Wenge
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 quartersawn; coarse texture.
Variations Within Species And Grades: Moderate variations in color.
and
Hardness/Janka: 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.
Origin: Africa