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Wenge
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Species - Imported
Top portion is finished with water-base finish; bottom with oil-based finish
Appearance
Color: Heartwood is yellow-brown when freshly cut, turning dark-brown to almost black with alternate layers of light and dark. Sapwood is yellowish-white and clearly demarcated from heartwood.
Grain: Straight when quarter sawn; coarse texture.
Variations: Within Species And Grades: Moderate variations in color.
Workability
Sawing/Machining: Difficult due to rapid dulling of tools; carbide tooling recommended.
Sanding: Moderately difficult. Particular attention should be paid to removing the scratches from the previous sanding.
Nailing: No known problems.
Finishing: Staining may be difficult.
Comments: Dermatological and respiratory allergic potential. Origin: Africa
Properties
Hardness/Janka: 1630; (26% harder than Northern red oak).
Dimensional Stability: Excellent (5.8; 33% more stable than red oak). However, actual installations have demonstrated significant movement in use.
Durability: Availability
Limited