Zebrawood Turning Blanks

Zebrawood Specs

Scientific Name

Microberlinia brazzavillensis

Common Name(s)

Zebrawood, Zebrano

Distribution

West Africa

Average Dried Weight

50 lbs/ft3 (805 kg/m3)

Specific Gravity

Basic: .67, 12% MC: .81

Janka Hardness

1,830 lbf (8,160 N)

Modulus of Rupture

17,800 lbf/in2 (122.8 MPa)

Elastic Modulus

2,374,000 lbf/in2 (16.37 GPa)

Crushing Strength

9,210 lbf/in2 (63.5 MPa)

Shrinkage

Radial: 7.6%, Tangential: 10.8%, Volumetric: 17.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

Appearance

Heartwood is a light brown or cream color with dark blackish brown streaks vaguely resembling a zebra’s stripes. Depending on whether the wood is flatsawn or quartersawn, the stripes can be either chaotic and wavy (flatsawn), or somewhat uniform (quartersawn).

Texture

Has a fairly coarse texture and open pores. Grain is usually wavy or interlocked. Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; large to very large pores in no specific arrangement, few to very few; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; heartwood deposits (brown) occasionally present; narrow rays not visible without lens, spacing fairly close; parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates, unilateral, vasicentric, winged, lozenge, and confluent, and banded (marginal).

Rot Resistance

Heartwood is rated as durable and is also resistant to insect damage.

Workability

The wood saws well, but can be very difficult to plane or surface due to the prevalence of interlocking grain. Tearout is common. Zebrawood glues and finishes well, though a transparent pore filler may be necessary for the large open pores which occur on both dark and light surfaces.

Odor

Has a characteristic, unpleasant smell when being worked.

Allergies/Toxicity

Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Zebrawood has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation.

Pricing/Availability

Zebrawood tends to be fairly expensive, though usually not as prohibitively expensive as other exotics such as Ebony or Rosewood.

Sustainability

This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is on the IUCN Red List. It is listed as vulnerable due to a population reduction of over 20% in the past three generations, caused by a decline in its natural range. (A closely-related, lesser-used species in Cameroon, Microberlinia bisulcata, is also listed as critically endangered.)

Common Uses

Zebrawood is frequently quartersawn and used as veneer. Other uses include: tool handles, furniture, boatbuilding, and skis.

Comments

Sometimes called Zebrano, the wood is strong and stiff, with a fairly high density. However, the wood is much more frequently used for its bold and unique striping.

Zebrawood Turning Blank Prices

3″ x 5″ x 5″ Zebrawood Turning Blank

$17.20

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3″ x 6″ x 6″ Zebrawood Turning Blank

$24.76

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3″ x 8″ x 8″ Zebrawood Turning Blank

$43.99

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3″ x 3″ x 12″ Zebrawood Turning Blank

$24.76

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Zebrawood Pen Turning Blank

$0.84

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