Wengé

Trade name

Wenge

Main regions of origin

Africa, Cameroon, Congo.

Character, description

This wood was used in the XIXth century, marginally in the « Art-Nouveau » period, then more often during the « Art-Deco » period. Present trends have brought it back into the limelight. The heartwood is very dark brown, marbled with whitish bands of parenchyma, which give it its esthetic aspect, above all when sawn lengthwise. When fresh, the wood is orange in colour but darkens very quickly when exposed to the air. Another variety has been used, Panga-panga (millettia stuhlmannii) which has wider light parts and comes from East Africa. Wenge is a surprisingly dark wood with large bi-colour pores. Its light-brown stripes associated with forms from organic cells contrast with the primary coffee colours of the wood. This rich and darkly contrasted veneer creates an elegant atmosphere when given a matt finish. We recommend using a special varnish which does not react with the numerous substances present in wenge in order to preserve its charming appearance and protect it from ultra-violet rays.

Use

Furniture, interior joinery, construction wood

Availability

Price level