatives are included only when they make practical sense for colour, grain, or project use.