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By Deepak Kumar · Founder, Vriksai

Africa

African Mahogany

Khaya ivorensis

Also known as khaya · Botanical Khaya ivorensis, Khaya anthotheca

Last updated: 15 July 2026Reviewed by: Vriksai editorial team — timber trade professionalsEditorial policy

Revision history

17 July 2026 — Data re-verified in site-wide audit (formulas, sources, durability classes)
15 July 2026 — Working properties and comparable-species data cross-checked against listed sources

🪵Hardwood💧Moisture Stable

Janka Hardness

1070WD

lbf

Janka (metric)

4759calc

Hardness Class

Mediumcalc

Density

0.52fpl

g/cm³

MOE

9.7fpl

GPa

MOR

78.6FPL

MPa

Durability

Class 3

Moderately Durable

Fire (E84)

Class B

indicative

Thermal k

0.145

W/m·K

Green MC

80FPL

Fiber Saturation

28FPL

Radial Shrink

3WD

Tangential Shrink

5WD

T/R Ratio

1.67derived

Stability

Excellentcalc

About the fire rating. Indicative only, derived from density and published data — not a certified rating. Real performance depends on product, thickness, coating and installation. What our ratings do and do not certify.

Compare this wood:⚖ vs American Cherry ⚖ vs Black Walnut ⚖ vs Douglas Fir ⚖ vs Sapele All comparisons →

About African Mahogany

African Mahogany (Khaya ivorensis) is a mid-range timber, hard enough for everyday wear and still easy to work, with a Janka hardness of 1,070 lbf (4,759 N) and a density of about 0.52 g/cm³. It grows in Africa.

At 3.0% radial and 5.0% tangential the T/R ratio is 1.67 — typical, and manageable in interior joinery and furniture provided the gaps are designed rather than assumed. Its fibre saturation point is near 28%. Below it movement is modest at 5.0% tangential, but the 1.67 T/R ratio means one-sided sealing will still pull a panel out of flat.

At 520 kg/m³ a cubic metre of African Mahogany weighs about 520 kg air-dry — that figure, the 5.0% tangential and 3.0% radial movement and the 1,070 lbf hardness are the three inputs the calculators below actually consume. Select African Mahogany in any of them to get species-specific results for weight, moisture, shrinkage and hardness.

Working properties

How African Mahogany behaves at the bench and on the machine, drawn from CIRAD Tropix, PROTA and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory imported-woods records.

MachiningWorks fairly easily with hand and machine tools at only moderate blunting, but the interlocked grain tears if planed carelessly — drop the cutting angle to about 15–20° and keep edges sharp, as it can go woolly. Some logs carry brittleheart, so watch for cross-breaking.

FasteningNails and screws well. Like sapele it can react with iron in damp conditions and streak the surface, so choose stainless or coated fixings for anything exposed.

GluingGlues reliably with ordinary wood adhesives on clean, prepared surfaces.

FinishingFinishes beautifully — sands smooth, takes oil, varnish and polish readily, and the ribbon stripe of quartersawn boards comes up with a fine shifting lustre that moves as you change angle.

Steam bendingNot a steam-bending timber; keep it to straight and shaped work.

DryingSeasons quickly and easily with little checking, and sits moderately stable in service once dry.

Durability & use classification

African Mahogany heartwood is rated moderately durable (EN 350 Class 3) — noticeably below true (Swietenia) mahogany — and is prone to termite and borer attack. The heartwood is highly resistant to preservative treatment, so it needs proper finishing and detailing for any exterior use.

Typical applications & suitability

Indoor — At its best indoors. It can serve in protected exterior joinery (doors, windows) when finished and kept clear of ground contact, but it isn't a durable outdoor wood in the way iroko or teak are.

Documented end-uses: high-quality cabinet work and furniture, interior joinery and trim, boat and ship building, flooring and panelling, decorative veneer and plywood, and musical instruments.

Comparable species

Species closest to African Mahogany by density, hardness, stiffness and bending strength, computed directly from the Vriksai species dataset rather than hand-picked.

Mango Wood510 kg/m³ · 1070 lbf American Cherry500 kg/m³ · 950 lbf Thermally Modified Larch550 kg/m³ · 530 lbf Iroko550 kg/m³ · 1260 lbf

Trade alternatives. Its closest trade cousin is Sapele — same Meliaceae family, denser and more strongly figured; utile is the other common stand-in, and where a redder tone is wanted, genuine mahogany. Note Khaya is CITES Appendix II listed, so source it traceably.

Alternatives to African Mahogany

African Mahogany measures 1,070 lbf Janka at 0.52 g/cm³, EN 350 durability Class 3, movement rated Excellent. African Mahogany is rated Excellent for movement, which is usually why it was specified — so nothing below trades that stability down. Read the numbers against the Janka scale and EN 350 durability classes.

Step up — harder than African Mahogany

For furniture and interior joinery that needs to survive handling as well as humidity. Harder resists denting; check the movement figures have not worsened with it.

ThermoWood Birch Thermo-D1,210 lbf · 0.62 g/cm³ · Class 2+13% Janka · 0.62 g/cm³ · exterior-rated Iroko1,260 lbf · 0.55 g/cm³ · Class 1+18% Janka · exterior-rated Silver Birch1,210 lbf · 0.61 g/cm³ · Class 5+13% Janka · 0.61 g/cm³

Step down — softer than African Mahogany

Easier to machine and to hand-finish, for interior work where the surface is not taking abuse.

Rubber Wood960 lbf · 0.55 g/cm³ · Class 5-10% Janka American Cherry950 lbf · 0.50 g/cm³ · Class 3-11% Janka Southern Yellow Pine870 lbf · 0.51 g/cm³ · Class 4-19% Janka

Similar, but more dimensionally stable

Already well behaved — these are the few in our library that are measurably steadier still. Size the gaps with the shrinkage predictor and EMC calculator.

Accoya Acetylated Radiata Pine710 lbf · 0.51 g/cm³ · Class 1stability gained by modification, not by species · rated Exceptional vs Excellent · 0.7% radial movement vs 3.0%Iroko1,260 lbf · 0.55 g/cm³ · Class 1T/R ratio 1.36 vs 1.67 — less cupping tendency · 3.8% tangential movement vs 5.0%

Closest overall match

If African Mahogany is unavailable and the specification cannot change, these are the nearest substitutes across hardness, density, movement, stiffness, bending strength and durability class together — not on any single property. Lower distance means a closer match.

American Cherrymatch 1.43950 lbf · 0.50 g/cm³ · Class 3950 lbf vs 1,070 · 0.50 vs 0.52 g/cm³ Sweet Chestnutmatch 1.77680 lbf · 0.56 g/cm³ · Class 2680 lbf vs 1,070 · 0.56 vs 0.52 g/cm³ · more durable (Class 2)Sapelematch 2.031,510 lbf · 0.62 g/cm³ · Class 31,510 lbf vs 1,070 · 0.62 vs 0.52 g/cm³

More durable for exterior use

African Mahogany is EN 350 Class 3, so untreated exterior service is not advisable. These reach Class 1–2 at comparable hardness.

Burma Teak Premium Grade1,070 lbf · 0.66 g/cm³ · Class 1EN 350 Class 1 vs Class 3 Teak1,070 lbf · 0.55 g/cm³ · Class 1EN 350 Class 1 vs Class 3 Thermally Modified Oak1,120 lbf · 0.68 g/cm³ · Class 1EN 350 Class 1 vs Class 3 · modified timber

Computed from measured properties only — hardness, density, movement, stiffness, bending strength and EN 350 class. Price, availability and appearance are never inputs. Figures are representative values, not consignment absolutes: two species within a few percent are equivalent until verified on the material. Full method and the rules the engine cannot break.

Substitution is a match on durability class, movement and strength — not on colour or grain. Where two candidates are close, compare them directly before specifying.

Compare African Mahogany side by side

These comparisons turn on movement and finish quality more than on raw strength. Every pairing shows the measured figures side by side; full matrix in the comparison index.

African Mahogany vs Black WalnutSide-by-side data · 1,010 lbf African Mahogany vs American CherrySide-by-side data · 950 lbf African Mahogany vs SapeleSide-by-side data · 1,510 lbf African Mahogany vs Douglas FirSide-by-side data · 620 lbf

Calculators relevant to African Mahogany

Weighted towards joinery and finishing, where African Mahogany is normally used. Full set in the tool index.

Timber Screw Spacing Calculator (EC5 & IS 883)Joinery Shelf Sag CalculatorJoinery Wood Flooring CalculatorConstruction Dovetail Spacing CalculatorJoinery Compound Miter Angle CalculatorJoinery Wood Bending Radius CalculatorManufacturing Lumber Price ConverterCommercial Wood Volume ConverterCommercial

Understand the figures

Strength properties — MOR, MOE and what they govern · Durability & fire — EN 350 classes and E84 ratings · Thermal conductivity — k-value and insulation behaviour · ThermoWood species guide — Thermo-D/Thermo-S treatment classes.

Further reading. Wood moisture content explained · How to calculate board feet.

Common questions about African Mahogany

How hard is African Mahogany, and what does that mean in practice?

At 1,070 lbf (4,759 N) it sits in the middle of the hardness range. That is hard enough for domestic flooring, worktops and furniture in normal use, and still cuts cleanly with ordinary sharp tools. It is the range most cabinet and joinery timbers fall into, which is why it is such a common choice.

Is African Mahogany suitable for outdoor projects?

It's moderately durable (Class 3, EN 350), which puts it in the 'fine outdoors with a bit of care' bracket. For anything in ground contact or constantly wet, you'll want a preservative treatment or a coating you keep up. For covered or well-drained outdoor use it does well, especially if you cut away the non-durable sapwood and let air move around the timber.

Does African Mahogany move much once it's installed?

It's one of the more stable timbers, which is part of its appeal. At 3.0% radial and 5.0% tangential the T/R ratio is 1.67 — typical, and manageable in interior joinery and furniture provided the gaps are designed rather than assumed. You'll still want it dried to the right moisture content for your climate, but cupping and gaps are less of a worry than with a less stable wood.

unverified no published source for this figure · FPL USDA FPL Wood Handbook GTR-190 · WD The Wood Database (Eric Meier) · calc derived from the figures above

Tools that use this species

Janka Database ToolHardness for 60 species Green Weight CalculatorWeight of green timber Shrinkage PredictorDimensional movement EMC CalculatorEquilibrium moisture content Fiber Saturation CalculatorFSP by species Volume Converterm3, CFT, board feet

Sources & references

The Wood Database (Eric Meier) — compiled species data, one of the references behind the panel above. Which figure comes from which reference is not recorded field by field. Spot checks show the numbers do trace to published sources, but not all to the same one: strength values for US species follow the USDA FPL Wood Handbook exactly, while European species draw on European references instead. So a figure that disagrees with any single reference here is not necessarily wrong — different bodies measure specific gravity and shrinkage on different bases. If a number matters to your work, check it against the reference you intend to rely on.
CIRAD Tropix — tropical-timber technological database (African Mahogany / Khaya sheet) · working properties, durability
PROTA / Useful Tropical Plants — Khaya ivorensis species record · machining, fastening, gluing, uses
USDA Forest Products Laboratory — imported-woods record for African Mahogany (Khaya spp.) · drying, finishing, durability
EN 350 — European standard for natural durability of wood · durability class

Updated 15 Jul 2026 Values are representative; wood varies with provenance, age and grade. Confirm critical structural or fire figures against a test report for your actual product.